Chapter 14 Overview of Qualitative Research Gay, Mills, and Airasian Educational Research Chapter 14 Overview of Qualitative Research Gay, Mills, and Airasian

Topics Discussed in this Chapter Definition and purpose of qualitative research General steps involved in qualitative research Qualitative research approaches Characteristics of qualitative research Validity, reliability, and generalizability Ethics

The Nature of Qualitative Research Qualitative research is the collection, analysis, and interpretation of comprehensive narrative data in order to gain insights into a particular phenomenon of interest Useful for describing and answering questions about participants and contexts Objective 1.1

The Nature of Qualitative Research Purpose of qualitative research Promote a deep, holistic understanding of a particular phenomenon Importance of exploring qualitative topics Provide insight into the complexity of common occurrences Provide specific concrete details to guide understanding in a particular setting Objectives 1.2 and 1.3

The Nature of Qualitative Research The importance of exploring qualitative topics (continued) Provide insight into the “local” meanings that activities and practices have for participants Develop a comparative understanding of phenomena as experienced by different participants in different settings Objective 1.3

The Nature of Qualitative Research Six General Steps Identify the research topic Review the literature Select the participants Collect data Analyze the data Report the results These are the same steps as those used in quantitative research Objectives 2.1 and 2.2

Range of Qualitative Approaches Nine approaches Case study An effort to seek an understanding of a single person or entity Ethnography An effort to describe and analyze all or part of the culture of a community by identifying and describing participants’ practices and beliefs Ethology An effort to compare several cultures with one another Objective 3.2

Range of Qualitative Approaches Nine approaches (continued) Ethnomethodology An effort to examine people’s understanding of their daily activities Grounded theory An effort to derive theory grounded in the perspectives of the participants Phenomenology An effort to understand the meaning of an individual’s experiences Objective 3.2

Range of Qualitative Approaches Nine approaches (continued) Symbolic interaction An effort to seek common understandings that emerge to give meaning to participants’ interactions Action research An effort to seek a solution or improvement to a practical problem in the setting in which it is occurring Historical research An effort to seek to understand the past by studying documents, relics, and interviews Objective 3.2

Features of Qualitative Approaches Differences between approaches Different social contexts are being studied in each approach The participants are selected for different reasons in each approach Objective 3.1

Features of Qualitative Approaches Eight unique characteristics Researchers immerse themselves in the situation The data reflects the participants’ perspectives Sources of data are real-world situations or natural contexts Data is narrative in nature Researchers focus on personal interactions with participants Objective 4.1

Features of Qualitative Approaches Eight unique characteristics (continued) Researchers avoid early decisions or assumptions about the study Data are analyzed inductively Methods provide clear, detailed information reflecting participants’ voices Objective 4.1

Technical Issues Validity The degree to which the qualitative data collected accurately gauges what is being measured Two components Trustworthiness Understanding Objective 5.1

Technical Issues Validity Trustworthiness Credibility – taking into account all the complexities in the study and addressing problems that are not easily explained Transferability – including descriptive, context-relevant statements so the reader can identify with the setting Dependability – collecting stable data Confirmability – assuring the neutrality and objectivity of the data Objective 6.1

Technical Issues Validity Understanding Descriptive validity – the factual accuracy of the account Interpretive validity – the meaning attributed to the behaviors or words of the participants Theoretical validity – the explanation of the phenomenon being studied in relation to a theory Evaluative validity – sufficient objectivity in reporting data to avoid bias, preconceived judgments, or evaluations Objective 6.2

Technical Issues 13 strategies to ensure validity Participate at the study site for a prolonged period of time Use persistent observation Use peer debriefing Collect mechanically recorded data Use member checks Establish structural corroboration/coherence Establish referential adequacy Objective 6.3

Technical Issues 13 strategies to ensure validity (cont.) Collect detailed descriptive data Develop detailed descriptions of the context Overlap methods (i.e., multi-methods) Establish an audit trail Practice triangulation Practice reflexivity Objective 6.3

Technical Issues Reliability The consistency with which data measures what is being attempted to be measured over time Qualitative perspective The reliability of the techniques that are being used to collect data Reliability is a necessary but not sufficient characteristic – validity is the priority Objectives 7.1 and 7.2

Technical Issues Generalizability The applicability of findings to settings and contexts different from the one in which they were obtained Internal-external validity issues revisited A depth of understanding can only be achieved from a few participants in a very limited number of contexts Generalizability is therefore very limited Qualitative researchers are primarily concerned with validity and reliability and to a much lesser extent generalizability Objective 8.1

Technical Issues General strategies for ensuring the technical merit of a qualitative study Talk little, listen a lot Record observation accurately Begin writing early Let readers see for themselves Report fully Be candid Seek feedback Write accurately

Ethical Issues Ethics can be considered in terms of how the researcher treats the participants in the research setting. The nature of qualitative research provides the potential for conflict and harm. Qualitative research is intimate – there is little distance between the researcher and the participants Qualitative research is open-ended – the nature of the process requires the use of an emergent design as the situation unfolds Objectives 9.1 and 9.2

Ethical Issues Six guidelines to help avoid ethical problems Researchers should have an ethical perspective that is close to their personal ethical position Informed consent should take the form of a dialogue that mutually shapes the research and the results Confidentiality is more complicated even with the use of pseudonyms Consider the use of a video tape to illustrate a point being made Objective 9.4

Ethical Issues Six guidelines to help avoid ethical problems (cont.) You should be able to identify broader social principles that are an integral part of who you are as a researcher and a contributing member of the community in which you live. Avoidance of harm morally binds qualitative researchers to conduct their research in a manner that minimizes potential harm to those involved in the study. Objective 9.4

Ethical Issues Six guidelines to help avoid ethical problems (cont.) Even though an action can bring about good results, it is not ethical unless it also conforms to ethical standards such as honesty and justice. The qualitative researcher must remain attentive to the relationships between the researcher and the participants – a relationship that is determined by “roles, status, language, and cultural norms.” Objective 9.4