Created by Joni Walton, RN PhD ACNS BC There is no conflict of interest in the creation of this education program. Research Committee Module #5 Research Committee Module #5 1 CNE Available

Learner Objectives 1. Describe 2 basic guiding philosophic principles of qualitative research. 2. Identify 2 different types of established qualitative research methodologies. 3. Discuss 2 concerns with generic qualitative research. 4. List components of qualitative rigor.

It therefore is time for nurses to assert their autonomy and use qualitative criteria to evaluate qualitative paradigm, without this position, we will continue to have noncredible, inaccurate, and questionable findings for qualitative research studies. It is time to change practices! M. Leininger (1994) A Need For Qualitative Research

Characteristics of Qualitative Research  Individuals create meaning  Multiple ways of understanding  Multiple truths (Caelli, Ray & Mill, 2003) 1. Belief in multiple realities

Characteristics of Qualitative Research 2. Commitment to gain understanding from the participants viewpoint. (Caelli, Ray & Mill, 2003)  Find meaning of the experience  Identify basic social problems  Within context of the experience  Find similarities and differences

Characteristics of Qualitative Research 3. Acknowledged participation of the researcher in the research (Caelli, Ray & Mill, 2003)  Researcher is co-participant in the discovery and understanding  All research is conducted with a subjective bias  Objectivity - documents rigor from participant’s viewpoint

Characteristics of Qualitative Research  Do not disturb the natural context of the phenomena  Little intrusion as possible (Caelli, Ray & Mill, 2003) 4. Minimize disturbance of the natural context of the phenomena

Types of Established Qualitative Methodologies Ethnography—Anthropology Grounded Theory—Sociology Phenomenology—Philosophy Focus groups—Business Naturalistic Inquiry—Education Narrative Inquiry—Education & others

Ethnography Analysis Types of analysis  Thematic analysis  Grounded theory analysis Values, beliefs, practices of cultural groups

Grounded Theory Analysis Analysis:  Classic GT (Glaser & Strauss)  Non classic (Strauss and Corbin) Grounded Theory (GT) developed by two sociologists to discover problems or meaning

Bias Theoretical Positioning Examples  Did the researcher have a parent with renal failure?  What are the researcher’s beliefs related to the phenomenon being studied? All qualitative studies value the identification of the researcher’s bias and the analytic lens of analysis

Focus Groups  A specific technique used by trained group moderators to identify likes, dislikes, or problems  Used in business to test new products  Used by hospitals to find how to bring in customers, way finding, satisfaction  Analysis: Content analysis

Credibility of Generic Qualitative Research 1. Theoretical positioning of the researcher 2. Congruence between methodology and method 3. Strategies to establish rigor 4. Analytic lens of data analysis (Caelli, Ray, & Mill, 2003)

Rigor  Member checks (participant validates findings)  Fit  Trustworthiness  Credibility  Follow assumptions of method  Follow analysis recommended for method Each of the established qualitative methods have guidelines for rigor

Non Established Qualitative Methodologies-Generic There is a major explosion of research studies that do not follow a specific guiding methodology or analysis. They are descriptive in nature, and not necessarily rigorous.

Research Abstract  Title  Purpose or research question  Sample and setting  Method  Analysis  Results  Implications

Title of the Study  The title may sound non scholarly  The title may be in the participant’s own words  Do not overlook a study because of a weird title

Purpose or Research Question  The purpose must be clearly identified  Qualitative research is great to: –Study a new phenomenon –Study a phenomenon or problem that has not been studied –To discover meaning –To understanding the experience

Purposeful Sample  Sample size in qualitative research is small  It is not appropriate for large samples (over 40)  Not appropriate for a random sample  Select each participant on purpose –Participants or key informants have the problem that is being studied

Study Participants  In qualitative research the study volunteers are not called “SUBJECTS”  Key informants or participants

Saturation - Sample Size  Saturation is a term that is used when the data is complete or redundant and there are no new findings  Saturation occurs when each additional interview or observation brings the same information  Saturation is the exhaustive exploration and completion of data

Setting  A description of where the study took place  Important in ethnographic studies Culture, environment  In-depth interviews often take place in a mutually agreed upon private place Home or office

Data Collection What data was collected?  Demographic data (age, economic, other)  In-depth interviews (audio or videotaped)  Participant observations  Field work  Historical documents  Artifacts, journals, photos, other

Data Analysis Each of the established qualitative methods has its own specific type of data analysis, except for generic qualitative methods. For example: - Phenomenology- Giorgi’s analysis - Colaizzi’s analysis- Van Kaam’s analysis - Parse’s analysis

Results of Analysis The hallmark of qualitative research are the results:  Themes  Categories, subcategories  Concepts  Theory, theoretical models  Hypothesis for future research

ING-Gerund  Most themes and categories are from the words of participants  Usually end in ING implying a process - Enduring- Developing - Coping- Discovering - Seeking- Managing - Finding- Facing mortality

Evaluating an Article Using a Check List for Guidance  A check list can be a guide  Often used in research courses

Nursing Implications A good research article will have a summery of implications for future research and implications for nursing.

References  Caelli, K., Ray, L., & Mill, J. (2003). ‘Clear as mud’: Toward greater clarity in generic qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2(2). Article 1. Retrieved from  Leininger, M. (1994). Evaluation criteria and critique of qualitative research. In Critical Issues in Qualitative Research Methods. Morse, J. M. (ed). Newberry Park, CA: Sage.  Law, M. et al (1998). Guidelines for critical review form – qualitative studies. Retrieved from

References  Lincoln, Y. S. & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.  Aamodt, A. (1983). Problems in doing nursing research: Developing criteria for evaluating qualitative critique. Western Journal of Nursing Research (5)4, 399.  Morse, J. M. (1991). Strategies for sampling. In J. Morse (Ed.), Qualitative nursing research: A contemporary dialogue (Rev. Ed.). (pp ). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

References  Morse, J. M. (1999). Myth #93: Reliability and validity are not relevant to qualitative inquiry. Qualitative Health Research, 9, 717.  Morse, J. M., Barrett, M., Mayan, M., Olson, K., & Spiers, J. (2002). Verification strategies for establishing reliability and validity in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 1 (2), Article 2. Retrieved from  Sandelowski, M. (1993). Rigor or rigor mortis: The problem of rigor in qualitative research revisited. Advances in Nursing Science, 16 (2), 1-8.