1. Introduction to Qualitative Research

2. Philosophical Assumptions
Ontology: Metaphysical study of being and the nature of reality
Axiology: Study of nature of values and judgements (overriding goal)
Epistemology: Study of the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity

3. Positivistic vs. Interpretive
Ontological – nature of reality
Objective
Single
Divisible
Nature of social beings
Deterministic
Reactive
Ontological – nature of reality
Socially constructed
Multiple
Holistics/Contextual
Nature of social beings
Voluntaristic
Proactive

4. Positivistic Vs. Interpretive
Axiological
Explanation via subsumption under general laws
Axiological
“Understanding” based on Verstehen

5. Positivistic Vs. Interpretive
Epistemological
Knowledge Generation
Idiographic
Time-bound
Context-dependent
View of Causality
Multiple, simultaneous shaping
Research relationship
Interactive, cooperative
No privileged point of observation
Epistemological
Knowledge Generation
Nomothetic
Time-free
Context-independent
View of Causality
Real causes exist
Research relationship
Dualism, separation
Privileged point of observation

6. Qualitative Inquiry Qualitative questions: why or how
Fit of Question and Method
Sampling and Saturation:
Purposeful, convenience, nominated, theoretical
Data saturation

7. Methods Ethnography Phenomenology Grounded theory
Focused ethnography (decision making)
Critical ethnography (aids emancipation)
Phenomenology
Experience snapshots
Describing the essence of human experience
Grounded theory
Highly inductive
Iterative process – evolving theory

8. Methods Narrative Case Study Story that reveals person’s experiences
Represents larger social experience
Case Study
Intrinsic (understanding 1 case)
Instrumental (refining theory)
Collective (several instrumental cases, looking for broader context)

9. Methods Participatory Action Research Reflects needs of the people
Group ownership of process (involvement of participants from design to results)
Conducted to solve social or community problems

10. Data Collection Interviews (depth) Observation Field Notes Documents
Video, photographs

11. Triangulation
Uses a combination of more than one research strategy in a single investigation.
Data: time, space, person
Investigator: complimenting areas of expertise
Theory: testing and comparison of theories
Methods: simultaneous & sequential implementation (separate analysis)