1. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Chapter 4 Introduction to Qualitative Research Effective in capturing complexity of communication phenomena Sensitive to social construction of meaning Emphasizes communication environment of interactants

2. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 What is Qualitative Research? Preserves the form and content of interaction Contextually bound Discourse is the data Analyzed for its qualities – empirical, inductive, and interpretive Aims for subjectivity Allows interactants’ voices to be heard

3. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Mutual Simultaneous Shaping The here and now Everything influences everything else Emphasis on process and the holistic frame of interaction Plausible explanations built on what is observed

4. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Inductive Analysis From the specific to the general Explanations and theories emerge from the data Propositions formulated continuously throughout the data collection and data analysis process

5. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 Model for Qualitative Research Interdependent stages Not linear Cannot be planned in entirety Top circle reflects design of the project Bottom reflects activities in the field

6. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 Credibility in Qualitative Research Extent to which data interpretations are –true –correct –dependable Allows for multiple interpretations by asking “What’s plausible?”

7. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 Enhancing Credibility Triangulation: use of several kinds of methods or data to enhance credibility –Data triangulation –Investigator triangulation –Interdisciplinary triangulation Member validation –Taking research findings back to individuals who provided data

8. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 Conceptualizing Research Questions for Qualitative Research Based on previous literature Broadly stated Nondirectional Gives researcher latitude in following interesting paths Specific to the interaction context

9. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 Assessing Research Questions Does the question ask how or what? Is the question nondirectional? Does it reference the research site?

10. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 10 Assessing Research Questions Does the question: –Focus on a specific type of interaction? –Discover how meaning is developed/shared? –Reveal naturally occurring communication not suitable for study in an experiment? –Reveal unanticipated phenomena/influences? –Reveal process that occur over time? –Explore the influences of the context?

11. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 11 What Counts as Data in Qualitative Research? Anything that can be observed or captured Interpreting meaning –Researcher construction –Subjective valuing –Contingent accuracy Level of evidence –Microlevel, midlevel, macrolevel

12. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 12 Making the Case for Qualitative Research Advantages –Documents the unseen –Provides information about those who cannot or will not speak for themselves –Supplements information from quantitative studies Limitations –Communication environment must be accessible –Interactants may change their behavior –Observations filtered through the researcher –Time consuming

13. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 13 Threats to Credibility Inaccuracy or incompleteness of data Problems of interpretation –Whose interpretation is being imposed? Theoretical validity –What about data that fail to fit the interpretation? Selection bias Reactivity bias

14. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 14 Comparing Quantitative and Qualitative Research One methodology is not inherently better than the other Each has advantages and limitations Method should be selected because it helps the researcher answer hypotheses and research questions

15. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 15 Key Differences Quantitative Uses numbers Participants randomly selected Removes some level of contextuality Relies on formal logic Qualitative Uses detailed descriptions Participants selected purposely Deeply contextualized Interpretive frame

16. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 16 Key Similarities Both quantitative and qualitative methods –Rely on empirical evidence –Provide useful information for describing, understanding, and explaining human communication behavior –Needed to develop complete picture of communication

17. © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 17 Which Method Do You Choose? Choose the method that answers “What do I want to know?” Which method will maximize the amount of useful data generated to answer the question posed?