Basic Concepts of Qualitative Research
This essay talks about qualitative research. It is to discuss my understanding of qualitative research from my reading and discussion in qualitative research class. It briefly covers the definition of qualitative research, research paradigms, research designs, and characteristics of qualitative research. It also describes the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research, differences with quantitative, data collection and data analysis techniques of qualitative studies. The last part of this essay raises some explanation of why qualitative research is important especially in educational research.
Definition
Beginning with the definition of qualitative, just like all researches, qualitative research is a type of research that seeks answers to a question. It is systematically conducted and it also involves the collection of evidence of the research process; data collection, data analysis and report writing (Creswell, 2012). However, the uniqueness of qualitative research is that it captures people’s live experience of the social world instead of world of nature (Liamputtong, 2009). It reveals the social reality of individuals, groups, and cultures. The study involves the description and analysis of behavior, perspectives, feeling, thought, experiences, social actions of people and what lies at the core of people lives (Holloway & Wheeler, 2002; McMillan & Schumacher, 2001). Therefore, qualitative research is mostly recognised as the social studies which obtain specific information of a particular issue.
Paradigm
In exploring the social phenomena, a researcher must select the research paradigm properly. As it is explained on encyclopedia of qualitative research (2008, p.591), a paradigm is a set of assumptions and perceptual orientations of the research. It is the basic belief that guides the researchers represent the range of phenomena in relationships to the world and its part (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). It determines how researchers view the phenomena of
Definition
Beginning with the definition of qualitative, just like all researches, qualitative research is a type of research that seeks answers to a question. It is systematically conducted and it also involves the collection of evidence of the research process; data collection, data analysis and report writing (Creswell, 2012). However, the uniqueness of qualitative research is that it captures people’s live experience of the social world instead of world of nature (Liamputtong, 2009). It reveals the social reality of individuals, groups, and cultures. The study involves the description and analysis of behavior, perspectives, feeling, thought, experiences, social actions of people and what lies at the core of people lives (Holloway & Wheeler, 2002; McMillan & Schumacher, 2001). Therefore, qualitative research is mostly recognised as the social studies which obtain specific information of a particular issue.
Paradigm
In exploring the social phenomena, a researcher must select the research paradigm properly. As it is explained on encyclopedia of qualitative research (2008, p.591), a paradigm is a set of assumptions and perceptual orientations of the research. It is the basic belief that guides the researchers represent the range of phenomena in relationships to the world and its part (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). It determines how researchers view the phenomena of