Data Collection Strategies II: Qualitative Research
PPA 696 RESEARCH METHODS
DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES II:
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
What is Qualitative Research?
Participant Observation
Stages in Participatory Observation
Differences between quantitative and qualitative research
Problems with qualitative studies
What type of field observation to use? What is Qualitative Research? Qualitative research is aimed at gaining a deep understanding of a specific organization or event, rather a than surface description of a large sample of a population. It aims to provide an explicit rendering of the structure, order, and broad patterns found among a group of participants. It is also called ethnomethodology or field research. It generates data about human groups in social settings. Qualitative research does not introduce treatments or manipulate variables, or impose the researcher's operational definitions of variables on the participants. Rather, it lets the meaning emerge from the participants. It is more flexible in that it can adjust to the setting. Concepts, data collection tools, and data collection methods can be adjusted as the research progresses. Qualitative research aims to get a better understanding through first hand experience, truthful reporting, and quotations of actual conversations. It aims to understand how the participants derive meaning from their surroundings, and how their meaning influences their behavior. Qualitative research uses observation as the data collection method. Observation is the selection and recording of behaviors of people in their environment. Observation is useful for generating in-depth descriptions of organizations or events, for obtaining information that is otherwise inaccessible, and for conducting research when other methods are inadequate. Observation is used extensively in studies by psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and program evaluators. Direct observation reduces distortion between the observer and what is observed that
DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES II:
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
What is Qualitative Research?
Participant Observation
Stages in Participatory Observation
Differences between quantitative and qualitative research
Problems with qualitative studies
What type of field observation to use? What is Qualitative Research? Qualitative research is aimed at gaining a deep understanding of a specific organization or event, rather a than surface description of a large sample of a population. It aims to provide an explicit rendering of the structure, order, and broad patterns found among a group of participants. It is also called ethnomethodology or field research. It generates data about human groups in social settings. Qualitative research does not introduce treatments or manipulate variables, or impose the researcher's operational definitions of variables on the participants. Rather, it lets the meaning emerge from the participants. It is more flexible in that it can adjust to the setting. Concepts, data collection tools, and data collection methods can be adjusted as the research progresses. Qualitative research aims to get a better understanding through first hand experience, truthful reporting, and quotations of actual conversations. It aims to understand how the participants derive meaning from their surroundings, and how their meaning influences their behavior. Qualitative research uses observation as the data collection method. Observation is the selection and recording of behaviors of people in their environment. Observation is useful for generating in-depth descriptions of organizations or events, for obtaining information that is otherwise inaccessible, and for conducting research when other methods are inadequate. Observation is used extensively in studies by psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and program evaluators. Direct observation reduces distortion between the observer and what is observed that