WEEK 1: Qualitative Research Methods

Question	Answer
What is Qualitative Research?	Approach that is human focussed Delves into beliefs, behaviours and experiences of participants Explores questions that ask 'why' Explores the processes that occur in society *Examines meanings that individuals give to specific events/occurrences
When are qualitative research methods appropriate to use?	* To understand an area where little is known * To understand complex situations * To learn the way participants understand something *Discover a new theory based on empirical results
What are the types of truths inherent in all research?	Objective, Subjective, Normative/evaluative
What is the difference conceptually between qualitative and quantitative research?	Qualitative research assumes dynamic and negotiated reality. Quantitative research assumes a fixed and measurable reality.
What are the three ways sampling is done in Qualitative Research?	* Theoretical or purposeful sampling * Maximum Variation Sampling *Snowball Sampling
What is Theoretical or purposeful sampling?	* Where participants must meet inclusion criteria for the study. * Where participants have knowledge in a specific area or about a phenomenon.
What is maximum variation sampling?	Where there is a specific purposive sample to recruit those who reflect diversity
What is snowball sampling?	Where initial participants lead to new recruits
What are the three different approaches to qualitative research?	Phenomenology - Meaning Ethnography - Organisation *Grounded Theory - Process over time
What is Phenomenology?	It's about the subjective experience of the person. How people construct meaning and communicate their lived experience. E.g. What does having an eating disorder feel like?.
What is Ethnography?	* Looks at social interactions, how we behave in groups, what we perceive and how we interact. The aim is to understand how the group of interest perceives the world. * Data is collected through observations over time from groups such as organisations, schools, society.
What is grounded theory?	Discovering theory by examining data closely. We assume that if you don't know much about the area of interest then the theory is grounded in the data. We discover processes. e.g. How do people come to terms with being diagnosed with a chronic illness.
What key things should we consider when designing qualitative research?	What is the purpose of the research? How does the research relate to other work in the field? What are two or three key questions of the study? What are the appropriate methods to answer the questions? *What Ethical issues need to be considered?
What are the methods associated with qualitative research?	interviews Observations *Document analysis
What are the types of interviews used in Qualitative research	* Individual Interviews - Face to face, Phone etc. Structured, semi structured and unstructured. * Focus groups - Homogenous groups (6 - 12 people). These are efficient but not as detailed as individual interviews.
What are the types of Observations used in Qualitative research?	* Participant Observation - researcher participates in group they are studying * Structured Observation - Researcher observes group they are studying *Observational Episodes - focussing that is informed by emerging clarity through observations to research questions.
What is the criteria used to judge trustworthiness in qualitative research?	Credibility Transferability (Generalising Ability) * Dependability * Authenticity
What is the Criteria for Reporting Qualitative research?	The COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for reporting qualitative research is a 32 item checklist for interviews and focus groups - helps researchers to report important aspects of the research team, study methods, context of study, findings, analysis and interpretation.
What are the procedures for ensuring trustworthiness of qualitative research?	* Auditing * Member checking * Debriefing
What are the steps in preliminary data analysis of qualitative research?	* Initial questioning of data to determine emerging issues, themes. What is occurring? * Aim is to then identify the gaps by critiquing the data as it occurs - make connections between issues and research topic. * Analysis during and post data collection
What is thematic analysis?	Thematic analysis is the most common form of analysis in qualitative research. It emphasises pinpointing, examining, and recording patterns (or "themes") within data.
What is the process of Thematic Analysis?	* Engage with data (re read, question) read researchers journal, continue to question * Discuss themes with others *Think of the situational/environmental context surrounding the themes. -Coding can be used to manage large databases.
What is Coding in grounded theory analysis?	In grounded theory, because the theory develops from the data as it is collected and analysed, the process of analysis takes place from the first time that data begins to be collected and continues until the research study is completed. Data is coded/categorising into different meaningful units. labels etc.
What are the three types on Coding?	* First step is to read the material over and over to get a feel for the data - an overall understanding * Open coding - Data is scrutinised for commonalities that could reflect categories or themes. * Axial Coding - connections are made amongst the categories and the subcategories. Putting data together in new ways by making connections between the categories. * Substantive Coding - This is the process of selecting the core (or main) category, and then systematically relating it to the other categories
What does it mean when the data becomes saturated?	When nothing new is being added by the addition of data
What are memos used for in Grounded theory analysis?	They are useful as they provide notes on the researchers thoughts and thought processes throughout analysis
What does Rigour refer to in Grounded theory analysis?	* Glaser and Strauss refer to how well the categories fit to the data but are not forced. * Seeking External Validation * Use of Reflexivity (researcher acknowledges their role).
What is Reflexive writing?	Reflective writing is a practice in which the writer describes an event, interaction, passing thought, memory, form, adding a personal reflection on the meaning of the item or incident, thought, feeling, emotion, or situation in his or her life.

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WEEK 1: Qualitative Research Methods

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	Created by seonapalmer about 9 years ago