MSLD500_Activity_6.3_Blog_Qualitative Research_Wathen_Sandra

MSLD500_Activity_6.3_Blog_Qualitative Research_Wathen_Sandra

This blog is to provide insight supporting the definition of qualitative research and summarization of the main elements of qualitative research.

Problem Identification*Hypothesis*Data Research*Data Analysis*Documented Results

Observe*Write*Analyze*Conclude

Sampling & Selection*Researcher Roles*Data Collection*Data Analysis*References

Qualitative Research in summary is to identify a problem, make a hypothesis, obtain the essential data, analyze the data and write-up the results; while continuously observing, writing, analyzing and drawing conclusions of the data.  Conducting qualitative research is an iterative process.

So to dig a little deeper on the subject… when conducting qualitative research, you must keep the perspective broad early in the beginning while you are gathering the data.  It is often described as using the funnel approach.   Basically, wide or open in the beginning then gradually narrow down at the end.   Meaning that your research will be very broad in the beginning, capturing as much information as possible then as the study progresses the narrowing of the focus will naturally follow. 

Part of the process that may soon to follow will be the start of conducting open ended interviews which is the beginning of narrowing that focus and capturing the data to produce the theory.  Be patient, as it takes time to conduct good qualitative research for a typical qualitative study.

As you are writing, the hypothesis can emerge and sometimes change.   In fact, multiple hypotheses can be possible.  Eventually, you will get to the data saturation point where you will feel like you cannot take any more information – often feeling overloaded or overwhelmed.   Believe it or not, this is a good thing.  You want as much information as you can get so that you can analyze and filter it while obtaining conclusions.   It is recommended to use multiple researchers in a study and give your self sufficient and equal time for data collection and analysis.  Toward the end of the study, expect to have increased data analysis.  Make sure you take and retain personal notes, field notes, method notes, theories and categories as you are collection the data, they will be used later to support your study.   Also, monitor your own experience – not only in the reason on context, but also in other areas of life at the time.  That way you are considering all perspectives.

Formal analysis will normally near the end of the study.  During that time you will be developing the conclusion based on your qualitative and/or quantitative methods and dependent on your purpose or goal of the research - will start to determine conclusions.  Ultimately to then provide the most optimum way forward as a result of the research study.

Helpful Hints: 

Remember that humility is good for development of good research.  Since qualitative research is subjective in the sense you are trying to represent the subjective experience of someone else. 

You cannot use the results for re-use in other settings since the generalization normally rests upon the method of sampling. 

Also, qualitative research is two-fold in that it is a task of the reader and the researcher.  Generalization can also be possible by comparing different contexts and finding what activities and perspectives are common across multiple and varied contexts.

Sampling and Selection is important.  Not all of your sampling will be 100%; however you must consider and review the vast amount of information. 

Again, it is a reiterative process of observing, quantifying, analyzing (sometimes statistically), and drawing conclusions. 

It often can be chaotic just for the simple fact that human experience can sometimes be confusing; so expect some challenges due to human involvement. 

You can also expect unexpected results and that is not always bad.  Simply because presumptions can change once you really start digging in to the information. 

It doesn’t hurt to map or draw the environment out.  Observations are worth mapping even though sometimes you may decide mapping is not necessary.  So at least evaluate to determine if mapping is a good path to choose.

It is important to be sensitive to the environment so that people are comforting and in a mutual friendly environment. 

For the role of the researcher, one must remember that they are the expert and are playing the role of the qualitative research who doesn’t know the answers and seeking out to peers for advice or insight. 

The analytical induction is a process of testing and revising hypothesis.