Chapter 6 Both qualitative and quantitative processes are necessary to fully answer a conceptual question

Empirical Qualitative Research Approaches to Empirical Qualitative Research Natural observation Participant observation In person interviews (in-depth and focused) Group interviews

Empirical Qualitative Research Concepts in Empirical Qualitative Research The approach The data The design Data evaluation Conclusions

The Approach Qualitative research techniques often entail a researcher’s immersion in the group or activity under study Going native: the researcher achieves a high level of intimate familiarity with the field through immersion, to obtain the insider’s view

The Data Logs of journal descriptions Photographs Interviews Recorded observations Thick description: rich, detailed, and multidimensional understanding of a research site that captures the local meaning

The Design Qualitative approaches are emergent designs; quantitative approaches are static designs Qualitative methods, unlike quantitative methodologies, are easily adaptive to change Qualitative researchers evaluate the extent to which their procedures accommodate emergent situations (dependability)

The Design Emergent design: the dynamic nature of qualitative research; emerging issues of a research site demand that appropriate strategies are applied accordingly Static design: quantitative research procedures are designed in advance and followed consistently

Data Evaluation Data are evaluated in terms of plausibility and credibility Plausibility and credibility address the same issues as validity and reliability

Conclusions Are the findings transferable? Transferable: the extent that the findings, descriptions, and conclusions can be applied in other similar contexts based on the detailed contextual description. How generalizable are the observations?

Approaches to Qualitative Research Natural observation Participant observation In person interviews (in-depth and focused) Group interviews

Natural Observation Understanding a social phenomenon through the actors’ eyes The social process is viewed from the outside

Participant Observation Researchers take part in the activity they are observing Researchers do not intentionally try to manipulate or change the process, but learn about it from the inside The social process is viewed from the inside

In Person Interviews Actors are asked how they view the activity or process (their perceptions) Individual’s perspective

Group Interviews Individual perspectives are seen relative to the group Focus groups The discussion leader must be sufficiently trained