B 203: Q UALITATIVE R ESEARCH T HECHNIQUES

D EFINING R ESEARCH D ESIGN Research design is generally defined as “…a plan or protocol for carrying out or accomplishing something” Design, according to the definition is a series of stages or tasks in planning or conducting a study (essentially linear) Defining the aforesaid model as traditional, Martin (1982) introduced ‘garbage can’ model’ “Four elements swirl around in the garbage can”- Theories, Methods, Resources and Solutions

D EFINING R ESEARCH D ESIGN The extension of ‘Garbage Can’ model is ‘Garbage Can II’ which adds additional element- problems, phenomena, personal concern (Grady and Wilson 1988) Now differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research based on this

C OMPONENTS OF R ESEARCH D ESIGN 1. Purposes The ultimate goal of the study Issues to illuminate and practices to influence The reason Why is the study worth doing? 2. Conceptual Context The existing state of knowledge Identification of related theories, findings, literature and conceptual framework to guide the study

3. Research Questions What specifically do we want to understand ? What do we not know about the phenomena we are studying? What questions shall we attempt to answer? How are these questions interrelated 4. Methods/Design/Technique What shall we exactly do? What approaches/techniques shall we use? Four main parts- research relationship with the people to study, site selection, data collection methods, data analysis techniques

5. Validity How might we be wrong? How shall we deal with the plausible alternative conclusions? How could we support our ideas? Why should our research results be believed?

P RE -R ESEARCH Q UESTION S TAGE Purposes Personal Practical Research Conceptual Context/Theoretical Framework What do you understand and how do you understand Generate some concepts Find out how these are interrelated Writing down a narrative

R ESEARCH Q UESTION Two vital functions of research design To focus the study To provide guidance for the study Research questions and other questions- Research issues vs. Practical issues Research question vs. Interview question

Problems with too-diffused and too-focused research question Problems with unexamined assumptions Find out the problems of the following research questions- In the Union Parishad of Bangladesh, how do the women members carry out their responsibilities in standing committee? Evaluation of local government performance in Bangladesh How do the char inhabitants deal with the construction of Jamuna Bridge?

T HE R OLE OF R ESEARCH Q UESTIONS Organize the research, give it direction Define the project, show its boundaries Keep the researcher focused Provide a framework Point to data that will be needed

D EVELOPING R ESEARCH Q UESTIONS Remember the research question before conceptual framework Generate questions from conceptual framework Compare (with which) Compare (relate) with the purposes Focus Connect questions with methods Validity (unexamined assumption)

D EVELOPING R ESEARCH Q UESTIONS Identifying the research area- What are we trying to find out? Questions should generate possibilities (?) Identifying the general questions Sub-division of general questions Disentangling and Ordering Bringing the project down to size- Manageable Most important

H YPOTHESIS IN Q UALITATIVE R ESEARCH Hypothesis is predicted answer to a research question Hypothesis and theory: “Theories can not be proved” Developing hypothesis is important if we have a prior explanation

What answer do expect from this question? Know Do Not Know Why do we predict this? Other Reasons Some other researcher found Formulate Hypothesis Do not formulate Hypothesis

G OOD R ESEARCH Q UESTIONS Clear Specific Answerable Interconnected Substantively relevant

A S IMPLIFIED M ODEL R. A. Problem Questions (What data are required) Design Data Collection Data Analysis Answer Question

Q UESTION -M ETHOD R ELATION 1. What do I need to know 2. Why do we need this 3. What kind of data is required 4. Where can I find it 5. Whom do I contact 6. Time lines

Q UALITATIVE G ENRE AND O VERALL S TRATEGY GenreStrategyFocus of Inquiry Individual Experience In-depth interviewIndividual Society and CultureCase StudyGroups or Organization Language and Communication MicroanalysisSpeech events and Interactions