Relevance and Impact of Qualitative Research Qualitative Research Methods

Relevance & Impact  What’s the value to the general public? 1. It’s relatively flexible 2. It studies what people are doing in their natural settings/context their natural settings/context 3. It is well placed to study processes and outcomes and outcomes 4. It studies meanings as well as causes

Relevance & Impact  What’s the value to the general public? Not in competition with quantitative research Not in competition with quantitative research - Qualitative answers questions of “how”, “what”, & “why” - Quantitative answers “who” & some “why” questions

Relevance & Impact  3 Roles of the Social Scientist 1.Scholar: knowledge for knowledge’s sake - protected by scholar’s conscience - ultimate evaluation 2.State Counselor: social engineering or enlightenment for policy makers - may open new avenues of action and perception perception - may reveal dysfunctional aspects

Relevance & Impact  3 Roles of the Social Scientist Partisan: knowledge to support a political theory or practice “... Seeks to provide the theoretical and factual resources for a political struggle aimed at transforming the assumptions through which both political and administrative games are played.”

Relevance & Impact  Audiences & Their Expectations Academic colleagues: theoretical, factual, or methodological insights Policy-makers: Practical information relevant to current policy issues

Relevance & Impact  Audiences & Their Expectations Policy-makers (cont.): Often not heard because: 1. Commissioned to buy time in the face of public scandal or criticism face of public scandal or criticism 2. Time lag between commissioning of study and receiving the report study and receiving the report 3. Academics who produce unpalatable conclusions can be written off as unrealistic conclusions can be written off as unrealistic

Relevance & Impact  Audiences & Their Expectations Practitioners: Theoretical framework for better understanding clients; factual information, practical suggestions for better procedures, reform General Public: New facts, ideas for reform of current practices or policies, guidelines for how to manage better or get better service from practitioners or institutions, assurances about their own experiences

Relevance & Impact  Audiences & Their Expectations General Public (cont.): Why researchers report to gp: 1. To answer questions asked by your respondents 2. To check provisional findings 3. To provide feedback to organizations and relevant groups 4. To provide information for media

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 1.Take advantage of naturally occurring data 2.Avoid treating the participants point of view as an explanation - interviews do not take the place of detailed analysis

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 2.Cont. “The goal of the analysis no longer parallels that of the participants, who are concerned to find out what they and others did or thought, but becomes that of reflecting upon the patterned character of participants’ portrayals of action.” “The goal of the analysis no longer parallels that of the participants, who are concerned to find out what they and others did or thought, but becomes that of reflecting upon the patterned character of participants’ portrayals of action.” (Gilbert & Mulkay, 1983, p. 24) (Gilbert & Mulkay, 1983, p. 24)

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 3.Study the interrelationships between elements - Don’t stop with the simple coding of data - Find meaning/explanations in the codes and put forth a strong discussion

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 3.Cont. - Use theoretical frameworks to explain the meanings when possible

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 4.Use theoretical frameworks to explain the meanings when possible i.e., a kaleidoscope - There’s not one perfect one perfect theory to use theory to use in all situations in all situations

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 5. Address wider audiences - How can theoretically informed reflections aid policy-makers or others in society? 6. Begin with “how” questions and then ask “why” and then ask “why” - Make the link between the two

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 7. Study hyphenated phenomenon hyphenated phenomenon: occurrences that take on different meanings in different contexts - counters common sense assumptions about stable realities of particular collectivities

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 8. Treat qualitative research as different from journalism - Similar skill sets, but differing motivations motivations

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 8. Cont. Journalists: - pursues stories that are newsworthy - seeks out the new in what’s previous hidden or concealed i.e., new angles on old stories

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 8. Cont. Researchers: - Avoid the assumption that research is only newsworthy if it reveals what is hidden or secret - Recognize that what is usually of most interest is what is unremarkable to participants

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 8. Cont. Researchers: - Avoid ironic comparisons between what people say and what we know about that they do (or at last think we know!)

Relevance & Impact  8 Reminders 8. Cont. Researchers: - Recognize that experience is not more or less authentic but is narrated in ways that are open to lively investigation