1. Qualitative Research Methods

2. ► Positivism  There is no difference between natural science and social science in terms of scientific characteristics.  The objective reality and subjective consciousness of an individual is different.  Regularities, causal and statistical laws  Goals of science are the description and prediction.  Logical positivists stresses belief of experimental facts

3. ► Hermeneutics  “Consciousness” in the process of knowing is important.  The subject of consciousness cannot be separated from the object of consciousness.  Knowledge means intersubjective verstehen of object.  There are differences between in natural science and social science.  The conception of truth and reality can be interpreted differently by each individual.

4. ► The difference between qualitative and quantitative research (1)Different philosophy in reality:  Quantitative (Positivism) research - Reality is “objective”  Qualitative (interpretive) research, Reality is “subjective” and exists only in reference to the observer (2) Different view of the “individual”  Similar (Quantitative)  Fundamentally different (Qualitative)

5. ► The difference between qualitative and quantitative research (3) Positivist aims to generate law and regularity; Interpretive scholars attempts to produce a unique explanation. (4) Questions:  Qualitative research uses a flexible question approach — researcher can change questions or ask follow-up questions at any time.  Quantitative research uses a static or standardized set of questions.

6. ► Positivist Approach  Role of the researcher: researcher is separated from data  Design: the design is determined  Setting: controlled setting  Measurement instruments: exists apart from the researcher  Theory building: uses research to test, support, or reject theory

7. ► Interpretive Approach  Role of the researcher: researcher is an integral part of data  Design: the design evolves during the research  Setting: natural surrounded field  Measurement instruments: researcher is the instrument  Theory building: develops theories as part of the research process

8. ► Qualitative Research (Interpretive Approach): Example

9. ► Interpretive Approach: Example

10. ► Qualitative Research  Topics appropriate to qualitative field research: Practices, episodes, encounters, roles, relationships, groups, organizations, social world, life styles or subcultures (John & Lyn, 1995)

11. ► Types of Qualitative Methods 1. Focus groups 2. Case studies 3. Field observations 4. Intensive interviews

12. ► Focus Groups  An interview conducted with 6-12 subjects Simultaneously.  A Moderator lead a discussion about a specific topic.  Focus groups possess certain characteristics and recruited to share a common quality or characteristic of interest to the researcher.  Data from focus groups are used to enhance understanding and to reveal a wide range of opinions.  Focus groups have a focused discussion.

13. ► Focus Groups  Advantage: 1)It allows researchers to collect preliminary information about a topic 2)The cost is not so expensive 3)Flexibility in question design and follow-up  Disadvantage: 1)A self-appointed group leader might attempt to impose his or her opinion on other participants 2) It is inappropriate to gather quantitative data 3) It depends heavily on the skills of the moderator.

14. ► Focus Groups  Focus groups method provides preliminary information about a topic.  Example: MTV videos (McKee & Pardun, 1999) : 7 focus groups composed of college students. Each group watched two music videos that contained religious imagery and were asked to write down and then discuss their perceptions of the visual images.

15. ► Case Studies  An empirical inquiry that uses multiple sources of data to investigate a problem.  Case studies are conducted when a researcher needs to understand or explain a phenomenon.  It can be conducted when researcher want to obtain a wealth of information about the research topic.  It can be used at the exploratory stage of the research.

16. ► Case Studies  Case studies approach is useful to investigate a wealth of information about a research topic and “how/why” question.  However, this method does not always guarantee the generalization of research findings.

17. ► Case Studies  Advantage: 1)It can provide tremendous details 2)It can suggest why something has occurred 3)It can provide a wide spectrum of evidence  Disadvantage: 1)A general lack of scientific rigor 2)It is not amenable to generalization 3)It is often time consuming and may occasionally produce massive quantities of data that are hard to summarize

18. ► Field Observations  A study of a phenomenon in a natural setting  Useful for collecting data and for generating hypotheses and theories

19. ► Field Observations  Advantage: 1)It helps to define basic background information necessary to frame a hypothesis and to isolate independent and dependent variables. 2) Observation is not dependent on the subjects’ ability or willingness to report their behavior.  Disadvantage: 1)Problem in external validity 2)Experimenter bias 3)Problem of reactivity

20. ► Intensive Interviews  A hybrid of the one-on-one personal interview generally use small samples  Provide detailed information why respondents give specific answers  Lengthy observation of respondents’ nonverbal responses

21. ► Intensive Interviews  Advantage: 1)wealth of detail that it provides; 2)relatively accurate responses on sensitive issues  Disadvantage: 1)Interviews are usually non-standardized – problem in generalizability 2) Interviewer bias 3) Problems in data analysis--- significantly different interpretations

22. ► Intensive Interviews  Example: Interview with parents and children - how families are portrayed on TV (Albada, 2000).

23. Secondary Analysis

24. ► Secondary Analysis  Definition:  Secondary information consists of sources of data and other information collected by others and archived in some form.  The use of secondary information is often referred to as secondary analysis.  Secondary data analysis refers to the re-analysis of quantitative data.  Sources of secondary data include government reports, industry studies, and syndicated information services as well as the traditional books and journals.

25. ► Secondary Analysis  Differences between secondary research and primary research:  In secondary analysis, collection of the information is not the responsibility of the analysts.  In primary research, the analyst is responsible for the design of the research, the collection of the data, and the analysis and summary of the information.

26. ► Secondary Analysis  Differences between secondary research and primary research:  Existing secondary information provides a foundation for problem formulation, for the design of new research, and for the analysis and interpretation of new information (Stewart, 1984).  All primary research may ultimately become someone else’s secondary source.

27. ► Secondary Analysis  Advantages: 1)Secondary analysis save time, money, and personnel. 2) It is efficient. Researchers have more time to understand and analyze the data. 3) It often allows you to expend the scope of your study considerably. For instance, it makes it possible for researchers to understand long-term change.

28. ► Secondary Analysis  Advantages: 4) Secondary sources provide a useful starting point for additional research by suggesting problem formulations, research hypotheses, and research methods. 5) It is also useful comparative tool.

29. ► Secondary Analysis  Disadvantages: 1)Limited in the types of hypothesis or research questions that can be investigated. 2) There is no guarantee that the data are good— Data can be poorly collected, inaccurate, fabricated, or flawed(There might be problems in the original data collection)

30. ► Secondary Analysis  Disadvantages: 3) Data are often collected with a purpose that may produce deliberate or unintentional bias. 4) Seldom are secondary data available at the individual level. 5) Old data (may not be particularly timely).

31. ► Secondary Analysis  Evaluation of Secondary Sources  Not all information obtained from secondary sources is equally reliable or valid.  Information must be evaluated according to its recency and credibility.  Six questions should be answered for evaluation of secondary information;

32. ► Secondary Analysis  Evaluation of Secondary Sources 1)What was the purpose of the study? 2)Who collected the information? 3)What information was actually collected? 4)When was the information collected? 5)How was the information obtained? 6)How consistent is the information with other sources?

33. ► Secondary Analysis  Applications/Example:  It is widely used in market research and medical research. (e.g.) Use crime data with census information to assess patterns in criminal behavior by geographical location and group.

34. Appendix: The Comparative Method (1987)

35. ► The Comparative Method (1987)  The Comparative Method: Moving beyond Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies  Author: Charles C. Ragin

36. ► The Comparative Method (1987)  Summary  The book attempts to introduce a new orientation beyond quantitative and qualitative methods, especially for comparative social science.  According to Ragin, both methods have Limitations resulting from their strengths.  Ragin suggested Boolean analysis (method) as middle way and a combination of qualitative and quantitative method.

37. ► The Comparative Method (1987)  Case-Oriented Comparative Method  Historically interpretive  Inductive approach  Significant historical outcomes or processes  Complexity

38. ► The Comparative Method (1987)  The Variable-oriented Approach  Interest in testing hypothesis derived from general theories  Deductive approach  Statistical analysis  Generality

39. ► The Comparative Method (1987)  The Boolean Approach  Integrates the best features of the case-oriented approach with the best features of the variable-oriented approach  It takes into account both generality and complexity

40. ► The Comparative Method (1987)  The Boolean Approach  Boolean algebra is used for this purpose  (e.g.) Boolean addition Boolean multiplication Boolean minimization

41. Team Any questions?