1. From theory to practice in health research
Dr Elizabeth M Morrow, Independent Researcher, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland

2. Objectives
Theory and practice of (qualitative) research design
Basic terminology
Link theory, methodology & methods
Try out approaches with topics that matter to you

3. “You got an Ology?” Axiology: personal values
Ontology: the nature of existence/reality
Epistemology: what knowledge is
Methodology: ways of creating knowledge

4. Theoretical perspective
Epistemological Tree
Methods
Techniques used to gather and analyse the data
Methodology
Theory of how research should proceeded
Theory of knowledge construction (paradigm)
Theoretical perspective
Theory of what knowledge is
Epistemology

5. Methodologies Ethnography Phenomenology Grounded theory
Action Research
Discourse Analysis

6. Ethnography
Epistemology: observed/communicated behaviour
Theoretical perspective: identify cultural and social meanings
Methodology: interaction (emic), communication, observation
Methods : field work, associated with anthropology
“What people say, what people do, and what they say they do are entirely different things”.
Margaret Mead ( )

7. Phenomenology
Epistemology: lived experience of being
Theoretical perspective: identify ‘actor’s’ perspectives of a phenomena
Methodology: questioning, listening, observation (bracketing)
Methods : interviews, discussion
Martin Heidegger
( )
Edmond Husserl
( )
“The true foundation of philosophy lies in one’s concrete worldly existence”
“Researchers can overcome their subjective experience of being”
The researcher

8. Grounded Theory
Epistemology: knowledge (theory) can be generated
Theoretical perspective: combine and compare perspectives
Methodology: constant comparison technique, coding, theoretical saturation
Methods: “all is data” theoretical sample
Anselm Strauss
(1916 – 1996)
Barney Glaser
(1930 – )
Systematic - cause, conditions, phenomena, action strategies and consequences
Induction - theories should be abstract of time, place and people
Coding practice

9. Discourse Analysis Michel Foucault (1926 – 1984)
Epistemology: knowledge is socially constructed and is linked to power
Theoretical perspective: identify main discourses and statements
Methodology: Archaeology (historical), Genealogy (power in action)
Methods: discursive texts – written by and for disciplines/society
“Systems of thoughts composed of ideas, attitudes, courses of action, beliefs and practices that systematically construct the subjects and the worlds of which they speak”
Michel Foucault (1926 – 1984)

10. Action Research
Epistemology: knowledge is information that helps to bring about change
Theoretical perspective: co-construction of solutions to problems
Methodology: Progressive process of reflection and action – problem solving
Methods: community of practice, views and ideas, participation
Kurt Lewin
(1890 – 1947)

11. Activity 1: Small Group Task
1. Identify a topic of interest
2. Use the epistemological tree
3. Choose a methodology
4. Explain why this methodology is an appropriate fit for researching your topic of interest

12. Theoretical perspective
Activity 1: Epistemological tree
4. What techniques will be used to gather and analyse the data?
Methods
3. What will guide how you go about it?
Methodology
2. How will you build/create/establish/identify knowledge?
Theoretical perspective
1. What is knowledge?
Epistemology

13. Methodology
Ethnography
Focuses on the sociology of meaning through close field observation of socio-cultural phenomena. Typically, the ethnographer focuses on a community.
Phenomenology
Describes the structures of experience as they present themselves to consciousness, without recourse to theory, deduction, or assumptions from other disciplines.
Grounded Theory
Theory is developed inductively from a corpus of data acquired by a participant-observer. Data are subject to constant comparison until a point of theoretical saturation is achieved.
Discourse Analysis
The study of (big-D) language use beyond the boundaries of a sentence/utterance and interrelationships between language and society, or (small-d) the interactive or dialogic properties of everyday communication.
Action Research
A reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in teams or as part of a community of practice to improve the way they address issues and solve problems.

14. Reflexivity Intertwined through whole research process
What personal, interpersonal and contextual factors are in operation?
How are they influencing what is said and done, or not said and done?
Tools: field note book, team discussions, memos, reflection exercises

15. Summary
Epistemology – provides a way of looking at the world but also frames what you see
Methodology - interrelated and iterative ‘growth’ rather than linear process
Reflexivity - can support and explain judgements and influences

16. References Bowling A. (2002) Research Methods in Health.
Coffey A. and Atkinson P. (1996) Making sense of qualitative data London Sage
Denzin N. and Lincoln Y. (2000) Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage.
Fetterman D. (1998) Ethnography London Sage.
Foucault M. (2006 edition) The Archaeology of Knowledge. London Routledge.
Foucault M. (1961) The Order of Things: An Archeology of the Human Sciences. Routledge.
Gerrish K. & Lacey A. (2006) The Research Process in Nursing.
Green J. Thorogood N. (2004) Qualitative Methods for Health Research.
Silverman D. (2000) Doing qualitative research, London Sage
Taylor S. and Bogdan R. (1984). Introduction to qualitative research methods: The search for meanings. New York: John Wiley & Sons.