1. The Soft Cells: Qualitative approaches to research HLG Conference: Parallel Session 4 20th July 2010 Dr.Janet Harrison, Loughborough University Hannah Spring, York St. John University

2. The Research Paradigm Two overarching research paradigms Qualitative Quantitative The two paradigms take opposing views in terms of how the world around us should be explored through research

3. Research Paradigm How to make the right choice of paradigm? Difficult and complex decision Takes discussion, understanding and time to get it right

4. What will my research look like?

6. What will my research sound like? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSr 32dY8ApAwww.youtube.com/watch?v=gSr 32dY8ApA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx8l 5l1g0wAwww.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx8l 5l1g0wA

7. Quantitative and Qualitative Research: differences Some common contrasts between quantitative and qualitative research QuantitativeQualitative NumbersWords Point of view of researcherPoint of view of participants Research distanceResearcher close Theory testingTheory emergent StaticProcess StructuredUnstructured GeneralizationContextual understanding Hard, reliable dataRich, deep data MacroMicro BehaviourMeaning Artificial settingsNatural settings Table from: Bryman, A (2004) Social research methods (2nd ed) Oxford: OUP, p287

8. As applied to data collection first phase (focus group) Some common contrasts between quantitative and qualitative research QuantitativeQualitative NumbersWords Point of view of researcherPoint of view of participants Research distanceResearcher close Theory testingTheory emergent StaticProcess StructuredUnstructured GeneralizationContextual understanding Hard, reliable dataRich, deep data MacroMicro BehaviourMeaning Artificial settingsNatural settings Table taken from: Bryman, A (2004) Social research methods (2 nd ed) Oxford: OUP, p287

9. Some common contrasts between quantitative and qualitative research QuantitativeQualitative NumbersWords Point of view of researcherPoint of view of participants Research distanceResearcher close Theory testingTheory emergent StaticProcess StructuredUnstructured GeneralizationContextual understanding Hard, reliable data (?)Rich, deep data MacroMicro BehaviourMeaning Artificial settingsNatural settings Table taken from: Bryman, A (2004) Social research methods (2 nd ed) Oxford: OUP, p287 As applied to data collection second phase (survey)

10. Focus Group: example from a live research project Sample group (7 areas of health librarianship) –Clinical librarians –Health library service managers and professionally qualified librarians –Senior strategic health librarians/managers –Academic health librarians –Research librarians –Independent health librarians –Academics (added later at survey stage) Interested in exploring the issues from different perspectives

11. Phase 2: Focus Group Results Barriers –Time –Fragmentation –Research skills –Marketing –Prioritisation –Funding –Networking

12. Phase 2: Focus Group Results Priorities –Networking –Training of users –Marketing of services –Service delivery –Delivery of evidence –Identifying research questions –Research skills –Management of research –Research impact

13. Research Skills Lack of Research Skills StatisticsExperience Knowledge of research methods How to beginConfidence What questions to ask Identifying funding sources Commissioning research Dissemination Getting research into practice Professional Reputation (loss of) Theme Codes Thematic Analysis

14. Summary Qualitative research is not a soft option Requires ability to want to explore the worlds and words of “ others” Values the non conformist and unusual Acceptance that an definitive answer may not exist

15. Questions ? J.Harrison@lboro.ac.ukJ.Harrison@lboro.ac.uk H.Spring@yorksj.ac.uk