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WK 11.2 Theories and Approaches

The document outlines the steps in designing research, emphasizing the importance of formulating a question, selecting an appropriate theory, and choosing suitable data collection methods. It discusses quality assessment in qualitative research, including concepts like dependability and transferability, and details various qualitative research approaches such as grounded theory and ethnography. Additionally, it covers qualitative data collection methods, particularly interviews and focus groups, highlighting their advantages, challenges, and best practices for conducting them effectively.

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Alex Isaac
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1 views6 pages

WK 11.2 Theories and Approaches

The document outlines the steps in designing research, emphasizing the importance of formulating a question, selecting an appropriate theory, and choosing suitable data collection methods. It discusses quality assessment in qualitative research, including concepts like dependability and transferability, and details various qualitative research approaches such as grounded theory and ethnography. Additionally, it covers qualitative data collection methods, particularly interviews and focus groups, highlighting their advantages, challenges, and best practices for conducting them effectively.

Uploaded by

Alex Isaac
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Steps in designing a piece of reaserch

• Start with the question that needs to be answered


• What is an appropriate theory or approach to address the question
• What is the appropriate method to collect data relevant to your theoretical
choice

• Appropriate sample
• Appropriate process of data analysis

• In both qualitative and quantitative research there is some jumping back


and forth in this list

Quality in qualitative research


• With quantitative methods we talk about things like validity, reliability and bias as
ways of assessing the quality of research studies

• Qualitative research uses different concepts for this –

• Dependability – the knowledge from the research is obtained in a rigorous and systematic
way
• Auditable – the research process has been recorded in detail
• Transferable – the extent to which the research findings can be transferred to other findings
and groups
• Idiographic – findings have an intrinsic worth even if they are not transferable

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Approaches to qualitative research
Approach What does it involve?
Grounded theory Researchers collect rich data on a topic of interest and develop
theories inductively.
Ethnography Researchers immerse themselves in groups or organizations to understand their
cultures.
Action research Researchers and participants collaboratively link theory to practice to drive
social change.
Phenomenological Researchers investigate a phenomenon or event by describing and interpreting
research participants’ lived experiences.

Narrative research Researchers examine how stories are told to understand how participants
perceive and make sense of their experiences.

Qualitative research methods – data collection


Each research approach uses one or more data collection method.
These are some of the most common qualitative methods:
• Observations: record what you have seen, heard, or encountered in
detailed field notes.
• Interviews: asking people questions in one-on-one conversations.
• Focus groups: asking questions and generating discussion among a
group of people.
• Surveys: distributing questionnaires with open-ended questions.
• Secondary research: collecting existing data in the form of texts,
images, audio or video recordings, etc.

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Interviews

• Provide rich data


• Allow for clarification and expansion
• Good for populations that are difficult to access or sensitive topics
• Flexible to a range of theoretical orientations

• Very time consuming


• Interpretation can be a complex process

Interview Types
• Unstructured
• Discussion can be anything; interviewer provides support
• Participant-led
• Prompt methods
• Semi-structured
• Guide/pre-set questions
• Additional questions can be asked
• Structured
• Pre-set questions asked in the same order in each interview
• Can use a questionnaire as a structured interview

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Interview Conduct
It can be surprisingly difficult to conduct an interview in a way in which the
researchers focuses on the topics they wish to learn about whilst also keeping the
participant relaxed and engaged

Interview structure
• Establish a rapport – spend a few moments talking to the participant to make
them feel relaxed
• Describe the purpose and nature of the interview – talk about the project,
explain how it will be recorded and obtain informed consent
• Conduct the interview – follow the interview schedule, identify additional areas
of interest if appropriate and prompt for additional information
• End the interview – make a judgement as to when the participant has provided all
the information they want to, summarise the points made, thank them for their
time and if appropriate provide contact details of relevant organisations

4
Interview probes
• Detail orientated probe – Ask the participant for more detail,
• such when an event took place or where it happened
• Elaboration probe – Using either a question or a gesture (eg.
head nodding) to encourage a participant to reveal more
information about a topic, or to ask for an example
• Clarification probe – used when the interviewer has
misunderstood something
• should be phrased in terms of it being a mistake on the part of the
researcher rather than the participant
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Good interviewer attributes


• Familiarity with the topic
• Clear and friendly manner of speaking with no use of jargon
• Flexibility and willingness to change the direction of the interview if
necessary (in a semi-structured interview)
• Critical enough to challenge participants on what is being said and
identify inconsistencies in replies
• Ability to remember what has been said and to summarise succinctly
• An ability to interpret without imposing meaning
• Knowing when to stay quiet and when to speak
• How the interviewer behaves whilst the person is speaking is also
important
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Focus Groups
• Individuals come together to discuss a topic
• Share experiences, ideas, views etc
• Tend to be used more in exploratory research

• 3-6 participants (Barbour & Kitzinger, 1999)


• “From just three or four groups, to over fifty” groups (Barbour & Kitzinger, 1999, p. 7)

• However...
• Recruitment can be difficult
• Hard to manage interaction
• Group must share some similarity (Acocella, 2012)
• Facilitates communication & evaluation within group

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Participant interaction
There are three common problems experienced when trying to facilitate a focus
group

1. Individual participants may dominate the conversation, often unintentionally,


and in doing so discourage other members from speaking
2. Alternatively, some individuals may be much quieter and not want to contribute
anything to the group
3. participants will often direct all their comments to the facilitator and not to
each other

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