Qualitative research approaches by Oliver Mweemba, MPhil, PhD-unza

Qualitative research approaches Oliver Mweemba, MPhil, PhD Research traditions that emerge from competing paradigms Positivism – Quantitative methodologies (RCTs, Quasi- RCTs, Cohort studies, Case -control studies, Cross section studies, Ecological studies) Post-positivism – Quantitative methodologies/with some qualitative data to supplement (Pragmatic RCTs, Mixed Methods RCTs, Mixed Methods Observational quantitive methods) Constructivism – Qualitative methodologies (Ethnography, Grounded Theory, Qualitative case studies, Phenomenology, Narrative Designs) Critical theory – Participatory research methodologies (Community-based Participatory Action Research, Feminist Participatory Action Research, Action research) Pragmatic – Mixed methods designs (Explanatory, Exploratory, Concurrent, Nested designs, Multiphase, Transformative designs) Why qualitative methods? “Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted” Albert Einstein Why qualitative research? Behavioral, social & cultural dimensions shape emerging domestic & international social problems Qualitative research  understand: Behaviours, attitudes, perceptions, & social contexts in ways quantitative studies cannot Qualitative Vs. Quantitative research Qualitative Vs Quantitative Qualitative Vs Quantitative Quantitative and Qualitative Research Aims The aim of quantitative research: to discover natural laws to explain, predict and control variables/events to capture the one Truth that exists “out there” The aim of qualitative research: to understand a social or human problem by building a complex picture, analysing words, actions, or events, and reporting detailed views of participants The research process (methodology) Quantitative deductive logic (move from theory or Ho to cases or data) isolate variables from context fixed “a priori” design Qualitative inductive logic (move from data/to higher levels of abstraction) study topic in context use emerging design The language of research (rhetoric) Quantitative scholarly impersonal, 3rd person voice quantitative terms and definitions Qualitative literary informal style using personal voice qualitative terms and definitions Methodology (research process) work with particulars (details) before generalizations describe in detail the study context continually revise questions based on data & findings Research traditions that emerge from competing paradigms Positivism – Quantitative methodologies (RCTs, Quasi- RCTs, Cohort studies, Case -control studies, Cross section studies, Ecological studies) Post-positivism – Quantitative methodologies/with some qualitative data to supplement (Pragmatic RCTs, Mixed Methods RCTs, Mixed Methods Observational quantitive methods) Constructivism – Qualitative methodologies (Ethnography, Grounded Theory, Qualitative case studies, Phenomenology, Narrative Designs) Critical theory – Participatory research methodologies (Community-based Participatory Action Research, Feminist Participatory Action Research, Action research) Pragmatic – Mixed methods designs (Explanatory, Exploratory, Concurrent, Nested designs, Multiphase, Transformative designs) Ethnography Studies of a culture group in a natural setting Observational, conversational & interview data Flexible research process evolving contextually in response to the lived realities encountered in the field setting Ethnography Studies of a culture group in a natural setting Observational, conversational & interview data Flexible research process evolving contextually in response to the lived realities encountered in the field setting Ethnography Usually focuses a single setting or group, of relatively small scale Analysis of data involves interpretation of meanings and functions of human actions and mainly takes the form of verbal descriptions and explanations, with quantification of data playing a subordinate role Grounded Theory Attempt to derive general abstract theory of a process, action or interaction grounded in the views of the participants in a study & built from the «ground up» Constant comparision of data with emerging categories and theoretical sampling Memoing! Grounded theory Focuses on process or an action with distinct steps over time Aims to develop a theory of the process or action Memoing part of developing the theory Data primarily collected in interviews through theoretical sampling Data analysis follow open coding Qualitative Case Study In-depth exploration of a programme, activity, event, process, group of people, etc. Case is bounded by time and activity Data collection using multiple data collection methods over a sustained period of time (triangulation) Phenomenology Identifying the ”essence” of human experience concerning a phenomenon, as described by the participants in a study or Understanding ”lived experience” Small numbers of subjects interviewed in-depth to identify patterns or relationships of meaning Qualitative approaches: Narrative research Study the lives of individuals One or more individuals provide stories about their lives The information retold by the researcher into a narrative chronology Narrative - defining features Collect stories from individuals (and documents, and group conversations) lived and told experiences Focus on experiences and identity issues Researcher shapes storied into chronology Narrative storied …