There
are two main research methodologies:
qualitative and quantitative.
Quantitative research is described as seeking “causal determination,
prediction, and generalization of findings” whereas qualitative researchers
“seek instead illumination, understanding, and extrapolation to similar situations”
(Hoepf, 1997). In essence, quantitative
research can be measured in some way
while qualitative research cannot.
Qualitative research responds to an ever changing and dynamic
environment. It’s important to
understand that one type of research is not more valid then the other but
instead both should be considered as means for appropriate research (Hoepfl,1997). Qualitative research is quickly becoming a
common methodology for researching especially in the fields of education and
technology and it is something that is happening every day in every working and
studying environment ("What Is
Qualitative Research," 2012)
Qualitative
can be used when trying to understand vague occurrences or when traditional
methods of researching are difficult to incorporate (Hoepfl,1997). The essence for its usefulness can be better
understood in the words of Lincoln and Guba when they state “If you want people
to understand better than they otherwise might, provide them information in the
form in which they usually experience it" (as cited by Hoepfl, 1997). This type of research allows us to
“experience” the phenomenon as it exists in the natural world instead of
isolating it inside a laboratory.
There
are several main features of qualitative research as described by writers such
as Bogdan and Biklen (1982), Lincoln and
Guba (1985), Patton (1990) and Eisner
(1991). The most important elements are:
The source of the information is conducted
in a natural setting, the research is the “human instrument” for data collection, inductive
data analysis is used, reports have a “voice” which is expressive and
descriptive, it aims to interpret meaning of the experiences of the individual
involved, it considers the uniqueness of the situation, it has an emergent design, and it is judged
by a criteria of trustworthiness (Hoepfl,1997).
There
are three things a researcher is responsible for doing when conducting
qualitative research. Firstly, they must
act within the scope of the naturalist paradigm, they must have the appropriate
skill as a human instrument and lastly, the research must follow the tactics
of “naturalistic inquiry” (Hoepfl,1997).
Lincoln
and Guba (1985) explain various data collection strategies that researchers
need to use in relation to naturalistic inquiry:
(1) Determine the focus, (2) Determine
the fit of the research paradigm to the research focus (3) Determine where and
from where the information comes from (4) Determine the successive phases (5)
Determine any additional instruments to be used (6) Plan methods of data
collecting and recording (7) Plan the data analysis procedures to be used (8) Plan scheduling and budgeting of data
collection and 9) Plan techniques that
determine trustworthiness (Hoepfl,1997).
Quantitative
research generally will use maximum variation sampling when collecting samples Patton
(1990) states because the belief is that “any common patterns that emerge from
great variation are of particular interest and value in capturing the core
experiences and central, shared aspects or impacts of a program” (cited by Hoepfl,
1997), although when using this type of sampling, researchers must consider the
possibility of distortions.
There
are two major forms of data collection which are interviews and
observation. Interviews are generally
used as the primary strategy at the initial point and utilize open-ended
questions (Hoepfl, 1997). Observations
in relation to qualitative or naturalistic research are conducted by observing
participants in their natural environments.
Once
the data has been collected, it needs to be analyzed. This process can be described as
“"working with data, organizing it, breaking it into manageable units,
synthesizing it, searching for patterns, discovering what is important and what
is to be learned, and deciding what you will tell others" (Hoepfl, 1997). When analyzing all the new data a process
called “open coding” is used which is where emerging themes are identified and
cataloged from the mass of information.
Once the data has been broken up into smaller categories, the speaker and the context of the data is identified (Hoepfl,
1997).
As
the reviewer of qualitative research we must ask ourselves three elemental questions:
Is the research coherent? Do we as the
reviewer concur with the interpretations made from the research? And, how
useful is the research? The question
that the researcher needs to make to himself is “How do I convince my audience
that my findings are worthy of consideration?” (Hoepfl,1997). This is considered addressing the
trustworthiness of qualitative research.
The
reader uses a set criteria when judging the quality of the qualitative research
that as Hoepfl explains is “consistent with the naturalistic paradigm, yet
which allow for a declaration that "good science" has been carried
out” (Hoepfl, 1997) and these criteria are credibility, transferability,
dependability and confirmability.
In
essence, qualitative research is quickly becoming a preferable method of study
due to the ability to extract abounding and expressive information that is
absent from quantitative types of methods of research.
References
What is qualitative research? (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.qsrinternational.com/what-is- qualitative-research.aspx
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