Week 2: Characteristics of qualitative research

What is a key focus of qualitative research?

Understanding the 'why' rather than 'how many'.

What type of data does qualitative research primarily analyse?

Words and textual data.

What is the purpose of hypothesis generation in qualitative research?

To explore and generate new ideas rather than test existing hypotheses.

What is the significance of 'thick description' in qualitative research?

It provides context about participants' lives, culture, and meaning.

What does 'context sensitivity' refer to in qualitative research?

The importance of understanding the holistic perspective of the context in which research occurs.

What is meant by 'insider/outsider perspectives' in qualitative research?

Emic refers to understanding a culture from within, while etic seeks universal patterns across cultures.

What is reflexivity in qualitative research?

The need for researchers to reflect on their position and influence within a study.

→ ‘critical subjectivity’

Which approach to analysing data does qualitative data generally take?

Inductive - building upon data

What is generalisability in the context of qualitative research?

The extent to which findings can be applied to the entire population.

→ depends upon sampling strategy and must be built into the design

What is transferability in qualitative research?

The extent to which findings from one context can be applied to another similar context.

• Qual studies tend to use smaller samples of participants (can’t generalise)

• This can be transferred to a similar population

What are common sampling methods used in qualitative research?

Cluster sampling, random sampling, stratified random sampling, systematic random sampling, and purposive sampling.

What types of data collection methods are commonly used in qualitative research?

Interviews, focus groups, diary entries, case studies, documents, observations, and images.

When is qualitative research typically used?

When researchers do not know what to expect or want to enhance understanding of relationships found in quantitative research.

What is ethnography in qualitative research?

An approach that seeks to understand the perspectives of individuals or groups within their cultural context.

What does ethnomethodology focus on?

How people redefine themselves through their interactions with others.

How does qualitative research differ from quantitative research?

Qualitative research is exploratory and focuses on depth, while quantitative research emphasises measurement and statistics.

What is the interpretivist approach in qualitative research?

An approach that asks 'why' and 'how' rather than 'what' or 'how many'.

• Focus on subjective experience

• Interested in the beliefs, experiences and opinions of individuals 

What is the importance of immersion in the setting for qualitative researchers?

It helps researchers gain a better understanding of experiences and build trust with participants.

What is the difference between inductive and deductive approaches in qualitative research?

Inductive approaches generate theories from data, while deductive approaches test existing theories against data.