Chapter 6: Qualitative Research

Qualitative data

Non-numerical data used to answer exploratory research questions, focusing on meanings, experiences, and context.

What are the 3 Approaches to Gathering Qualitative Data

1. Interviews

2. Observation and Fieldwork

3. Document Analysis

What are interviews in qualitative research?

Conversations between a researcher and participants used to gather in-depth information about experiences, perspectives, or behaviors.

What are unstructured interviews?

Open, conversational interviews guided by broad questions with no fixed format.

What are semi-structured interviews?

Interviews where all participants are asked the same set of questions but can elaborate freely.

What is a focus group?

A group interview where multiple participants discuss predetermined questions together.

-small group of people discuss a topic together, guided by a researcher.

What are the benefits of interviews?

• In-depth, rich data

• Captures personal experiences and perspectives

• Flexible and allows probing

What are the challenges of interviews?

• Time-consuming

• Researcher bias possible

• Responses may be influenced by interviewer

• Not generalizable (findings from a study cannot be applied to a larger population beyond the specific group studied.)

What is observation and fieldwork?

The researcher enters a natural setting to observe and sometimes participate in the behavior being studied.

What is participant observation?

A method where the researcher both observes and participates in the environment being studied.

-combination of observation with a degree of participation

What is ethnography?

An in-depth study aimed at understanding the culture of a group.

-where a researcher immerses themselves in a group or culture to understand their behaviors, beliefs, and way of life.

What is the Hawthorne Effect?

When people change their behavior because they know they are being observed.

What does “going native” mean?

When a researcher becomes too involved in the group and loses objectivity.

What are the benefits of observation/fieldwork?

• Real-world context

• Captures actual behavior (not just what people say)

• Rich, detailed data

What are the challenges of observation/fieldwork?

• Time-consuming

• Ethical concerns

• Researcher influence on behavior

• Risk of losing objectivity

What is document analysis?

The systematic collection, review, and interpretation of existing documents (texts, records, media).

What are the three steps of document analysis?

• Skim documents

• Read thoroughly and extract data

• Organize into themes/categories

What are the benefits of document analysis?

• Cost-effective

• Less time-consuming

• Documents don’t change (can be reviewed repeatedly)

What are the challenges of document analysis?

• May lack detail

• May be incomplete or biased

• Accuracy may be uncertain

• Documents may not exist

What is inductive reasoning?

A research approach that starts with specific observations and develops broader patterns or theories from them (common in qualitative research).

(Don't start with theory; they come up with one after research)

What is grounded theory?

A method of developing theories through systematic collection and analysis of qualitative data, especially through coding.

• building a theory from the data itself.

• “I use those patterns to build a theory through coding”

What is coding in qualitative research?

The process of organizing and labeling qualitative data into categories or themes.

What are the 3 Steps of Coding

1. Open Coding

2. Axial Coding

3. Selective Coding

What is Open Coding?

The first step where data is broken down into initial categories and concepts.

-Breaking the data into small pieces and labeling everything you see.

What is Axial Coding?

The second step where relationships between categories are identified and organized into themes.

-Connecting and grouping your codes into broader categories.

What is Selective Coding?

The final step where core themes are refined and integrated into a larger explanation.

-What are the main themes

What is content analysis?

A qualitative method used to systematically analyze text or documents to identify patterns, themes, and meanings.

What is the purpose of content analysis?

• Identify themes and patterns

• Understand meanings in text

• Analyze communication or narratives

What is the NVDRS?

The National Violent Death Reporting System, a database that collects detailed information on violent deaths to support research and prevention.

What was the purpose of the NVDRS class exercise?

To analyze violent death cases (IPV-related) to understand patterns of escalation leading to homicide.

How was coding used in the NVDRS exercise?

• Open coding: identifying initial patterns in documents

• Axial coding: grouping patterns into themes

• Selective coding: refining themes into final conclusions

What is intercoder reliability?

The level of agreement between different researchers coding the same data

What is triangulation?

Using multiple methods, data sources, or researchers to strengthen the validity of findings.

What are open-ended questions?

Questions without fixed response options, allowing participants to answer freely.

What are closed-ended questions?

Questions with predefined answer choices.

What is a major limitation of qualitative research?

Findings are not generalizable to larger populations.

What is a major strength of qualitative research?

Provides deep, detailed understanding of context and experiences.

If a researcher becomes emotionally involved with IPV victims while analyzing NVDRS cases and begins to lose objectivity, this is best described as:

Going native

Which of the following best explains why the NVDRS assignment used qualitative methods instead of quantitative methods?

To explore patterns, meanings, and context within individual cases