C316 Vocab Part 12/Chap 15 Designing Qualitative Research

Active Members

in qualitative research, a type of committed membership in which the researcher becomes a member of the group being observed, but does not commit to the goals of or values of the group

Commitment Acts

in qualitative research, helping participants with routine tasks and activities to acquaint themselves with the research setting and to gain info

Complete Member

in qualitative research, a type of committed membership in which the researcher makes observations in settings that he or she is already a member or can become a member

Complete Observer

form of participant observation; the researcher enacts only the observer role; the researcher is hidden completely from the interactants

Complete Participant

form of participant observation; researcher is a fully functioning member of the scene; the research role is disguised through the role as participant

Concept Map

a diagram of the research project used as a conceptual tool to assist in thinking through a qualitative project; used to find relationships among concepts and to uncover holes or contradictions

Fieldnotes

notes about observations made in the field, in the interaction setting, or while interaction occurs

Gatekeeper

person who has authority to allow the researcher into an environment to collect data

Key Informant

individual from whom data must be collected for a research project to be complete

Maximum Variation Sampling

sampling technique used in qualitative research; based on info redundancy; a researcher continues to seek additional participants until the data received are redundant with, or the same as, previously collected data

Observer as Participant

form of participant observation; researcher in both participant and observer roles, but the primary focus shifts to the role of observer, although the researcher has negotiated entrance into an interaction setting with the intention to allow the interaction to proceed as it naturally would

Participant as Observer

form of participant observation; the researcher is both participant and observer; researcher openly acknowledges the research purpose, but also takes an active role in the interaction

Participant Observation

data collection method used with qualitative methods; allows researchers to observe communication firsthand

Peripheral Members

in qualitative research, a type of committed membership in which the researcher becomes a member of the group being observed, but does not take in central activities

Purposive Sampling

a non-probability technique where researchers intentionally select participants or cases based on their specific expertise, characteristics, or relevance to the research question

Snowball Sampling

nonprobability sampling technique in which the participants help the researcher identify other similar participants; used with controversial subjects or specific participants that are difficult to find

Sponsor

someone to vouch for person in the role of researcher; also validates and legitimizes researcher’s presence