Qualitative Research Methods

Professor Information

  • Name: Lara Karaian

  • Course: CRCJ 3002: Qualitative Research Methods

  • Week: 1

Today’s Agenda

  • What is "Qualitative Research"?

  • How are Qualitative Methods different from Quantitative Methods?

  • What are some Qualitative Methods, Techniques, and Traditions?

What is Qualitative Research?

  • Definition of Qualitative Methods:

    • Methods are tools or techniques for knowledge gathering, interpretation, and “making meaning”.

    • Are characterized as rigorous and critical.

  • Objective of Qualitative Research:

    • Aim is to develop a deep understanding of:

    • Concepts

    • People

    • Social processes

    • Phenomena in the world and everyday life

Assumptions in Qualitative Research

  • Qualitative researchers assume that:

    • "Meaning is socially constructed by individuals in interaction with their world" (Merriam, 2002: 3).

    • A range of interpretations of social reality exists.

  • Purpose of qualitative research:

    • To capture interpretations within specific times and contexts.

In-Depth Meaning of Qualitative Research

  • Qualitative research aims to understand:

    • Situations in their uniqueness within specific contexts, including interactions therein.

    • It emphasizes understanding rather than predicting outcomes; seeks to uncover:

    • What it means for participants to be in particular settings

    • What their lives are like

    • The meanings they assign to their experiences

    • The world as perceived in specific contexts.

    • Quotation from Patton, cited in Merriam (2002: 5):

    • Qualitative research is focused on understanding human experience in-depth.

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research

Quantitative Research

  • Characteristics:

    • Based on positivistic epistemological assumptions.

    • Involves:

    • Deductive reasoning

    • Descriptive methodologies

    • Numerical expression rather than verbal.

  • Methods emphasize:

    • Surveys, statistics, counting, precision, and numerical values.

  • Goals:

    • To determine cause and effect, prediction, and effectiveness of interventions.

    • To describe trends and general tendencies.

  • Etic Perspective:

    • The researcher interprets behaviors and events as an outsider (Etic: outsider perspective).

Examples of Quantitative Research Methods in Criminology

  • Tools and methods include:

    • Crime statistics

    • Clearance rates

    • Prison population statistics

    • Parole rates

    • Victimization Surveys

    • Self-report surveys

    • Trends in youth perceptions of justice systems

    • Actuarial models assessing threat levels for dangerous offenders.

Qualitative Research

  • Characteristics:

    • Based on post-positivistic epistemological assumptions.

    • Inductive approach:

    • Theories and concepts are derived from the data gathered.

    • Descriptive methodologies:

    • Use of words (not numbers) to describe and interpret phenomena.

    • Interpretive in nature:

    • Understanding human social life as qualitatively different from the natural world.

    • Focuses on how people derive meaning from their experiences.

    • Associated Concept:

    • Weber’s concept of verstehen, which means ‘deep understanding’ focused on context and intentions.

The “Science Wars”

  • Quote by Flyvbjerg (2001: 3):

    • "The social sciences are strongest where the natural sciences are weakest… neither have the natural sciences contributed much to reflexive analysis… which is necessary for enlightened political, economic, and cultural development in society."

Discussion on Method Validity

  • Notion that research methods are not inherently "good" or "bad"; they are suited to distinct tasks.

  • Skills required of criminological researchers include:

    • Understanding different research methods and strategies.

    • Ability to select methods appropriate for the inquiry.

    • Quotation from Fussey & Crowther-Dowey (2013).

Researcher as Instrument

  • Role of the researcher:

    • The primary instrument for data collection and analysis.

    • The research process and its outcomes are influenced by the researcher’s involvement.

  • Requirement for Qualitative Research:

    • Reflexivity:

    • The researcher must identify and monitor their subjectivity and biases.

Examples of Qualitative Techniques

  • Techniques include:

    • Interviews:

    • Responses elicited through questions posed by the research.

    • Focus Groups:

    • Similar to interviews but involve small groups participating in discussions.

    • Observation:

    • The systematic noting and documentation of events, behaviors, and artifacts within social settings (Marshall and Rossman, p. 139).

    • Discourse and Textual Analysis:

    • Involves systematic gathering and interpretation of spoken or written texts.

    • Example: Popular representation of roller derby in the film Whip It.

Philosophical Foundations of Research

Quantitative Research

  • Rooted in Positivism:

    • Inspired by early sociologists advocating for modeling sociology on physical science.

    • Emphasizes statistical significance and quantification.

    • Deductive approach from general hypotheses to specific theories.

    • Descriptive in numerical terms.

Qualitative Research

  • Rooted in Post-positivism:

    • Focus on how meanings are socially constructed by participants in social contexts.

    • Seeks to understand the nature of meaning.

    • The researcher is viewed as a self-reflexive instrument involved in research.

    • Inductive approach: Specific issues/data leading to general theory.

    • Narrative expression of findings.

    • Centers on Weber’s verstehen and empathic understanding of human relations and phenomena.

Comparing Research Methods

Assumptions, Questions, & Evidence

Quantitative

  • Asks questions about relationships between variables.

  • Utilizes large datasets (surveys, documents).

  • Numerical expressions for interpretations ("converting observations to numbers" [Jackson, p. 12]).

Qualitative

  • Investigates meanings and experiences.

  • Can involve fewer participants/sources with a broader range of techniques.

  • Interpretations conveyed narratively.

Conclusion

  • Importance of understanding the distinctions and applications of qualitative and quantitative methods in research contexts.

  • Qualitative research plays a significant role in attaining deep, contextual insights into social phenomena, contrasting the more statistical, empirical focus of quantitative methods.