CDIS 455 Qualitative Research: Chapter 6 Study Notes

Definition: Qualitative research is inquiry aimed at providing elaborated accounts of sensory experiences, including what can be seen, heard, tasted, touched, smelled, and experienced.
Foundation: The research method relies on:
- Observations
- Interviews
- Analyzing documents

Observe events or ask questions that allow for open-ended answers.
Record observations and responses accurately.
Interpret the data collected from observations and responses.
Return to further observe or ask more questions to gain deeper insights.
Repeat steps 2-4 as necessary for thorough understanding.
Develop formal theories to explain the data and findings.
Formulate conclusions and generate hypotheses based on the analysis.

Triangulate: Using multiple methods or sources to validate findings.
Naturalistic inquiry: Research conducted in natural settings without manipulation.
Inductive analysis: Building general theories from specific observations.
Holistic perspective: Viewing subjects as whole individuals rather than separate parts.
Thick description: Providing detailed accounts of social contexts.
Personal contact and insight: Emphasizing the researcher's engagement with the study subjects.
Dynamic systems: Recognizing that subjects are influenced by changing contexts.
Unique case orientation: Focusing on individual or unique cases rather than generalizations.
Context sensitivity: Understanding that findings may vary based on different contexts.
Empathic neutrality: Maintaining neutrality while understanding participant perspectives.
Design flexibility: Adapting research design as the study unfolds.

Ethnography: Study of culture through participant observation.
Phenomenology: Exploration of individuals’ experiences, perspectives, and interpretations of the world.
Field research: Observations of phenomena in their natural state or context.
Grounded theory: Developing theories grounded in observations about a phenomenon.
- Note: Various approaches may overlap and blend in qualitative studies.

Common Designs:
- Case study
- Discourse analysis
- Kinesic analysis
- Direct observation
- Participant observation
- Unstructured, in-depth interview

Definition: Intensive observation focused on a person, topic, location, or event.
Types of Case Studies:
- Intrinsic case studies: Gather information about a person, place, or thing in a specific context.
- Instrumental case studies: Aim to generate theories or develop/modify existing theories.
- Collective case studies: Investigate a phenomenon from the perspectives of multiple cases.

Focus: Concerned with the use of language, including:
- Spoken language
- Signed language
- Written language
Objects of Discourse Analysis:
- Discourse
- Writing
- Talking
- Conversation
- Communicative events

Definition: Study of communication through nonverbal cues, including body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
Categories of Nonverbal Communication:
- Emblems
- Illustrators
- Affective displays
- Regulators
- Adaptors
Note: Questionable credibility in interpretation of findings.

Definition: Detailed and systematic observations of people, locations, events, or topics of interest.
Researcher's Role: The researcher is not present at the scene, which helps reduce bias.
Methods: Can include remote observations, using one-way mirrors, video footage, etc.

Definition: The researcher actively participates in the culture being studied.
Considerations: This method demands more time and resources but offers profound insights.

Structure: In-depth interviews consist of open-ended questions with no formal structure.
Process: Follows a dynamic process of questions leading to answers, which subsequently generate new questions based on those answers.
Application: Often utilized in focus groups to explore insights deeper.

Meline, T. (2010). A research primer for communication sciences and disorders. Pearson.