SWRK 2127AE WEEK FOUR

Course Overview

• Instructor: Dr. Suleyman Demi

• Email: suleyman.demi@algomau.ca

• Office Hours: By Appointment

• Course Logistics:

  • Day and Time: Tuesday 7 – 10 pm

  • Location: ZOOM HYBRID

Week Four Agenda: Research Approaches

• Community News

• Presentation/Lecture

• Class Discussion

• Wrap Up

Qualitative Research Traditions

• Key Traditions:

  • Grounded Theory

  • Narrative Research

  • Phenomenology

  • Ethnography

  • Case Study

Grounded Theory

Definition and Purpose

• Grounded theory (GT) is focused on theory generation rooted in systematically collected and analyzed data (Charmaz, 2014).

• Developed in 1967 to bridge qualitative and quantitative methods in social research (Groen & Tech, 2017).

• Aims to investigate the processes of phenomena (Hood, 2007).

Characteristics

• Popular and widely applicable across various disciplines (Bryant, 2007).

• Offers systematic and flexible constant comparative approach for constructing theory (Groen & Tech, 2017).

• Useful when existing theories do not explain processes over time (Charmaz, 2014).

Types of Grounded Theory

1. Classic Form (Glaser and Strauss, 1967):

   • Objectivist/positivist perspective, emphasizes strict adherence to methodologies.

   • Produces generalized explanatory theories over time and context.

2. Constructivist (Charmaz, 2012):

   • Relativist/constructivist perspective highlighting flexibility and subjective theories.

   • Emphasizes context and the subjective experience.

Characteristics of Grounded Theory

• Simultaneous data collection and analysis.

• Development of categories and analytic codes from the data.

• Theoretical sampling refining categories.

• Inductive construction of abstract categories.

• Discovery of social processes within data.

• Use of analytical memos during coding and writing phases.

• Integration of categories into a theoretical framework (Creswell, 2013).

Steps in Conducting Grounded Theory Research

1. Inquiry into process-oriented phenomena.

2. Begin with inductive logic (gather data then theorize).

3. Conduct rigorous comparative analyses with data.

4. Continuously develop theoretical analysis.

5. Create theory about the observed phenomena (Charmaz, 2014).

Grounded Theory Analysis

• Derived theories from systematically gathered data (Strauss & Corbin, 1998).

• Inductive and iterative: analyze as data is collected.

• Basic features include:

  • Coding

  • Constant Comparison: Compare data and concepts repeatedly.

  • Theoretical Saturation: Point at which no new information is obtained.

Coding in Grounded Theory

• Coding involves labeling relevant issues/activities for conceptual grouping.

• Initiated early in research project and essential for data interpretation and theory development.

• Types of coding (Strauss and Corbin, 1990):

  • Open coding: Initial concepts identification.

  • Axial coding: Analyze linkages among data; reorganize.

  • Selective coding: Identify central categories and validate relationships.

Outcomes of Grounded Theory

• Development of:

  • Concepts (basic theory building blocks)

  • Categories (groups of related concepts)

  • Properties (characteristics of categories)

  • Hypotheses (initial conjectures)

  • Theory (either substantive or formal).

  • Substantive theory relates observed patterns; formal theory extends across settings.

Steps in Analysis

1. Begin with general research question.

2. Theoretically sample relevant participants/data.

3. Collect relevant data.

4. Code data leading to initial concept generation.

5. Ensure fit between indicators and generated categories.

6. Saturate categories during coding.

7. Explore relationships to generate hypotheses.

8. Collect further data through theoretical sampling.

9. Follow saturation principles for testing emerging hypotheses.

10. Explore substantive theory across different settings to generate formal theory.

Memos in Grounded Theory

• Serve as reminders for term meanings and conceptual comparisons.

• Facilitate conceptual reflection and development of categories.

Criticisms of Grounded Theory

• Vague differences between concepts and categories.

• Potential biases in data gathering and observation.

• Practical challenges in achieving theoretical claims.

• Coding may lead to fragmentation of narrative flow.

Narrative Methods

Definition

• Narrative is synonymous with ‘story’.

• Labov (1982) defines narrative as organized stories around characters, settings, and plots.

Perspective in Social Work Research

• Social work heavily relies on talk and interactions with clients, suited for capturing client narratives.

• While beneficial, narrative methods introduce theoretical and methodological complexities (Riessman & Quinney, 2005).

Approaches to Narrative

• Holistic vs Categorical: Analysis can focus on individual utterances or the narrative as a whole.

• Content vs Form: Focus on the explicit content or the structure of the narrative's sequenced events.

Evaluation Criteria for Narrative Research

1. Empirical foundations through systematic interviews or observations.

2. Attention to meaningful narrative sequence and consequences.

3. Careful inspection of transcriptions.

4. Consideration of production contexts.

5. Critical examination of research methodologies involved.

Improving Validity in Narrative Research

• Collect rich narrative data.

• Ensure interpretations are comprehensive, grounded in data, relevant to participants.

• Maintain consistency with data and theoretical sophistication (Crossley, 2003).

Limitations of Narrative Methods

1. Complex data may complicate understanding.

2. Challenges in generating narrative knowledge across studies.

3. Limited to qualitative, in-depth analysis.

4. Difficulty in capturing hidden narratives.

Narrative Analysis

• Research focuses on the stories told to understand life experiences.

• Shift of focus from events to personal meaning-making of experiences.

Models of Narrative Analysis (Riessman, 2004)

1. Thematic: What is said.

2. Structural: How the story is told.

3. Interactional: Dialogue dynamics between teller and listener.

4. Performance: Narrative as a performance.

Critiques of Narrative Analysis

• May overemphasize participant accounts without critical perspectives.

• Importance of contextual understanding of narratives and social conditions influencing storytelling.

Sample Questions for Review

1. Key characteristic not related to grounded theory? (d. Polysemy)

2. Shorthand devices used in coding? (a. codes)

3. Continuous data comparison? (c. constant comparison)

4. Break data into component parts? (a. Coding)

5. Not an outcome of grounded theory? (d. Observations)

6. Building blocks of theory? (a. Concepts)

Conclusion

• Thank you for participation.

• Next session to continue discussion.

Course Overview

Instructor Information

• Instructor: Dr. Suleyman Demi

• Email: suleyman.demi@algomau.ca

• Office Hours: By Appointment, providing flexibility for students to seek guidance or clarification outside scheduled class times.

Course Logistics

• Day and Time: Tuesday 7 – 10 pm

• Location: ZOOM HYBRID, allowing for both in-person and remote participation, accommodating diverse learning needs.

Week Four Agenda: Research Approaches

• Community News: Sharing relevant updates that impact the class or community.

• Presentation/Lecture: Detailed lecture on research approaches, focusing on qualitative traditions.

• Class Discussion: Interactive discussion to facilitate deeper understanding and critical thinking about the material covered.

• Wrap Up: Summary of key points discussed and introduction to upcoming class topics.

Qualitative Research Traditions

Key Traditions:

• Grounded Theory: A systematic methodology that aims to generate theories grounded in data.

• Narrative Research: Focuses on understanding experiences through storytelling.

• Phenomenology: Explores lived experiences to uncover the essence of phenomena.

• Ethnography: Involves immersive observation to understand cultural practices.

• Case Study: In-depth analysis of a particular instance to derive broader insights.

Grounded Theory

Definition and Purpose

• Grounded theory (GT) focuses on theory generation rooted in systematically collected and analyzed data to develop comprehensive insights into social phenomena (Charmaz, 2014).

• Initially established in 1967, it bridges qualitative and quantitative methods in social research, fostering a holistic understanding of processes (Groen & Tech, 2017).

• Aims to investigate the processes and complexities of various phenomena rather than merely describing them (Hood, 2007).

Characteristics

• Grounded theory is popular and applicable across a multitude of disciplines, enhancing its versatility (Bryant, 2007).

• It provides a systematic and flexible constant comparative approach to constructing theory, especially beneficial when existing theories fail to elucidate processes over time (Charmaz, 2014).

Types of Grounded Theory

1. Classic Form (Glaser and Strauss, 1967):

   • Objectivist/positivist perspective that emphasizes strict adherence to methodologies, leading to generalized theories applicable across various contexts.

2. Constructivist (Charmaz, 2012):

   • Relativist/constructivist perspective that emphasizes flexibility, incorporating the subjectivity of participants’ experiences into the theory-building process.

Key Characteristics of Grounded Theory

• Involves simultaneous data collection and analysis.

• Categories and analytic codes emerge from the data.

• Strong emphasis on theoretical sampling to refine categories.

• An inductive approach to constructing abstract categories based on findings.

• Enables discovery of social processes and interactions within data.

• Analytical memos are pivotal during coding and writing phases to develop insight and clarity.

• Integration of categories into a cohesive theoretical framework (Creswell, 2013).

Steps in Conducting Grounded Theory Research

1. Inquiry into process-oriented phenomena.

2. Begin with inductive logic: collect data to form theory.

3. Conduct rigorous comparative analyses using collected data.

4. Continuously develop and refine theoretical analysis.

5. Aim to create a theory about observed phenomena (Charmaz, 2014).

Grounded Theory Analysis

• The theories generated are rooted in data systematically gathered via qualitative methods (Strauss & Corbin, 1998).

• The analysis is both inductive and iterative, meaning that data collection and analysis occur concurrently, enhancing understanding and theory development.

Basic Features Include:

• Coding: Labeling relevant issues/activities to facilitate conceptual grouping.

• Constant Comparison: Continuously compare data and concepts during the analysis phase.

• Theoretical Saturation: Point in the research at which obtaining new information and insights becomes negligible.

Coding in Grounded Theory

• Coding is critical for data interpretation and theory development, initiated early in research.

• Types of coding (Strauss and Corbin, 1990):

  • Open Coding: Identifying initial concepts derived from data.

  • Axial Coding: Analyzing linkages among data, reorganizing information based on relationships.

  • Selective Coding: Identifying central categories and validating relationships among them.

Outcomes of Grounded Theory

• Development of:

  • Concepts: Fundamental building blocks of theory.

  • Categories: Clusters of related concepts that help in organizing data.

  • Properties: Characteristics that describe categories.

  • Hypotheses: Initial conjectures that arise from emerging patterns in the data.

  • Theory: Can be either substantive (specific to the observed patterns) or formal (extending the findings across different settings).

Steps in Analysis

1. Formulate a general research question.

2. Theoretically sample relevant participants/data.

3. Collect relevant data systematically.

4. Code data leading to the formulation of initial concepts.

5. Ensure fit between indicators and categories generated.

6. Saturate categories during the coding phase.

7. Explore relationships to generate hypotheses.

8. Continue collecting data to test and refine emerging hypotheses.

9. Assess substantive theories across different contexts to work towards formal theory.

Memos in Grounded Theory

• Memos function as reminders for meanings of terms and conceptual comparisons.

• Facilitate conceptual reflection and aid in the development of categories.

Criticisms of Grounded Theory

• Critiques highlight vague distinctions between concepts and categories.

• There may be potential biases in data collection and interpretation.

• Practical challenges can arise that hinder achieving theoretical claims.

• The coding process may fragment the narrative flow, making the analysis more complex.

Narrative Methods

Definition

• Narrative is often synonymous with ‘story’, referring to organized accounts of characters, settings, and plots.

• Labov (1982) characterizes narrative as collections that typically revolve around specific events and their significance.

Perspective in Social Work Research

• Social work extensively relies on verbal exchanges and interactions with clients, making it ideal for capturing client narratives that reveal their experiences.

• While beneficial, employing narrative methods can introduce theoretical and methodological complexities, as noted by Riessman & Quinney (2005).

Approaches to Narrative

• Holistic vs Categorical: Analysis can center on either individual utterances or the narrative as a coherent whole.

• Content vs Form: Research can focus either on the explicit content or the structuring of the narrative's sequenced events.

Evaluation Criteria for Narrative Research

• Requires empirical foundations through systematic interviews or observations.

• Necessitates attention to the meaningful sequence of narratives and their consequential impacts.

• Careful inspection of transcriptions is essential for fidelity to source.

• Research methodologies must be critically examined to assess effectiveness and relevance.

Improving Validity in Narrative Research

• Collect rich narrative data to ensure depth in findings.

• Ensure interpretations are data-driven, comprehensive, and relevant to participants' experiences.

• Maintain alignment between data, interpretations, and theoretical frameworks (Crossley, 2003).

Limitations of Narrative Methods

• Complexity in the data may hinder understanding and prevalence of consistency across analyses.

• Challenges may arise in generating narrative knowledge that is replicable across studies.

• Limited to qualitative, in-depth analyses, potentially restricting broader application.

• Difficulty capturing hidden narratives that may not surface during interactions.

Narrative Analysis

• Research focuses on the stories narrated to understand personal life experiences.

• The emphasis shifts from mere events to how individuals construct meaning from their experiences.

Models of Narrative Analysis (Riessman, 2004)

1. Thematic: Investigates what is said within the narratives.

2. Structural: Analyzes how stories are told, focusing on narrative structure.

3. Interactional: Examines dialogue dynamics between the storyteller and the listener.

4. Performance: Considers the act of storytelling as a performance.

Critiques of Narrative Analysis

• Some critiques posit that it may overemphasize participant narratives, neglecting critical contextual perspectives.

• Acknowledgment of the significance of the context and social conditions influencing the storytelling process is vital.

Sample Questions for Review

• Key characteristic not related to grounded theory? (d. Polysemy)

• Shorthand devices used in coding? (a. codes)

• Continuous data comparison? (c. constant comparison)

• Break data into component parts? (a. Coding)

• Not an outcome of grounded theory? (d. Observations)

• Building blocks of theory? (a. Concepts)

Conclusion

• Thank you for your participation.

• The next session will continue the ongoing discussion, further exploring research approaches and their applications.