W10 Qualitative Research Methods Flashcards
Key Terms
The lecture will cover the following key terms:
Interviews
Focus Groups
Diaries
Archives
Naturalistic
Transcription
Qualitative Surveys
Qualitative analysis of Social media
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research
Examples differentiating qualitative and quantitative research questions:
Quantitative: What is the relationship between caffeine intake and performance on a reaction time test?
Qualitative: What is the experience of individuals with clinical depression, and how has cognitive behavior therapy impacted their quality of life over time?
Mixed Methods: How do students who experience procrastination self-manage their symptoms during exam periods?
Qualitative: What are parents’ and children’s understandings of the cost of living crisis?
Quantitative: Is there a difference in state anxiety in people who practice mindfulness regularly and people who don’t ?
Qualitative Data Collection Methods
Qualitative data collection methods include:
Interviews
Focus Groups
Diaries
Ethnography
Archives/web-based
Visual Methods
Interviews
"A conversation with a purpose."
Sampling approach
Interview schedule
Ethical Issues
Recorded
Transcription-word for word.
Reflexivity
Quantitative | Qualitative |
|---|---|
Structured | Semi-Structured/Unstructured |
Standardized | Can depart from set questions |
Answers are coded | Answers are detailed |
Interview Questions
Kvale (1996) Types of questions:
Introducing (“Tell me about…”)
Follow-up
Probing
Specifying (“What happened next?”)
Direct
Indirect (“What do most people think about…?)"
Structuring (“Let’s move on to…”)
Silence
Interpreting (“Do you mean that…?)"
Use of Photo elicitation
Vignettes
Conducting the Interview: Common Problems and Solutions
Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
RQ & Focus is not clear | Decide on the focus of the research Q and design the interview around this. |
Closed questions/invite a short response | Open questions. Invite detail using prompts. Use silence. Make P’s comfortable. |
Non-inclusive/makes assumptions | Define key terms. Remove ambiguity and bias. P’s are the “expert”. |
Leading questions | Ask for one bit of info at a time. |
Very sensitive questions | Questions flow logically-start with gentle opening questions –build up to sensitive Qs later |
Evaluation of Interviews
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Allows reconstruction of events | Less naturalistic |
More detailed data | Interaction ignored (Potter & Hepburn 2005) |
Allows longitudinal research | Time-consuming |
Specific focus | Agenda of interviewer/interviewee |
Easier to transcribe | Overused (Potter & Hepburn 2005) |
Focus Groups
Recorded group interview
Several participants (6-10) and a moderator
Individuals in a social context
Discussion of specific issue
Study interaction between group members
How are opinions expressed and modified through group discussions?
Conducted online or face to face
Focus Group: Example Research Questions
How do students make sense of gender stereotypes?
Focus Groups: Evaluated
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Naturalistic | Researcher has less control |
Social Interaction | Tendency for more agreement than disagreement |
“Collective Sense Making” (Frith, 2000) | Potential for participant discomfort |
Empowering | Transcription |
Efficient |
Online Interviews & Focus Groups
Synchronous | Asynchronous |
|---|---|
Text | Text |
Audio/Visual |
Advantages:
Anonymity
No visual cues
Naturalistic
Time for reflection
More immediate
Disadvantages:
Technical constraints
Participant drop out
Organisation
Diaries
Record of experiences over a period of time
Clear instructions & completed at:
specific intervals
response to events
Advantages:
Events as they happen
personal account
Disadvantages:
True reflection?
Varied completion/information
Drop out rates
Audio Diaries
Example from Kyle et al., (2010) study of sleep quality:
Participants described relevant feelings and experiences during the course of the day and their relationship with sleep quality.
Online Data Collection
Advantages
Volume of data- a “wide angle lens”
Anonymity: Encourages disclosure for sensitive topics
Practical and accessible
Disadvantages
Unrepresentative sample
Trustworthiness
Consent
Digital divide
Example: Qualitative Survey
"One Dead Bedroom" Experience of sex and sexuality for women with OCD
Higher rates of reported sexual dysfunction
How sexual problems related to OCD manifest in daily life
How do women make sense of these?
Qual survey ideal for sensitive research & can capture more diverse experiences and perspectives.
Ten open-ended questions: e.g., Please tell me about any impact (if any) OCD has had on your thoughts/feelings about your sexuality.
134 participants – around 50% heterosexual, 50% other sexual identities
Qualitative Survey: Examples of titles
My distorted reality
Look what you made me do
OCD is a real B***
Will my “real” sexuality please stand up
OCD as a sex killjoy
What is “normal” sex?
I’m scared, and you’re not helping
Social Media
SM Discussion analysis
Familiarize with the context & users
Saving text for analysis
Analysed as a static text
Dynamic interactions with the researcher
Lynch & Mah (2017)
Nursery teachers experiences
Teachers more open to discussing challenges in SM and email interviews than F to F