Design is generally based on a social constructivism perspective.
Research problems become research questions based on prior research experience.
Sample sizes can be as small as one.
Data collection involves interview, observation, and/or archival (content) data.
Interpretation is based on a combination of researcher perspective and data collected.
Keywords
-Transcribing is the process of converting audio or video data to text for analysis.
-Coding is the process of reviewing notes and discovering common “themes.”
-Themes describe the patterns/phenomenon as results.
Explanation:
AFewQualitativeResearchDesigns
1. BiographicalStudy
A biographical study is often the first design type that comes to mind for most people. For example, consider O’Brien’s John F. Kennedy: A Biography. The author takes a collection of archival documents (interviews, speeches, and other writings) and various media (pictures, audio, and video footage) to present a comprehensive story of JFK. In the general sense, a biographical study is considered an exhaustive account of a life experience; however, just as some studies are limited to single aspects of a phenomenon, the focus of a biographical study can be much narrower. The film Madame Curie is an example. Crawford studies the film from a biographical perspective to present the reader with an examination of how all aspects of a film (director’s perspective, actors, camera angles, historical setting) work to present a biography. Read the introduction and scan the text to get a feel for this perspective.
2. Phenomenology
Your first step should be to take this word apart – phenomenon refers to an occurrence or experience, logical refers to a path toward understanding. So, we have a occurrence and a path (let’s go with an individual’s experience), which leads to a way of looking at the phenomenon from an individual’s point of view. The reactions, perceptions, and feelings of an individual (or group of individuals) as she/he experienced an event are principally important to the phenomenologist looking to understand an event beyond purely quantitative details. Gaston-Gayles, et al.’s (2005) look at how the civil rights era changed the role of college administrators is a good example. The authors interview men and women who were administrators during that time to identify how the profession changed as a result.
3. GroundedTheory
In a grounded theory study, interpretations are continually derived from raw data. A keyword to remember is emergent. The story emerges from the data. Often, researchers will begin with a broad topic, then use qualitative methods to gather information that defines (or further refines) a research question. For example, a teacher might want to know what effects the implementation of a dress code might have on discipline. Instead of formulating specific questions, a grounded theorist would begin by interviewing students, parents, and/or teachers, and perhaps asking students to write an essay about their thoughts on a dress code. The researcher would then follow the process of developing themes from reading the text by coding specific examples (using a highlighter, maybe) of where respondents mentioned common things. Resistance might be a common pattern emerging from the text, which may then become a topic for further analysis.
4. Ethnography
Those with sociology or anthropology backgrounds will be most familiar with this design. Ethnography focuses on meaning, largely through direct field observation. Researchers generally (though not always) become part of a culture that they wish to study, then present a picture of that culture through the “eyes” of its members. One of the most famous ethnographers is Jane Goodall, who studied chimpanzees by living among them in their native East African habitat.
5. CaseStudy
A case study is an in-depth analysis of people, events, and relationships, bounded by some unifying factor. An example is principal leadership in middle schools. Important aspects include not only the principal’s behaviors and views on leadership, but also the perceptions of those who interact with her/him, the context of the school, outside constituents, comparison to other principals, and other quantitative “variables.” Often, you may see a case study labeled “ethnographic case study” which generally refers to a more comprehensive study focused on a person or group of people, as the above example.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Basic Qualitative Research Characteristics
Design is generally based on a social constructivism perspective.
Research problems become research questions based on prior research experience.
Sample sizes can be as small as one.
Data collection involves interview, observation, and/or archival (content) data.
Interpretation is based on a combination of researcher perspective and data collected.
Keywords
-Transcribing is the process of converting audio or video data to text for analysis.
-Coding is the process of reviewing notes and discovering common “themes.”
-Themes describe the patterns/phenomenon as results.
Explanation:
A Few Qualitative Research Designs
1. Biographical Study
A biographical study is often the first design type that comes to mind for most people. For example, consider O’Brien’s John F. Kennedy: A Biography. The author takes a collection of archival documents (interviews, speeches, and other writings) and various media (pictures, audio, and video footage) to present a comprehensive story of JFK. In the general sense, a biographical study is considered an exhaustive account of a life experience; however, just as some studies are limited to single aspects of a phenomenon, the focus of a biographical study can be much narrower. The film Madame Curie is an example. Crawford studies the film from a biographical perspective to present the reader with an examination of how all aspects of a film (director’s perspective, actors, camera angles, historical setting) work to present a biography. Read the introduction and scan the text to get a feel for this perspective.
2. Phenomenology
Your first step should be to take this word apart – phenomenon refers to an occurrence or experience, logical refers to a path toward understanding. So, we have a occurrence and a path (let’s go with an individual’s experience), which leads to a way of looking at the phenomenon from an individual’s point of view. The reactions, perceptions, and feelings of an individual (or group of individuals) as she/he experienced an event are principally important to the phenomenologist looking to understand an event beyond purely quantitative details. Gaston-Gayles, et al.’s (2005) look at how the civil rights era changed the role of college administrators is a good example. The authors interview men and women who were administrators during that time to identify how the profession changed as a result.
3. Grounded Theory
In a grounded theory study, interpretations are continually derived from raw data. A keyword to remember is emergent. The story emerges from the data. Often, researchers will begin with a broad topic, then use qualitative methods to gather information that defines (or further refines) a research question. For example, a teacher might want to know what effects the implementation of a dress code might have on discipline. Instead of formulating specific questions, a grounded theorist would begin by interviewing students, parents, and/or teachers, and perhaps asking students to write an essay about their thoughts on a dress code. The researcher would then follow the process of developing themes from reading the text by coding specific examples (using a highlighter, maybe) of where respondents mentioned common things. Resistance might be a common pattern emerging from the text, which may then become a topic for further analysis.
4. Ethnography
Those with sociology or anthropology backgrounds will be most familiar with this design. Ethnography focuses on meaning, largely through direct field observation. Researchers generally (though not always) become part of a culture that they wish to study, then present a picture of that culture through the “eyes” of its members. One of the most famous ethnographers is Jane Goodall, who studied chimpanzees by living among them in their native East African habitat.
5. Case Study
A case study is an in-depth analysis of people, events, and relationships, bounded by some unifying factor. An example is principal leadership in middle schools. Important aspects include not only the principal’s behaviors and views on leadership, but also the perceptions of those who interact with her/him, the context of the school, outside constituents, comparison to other principals, and other quantitative “variables.” Often, you may see a case study labeled “ethnographic case study” which generally refers to a more comprehensive study focused on a person or group of people, as the above example.
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