Qualitative Research Methods 1 - An Introduction

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Qualitative Research Methods

Dr. B. Manoj Aravind


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Outline

What is Qualitative Research?

Its purpose and charecteristics

How is it different from QuantitativeResearch?

Qualitative Research Data collection

techniques Qualitative Data analyses

Summary


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Qualitative Research

QR involves finding out what people think,

and how theyfeel or at any rate, what they

say they think and how they say they feel. This

kind of information is subjective. It involves

feelings and impressions, rather than

numbers

Bellenger, Bernhardt and Goldstucker

Qualitative Research in Marketing

American Marketing Association


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Purpose of QR

To understand the world from a

particular persons on peoples point

of view To capture the voice and experiences

of other people and understand the

world from their perspective


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What is Qualitative Research

Describes & analyses culture and behaviour

from the point of view of those being studied

(emic perspective)

Emphasis is on providing a holistic

understanding of the social setting in which

research is conducted

Relies on a research strategy which isflexible

and iterative


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What is Qualitative Research

Systematic exploration of Illness requires in

depth interviewing and probing

Rapport building essential for eliciting

sensitive information

Naturalistic inquiry: takes place in natural

social settings

No controlled experimental designs


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Characteristics of Qualitative Research (1)

Asks why, howand under what circumstances

things occur

Seeks depth of understanding

Views social phenomenon holistically

Exploration and discovery

Provides insights into meanings of decisionsand actions


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Uses interpretative and other open-ended

methods

Is iterative, rather than fixed

Is emergent, rather than pre-structured

Involves respondents as active participants,

rather than subjects Key: Researcher is an instrument in the

research process


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QR research documents may have thefollowing features

Direct quotations from people being studied

Rich descriptions of what is being explored

Details about the interactions between people

Reporting of peoples behaviour and actions

Indepth accounts of peoples experiences,opinions, feelings

Personal accounts by researcher of research

process and thoughts about what is being studied


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Uses of Qualitative Research

Identify variables important to phenomenon

under study

Understand views, motivations, experiences of

participants

Provide comprehensive description;

understand processes and mechanisms

Provide more in-depth information about

possible underlying mechanisms for

relationships observed in our quantitative

analyses

Generate survey items; test item validity


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QUANTITATIVE VS QUALITATIVERESEARCH


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Differences between the two

QuantitativeGeneral framework

Seeks to confirm hypothesis

Instruments use more rigidstyle of eliciting &

categorising responses

Highly structured methods

Qualitative

Seeks to explore

phenomenona

Instruments use more

flexible style

Semi-structured methodsused


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QuantitativeAnalytical Objectives

To quantifyvariation

To predict causalrelationships

To describe the

characteristics of apopulation

Qualitative

To describe variation

To describe and explainrelationships

To describe individual

experiences & group norms


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Quantitative

Question format

Closed ended

Data format

Numerical

Study Design

Study design is fixed and linear

Study design is subject tostatistical assumptions

Qualitative

Open ended

Textual

Study design is flexible

Iterative process and

subject to textual analysis


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Collect

Analyze

Collect

Analyze

Quantitative

Qualitative


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Research Process

Sampling

Sample size

Data collection techniques Data analysis


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Sampling

Representative Vs Purposeful

Purposive Sample

Judgmental Sampling Maximum variation sampling

Extreme case sampling

Typical case sampling

Opportunistic Sampling

Snowball, network or chain sampling


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Sample size

Issue of sample size, a lot like problemstudents face when asked to write an essay

Student: How long does the paper have to

be? Teacher: Long enough to cover the

assignment.

Student: But how many pages?

Teacher: Enough pages to do justice to thesubjectnot less, not more


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Techniques for Data Collection

1. Participatory Research (PR) techniques

2. Indepth techniques

3. Systematic techniques


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1. Participatory Research Techniques

Involves people for their empowerment and

assumes that people possess knowledge and

have an understanding of their reality.

Solve local problems with local solutions

Action - > Experience -> Learning cycle

Empower vulnerable sections and accelerate

development process


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1. Participatory Research Techniques

Social Mapping

Transect Walk

Participant Observation Seasonal Calender

Trend analysis


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2. InDepth Techniques

Indepth Interviews

Key Informant Interview

Focus Group Discussion (FGD)


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3. Systematic Techniques

Free listing

Pile sorting


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Analysis of Qualitative Data

Interim analysis

Memo

Coding

Content analysis


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Can softwares help?

ATLAS ti

Nvivo

Anthropac


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Documents

Qualitative Research Methods 1 - An Introduction