Qualitative Research

Thursday, 26 August 2021 12:55 pm

Qualitative Data
- Not deals with numbers
- Focuses more on impressions, feelings, thoughts
- Most of the time: method used in data collection is interview, analysis is thematic analysis.
More definition:
- In depth understanding of people
- experiences, attitudes, behavior, and interactions.

What is Qualitative Research?

FOCUS
➢ In-depth description of a phenomenon based on how people construe the social world.
- Based on people how person give meaning to phenomena
- This answers the how of the phenomena
- Hinihighlight yniya yung malalim na pag unawa, exploration nung phenomena.
- We try to dig deeper why it is being interpreted by the individual.
- Allows us to gain understanding about the attitude of people, behaviors, point of views at bakit
ganon ang pov, motivation, vlaue system nila or own definition ng reality based sa kung papaano nila
naeexperience iyon.
- Paano nila binibigyan ng meaning or nagagawa nila out of this phenomena

SETTING
➢ Takes place in natural setting
➢ Use interactive and humanistic methods of data collection
- It takes places in natural setting to capture authentic nilang responses doon sa subject matter na
iniistudy natin.
- We must interact or mingle with our participants naturally also or in their natural setting.
- For ex: u are interacting will street dwellers, ure not supposed to use English as a form of language
or unless they are really well versed. Baka maging intimitated sila.
➢ So dapat kelangan mo makimingle sa kanila sa natural setting nila.
SCIENTIFIC REASONING
➢ Typically inductive: generating concepts from patterns of data
- Yung iba gumagamit din ng deductive
○ In a way where we try to reflect the data from our data and ichecheck if we can add
more evidence to it to support those theme we generate
- More inductive dapat: we mean to make a theory or interpretation or explanation of
phenomena based from the patterns that we observed from the data
- Bottom up approach: organize yung kinolekta nating information into a more meaningful
theme
- Quali: observe, interview, gawa field notes, then gather then pagsamahin and icocode yung
mga yun
○ It takes a lot of time - quali
RESEARCHER'S ROLE
➢ Introspection
- Introspection - u try to reflect what are your values, interest, biases na pwedeng
makakaapekto doon sa research
- Expected na gumamit ng introspection and reflexivity (giving honesty and transparency,
acknowledging methods - loaded with personal values of researchers)
- Reflexivity - identify your biases, values and personal interest about the topic and the
process u want to do it.
▪ Di natin maseseparate yung ating personal self sa researcher self.
○ Acknowledgement of biases, values, and interests (reflexivity)

When to do a Qualitative Research?

Researcher's view of the world

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 Researcher's view of the world
Ontology
➢ Nature of reality
- Can this reality only exist on people's perception?
➢ Realism versus idealism
- Realism (naniniwala na objective reality exist at yun lang yun)
- Dealism (there is no objectie reality, meron lang reality na nageexist sa mundo or subjecttive reality
ng mga tao)
- Si mam: 50:%0 may objective realit daw pero important din daw na intidinhin ang ibang ano ng mga
tao: case to case basis kasi
Epistemology
➢ Theories of knowledge
- We try to answer he question, how an we know the reality??
- (27:22 di ko gets eh)
➢ Objective versus objective
Constructivist View
➢ Reality is not absolute, and it is socially constructed
Transformative View
➢ Reality must be examined to criticize its possible role in propagating unjust social structures
and policies
- (32:58)
Practical reasons
Nature of research questions
➢ Focuses on the detailed, in-depth information needed about certain clients/programs
Others
➢ Preference of intended users of research
➢ To add depth to a quantitative study
- Lawak, sakop, interpretation ng numerical data

Role of Theory in Qualitative Research

➢ Theoretical perspective -> shape and inform how researchers thin of their research
- Can provide us an overall perspective on how we are going to approach our study, pose research
questions, how we collect data and methods and kung papano natin aanalyze yung data natin.
- It also guides us on what are the issues that we need to explore
- Pinoposition ung perspective natin doon sa tamang pagformulate ng research questions, guides us
papano yung data collection natin
- This should be articulated and practiced para maexplain natin yung methods natin.
➢ Used to make decisions about
- Research questions
- Data collection
- Explanation of findings

Some Theoretical perspective (can be under the paradigm)

Phenomenology
➢ gagamitin natin to to understand the experience of that phenomena, u could make use of this
perspective
- Madalas ginagamit pag nag ququalitative research
- Focus on the lived experiences
- Describe the experience of chosen participants the phenomena that u are studying
- Probably, to understand their participants of the phenomena
Interactionism
➢ About the interactions, encounters, exchanges between people in groups.
- Emphasis: language na ginagamit ng mga tao doon sa kung papano sila mag encounter
- The way they converse with people, methods dito is gonna be more likely an interview or qualitative
observation on how people interactive with each other.
Constructionism
➢ focus is in research questions at saka kung paano nacoconstruct ng mga tao yung kanilang reality.
- Methods: open ended interviews, multiple interviews with same people pwedeng magkaroon ng

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 - Methods: open ended interviews, multiple interviews with same people pwedeng magkaroon ng
dlawa to apat sessions talking about the same topic, gusto mo malaman paano sila naglelead doon
sa interpretation sa mga bagay.
Ethnomethodology
➢ examines methods, the practices of people to construct their understanding of how they navigate
the social world
- Focus: naturally occurring talks and practices
- Method: conversational analysis - observe ka lang kung paano sila makipaginteract, verbal and non
verbal among people, yun dapat ioobserve (pwedeng invisible observer ka parang ganon
mangyayare)
Ethnography
➢ directly observe groups and its setting
- Research pero u are doing immersion, hindi ganon kaworkable in field because it is more on culture
Critical Theory
➢ mas inclined sa transformative paradigm, theoretical perspective can be under the paradigm itself,
explaining how power operates in the society, to have social change and how these transformation
can happen.
- Inclined in transformative paradigm
- One thing is to have a social change and how these transformation can happen

Qualitative Methods

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 Qualitative Methods

Introduction to Qualitative Research

Ethnography
➢ A Research that asks questions about the social and cultural practices of groups of people (buch,
staller, 2007)
Description
➢ Holistic research approach > single method
➢ Lengthy immersion/fieldwork in the study site
➢ Ultimate goal: to understand another way of life from the point of view of peopl with different
meaning systems and visions
- We try to describe their realities, appreciate all realities in our own way, we show how we are
different they area, how diverse the people in the community.
➢ Reduce ethnocentrism
➢ Tendency to regard one's culture as intrinsically superior to others
○ In group bias - narereduce to.
- Focus: social and cultural practices
- As long as na may nageexist sa group, may pre established culture sa group na yun. Do
ethnography.
- Are you really looking into the groups, their norms or culture/way of life nila?
- Pag immersion or field work, magbubuild ka ng rapport or relationship doon sa members of
community sa community na yun. U became a familiar face doon sa group na yun. U immerse
urself and build rapport to the group. Knowing dialect of the culture.
- They study lived experiences, conditions of people, and we try to appreciate it from our own
perspective.
- Maganda dito, hindi mo lang nalalaman yung information na to through the book or other
people. Since you immerse yourself in their community, magkakaroon ka ng deeper
appreciation ng grupo nila kasi naging part ka nun.
Data Collection
➢ Observation
- Wag masyado pahalata, talagang nagoobserve ka ganun. Lahat vinivideo mo lahat kinacamera mo.
- It should be done in a satle way, hindi masyadong aggressive way.
➢ Participation in community activities
- U could also participate in their community activities if they will allow you.
➢ Review documents and materials
- Pwedeng archival - u review documents in their materials.
➢ Conversation
- U could also have a simple conversation with the members of the community or the group.
➢ Interview
- Isa sa di pwedeng mawalang method dyan is participant observation

PROCESS
1. Understand meaning attributed by participants about their social and cultural practices.
- Understand mo muna practices nila.
2. Examine contexts within which those practices occur/develop
- Saan ba to nagoccur na concept in a particular community
3. Analyze how these people/practices interconnect with larger social forces
- Once you analyze, u need to analyze how this groups influence or interact with other groups
or with the society in general.

ANALYSIS
1. DESCRIBE
➢ Straightforward presentation of facts
- Ex: A day in the life of a Psych Student
- Or narrate a particular situation or event na sa tingin mo very distinct.
- Describe interactions among the members, kanilang group dynamics,
- Compare and contrasts view ng mga participants.

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 - Compare and contrasts view ng mga participants.
2. ANALYZE
➢ Look for patters, themes
➢ Compare subject group with a broader population
3. INTERPRET
➢ Answering the whys of the research
- U discuss the meaning behind the research findings
- U could also provide theories that could support your interpretation

Examples of Research Using Ethnography

Case Study
➢ A data generation method that explores and analyzes the life of a person or a group.
DESCRIPTION
➢ Develops an in-depth description and analysis of a case/phenomena
➢ Can produce the best description of the person, a unique event, artifact or a media output
➢ Lead to better understanding of the processes and activities involving people and
organizations.
- How it is different from ethnography?
- Case study - aims specific into a person, an event or an activity/program.
○ Employ 2 or 3 instances or people in the study.
Ethno: more on culture and cultural interaction of people
Case study: more on the a project, an activity, a program na finofocus on natin.
- Data collection method: interview
`

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 Participant Observation
➢ Data collection method that involves DIRECT and PERSONAL observation of a social phenomenon in
the NATURAL SETTING
- Frequent visit or observation, pwedeng papunta punta ka lang don ganon.
DESCRIPTION
➢ Prolonged and frequent visits/immersion in the community of the target community
➢ Can minimize "reactivity"
- Tendency of people to change their behaviors when being observed
- Mas maganda to kasi mamimize reactivity
- Before mag actual observation, magiimmersion ka muna.
➢ Captures non-verbal cues, unwritten/unspoken rules
- Through participant observation, this allows you to contextualize or produce deeper understanding
of things.
- Pati body language nila, part yun ng kailangan mo ioobserve.
➢ Can also be used to validate survey or interview results
- Way to triangulate data from different research design.
LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT
1. Complete Observer
- Ikaw ay talagang spectator ka lang. Wala kang way of interacting with them. U don’t talk to
people u are observing.
2. Observer as Participant - ethical
- Ikaw yung researcher/observer na nagpaparticipate sa kanilang activities sa community.
Members know that they are being observed.
3. Ex: kunyare lang lets say u want to observe yung culture ng San Beda (how they are as a
department), pwede kang maging exchanged student. Punta ka don, and observer ka din pero
nagpaparticipate ka, alam nila na ikaw ay outsider.
4. Participant as Observer - ethical
- Yung observer mo hindi ikaw, di yung researcher.
- You are assigning a member of the community to be the observer
- Kung yung participant ay observer din, dapat magmaintain ng level of detachment para yung
observation ay di makikitaan ng bias. Members are aware that they are being observed by the
member.
- Pwedeng ikaw yung researcher, pero member ka ng community or group na yun.
5. Complete Participant
- Parang participant observer, pero hindi mo rereveal na you are conducting a research study or
observing the group.
- Kinaibahan sa 3: di alam ng members or community na u are observing them and u are
conducting the study.
WHAT TO OBSERVE
1. Appearance
2. Verbal behavior & interactions
3. Physical behavior and gestures
4. Personal space

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 4. Personal space
5. Human traffic

Interviews
➢ Data collection method that involves QUESTIONS AND PROBES by the interviewer to encourage the
interviewee to talk about the phenomenon being studied
- More on qualitative interview
DESCRIPTION
➢ Requires establishing rapport with the interviewee
- Para maging comfortable at di maging awkward, maiwasan yung mga mental blocks pagka anxious
whenever they talk to us.
➢ Open-ended questions/unstructured
➢ Conversational
➢ Different types of qualitative interviews
• In depth interview
• Focus interview
• Key informant interview
1st year student need mo ng rapport din.
- Interview guide na
- The questions must be open ended questions, wag very leading not answerable by a yes or no para
mas marami kang pwedeng makuha.
- Let's say: are you happy with you current relationship?(leading question)
PROCESS
➢ Recording the interview
• Critical to producing good quality transcriptions
- Matrabaho kasi may audio recording tapos mamanumanuhin mo yun. Transcribe mo.
➢ Orientation stage
- Pwedeng build rapport muna
- Make sure responses ay nakaalign sa questions.

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 - Make sure responses ay nakaalign sa questions.
• Introduce oneself
• Explain the purpose/objective of the interview
• Indicate that approximate amount of time the interview will take
• Explain ethics/informed consent
• Allow interviewees to ask any questions before you start.
➢ Dos and Dont's while interviewing
• Not too much detailed notes
• Interviewer does not do a lot of talking, does not interrupt interviewers
• Researcher's ole is to control the interview when it needs to be focused.
• Engages with the replies of the interviewee (insert probes, seek clarification or identify
problems in the account)
• Full engagement from the researcher is needed
• Allow gap of silence from participants
• Open-ended questions
➢ Concluding the interview
• Take a short "time out" break to review interview guide
• Give interviewees an opportunity to talk about things that they think are relevant to the topic.
• Thank the interviewee formally
• Debriefing stage
- Get feedbacks from the interview
○ Allow interviewee to ask nay questions about the research
○ Provide names and contact details of organizations which might help t hem deal with
issues of counselling
○ Get feedback about the interview
• Post-interview
○ Debriefing for interviewer
○ Data protection and management
- Part of ethical consideration
- Safe storage for the interview
○ Data transcription
- You will transcribe the data
Types of Qualitative Interview
In-depth interview
➢ "purposeful" conversation is needed in collecting data
➢ Probing -> access interviewee's experiences, opinions, feelings, values, background and demographic
data
Focus interview
➢ Focus: specific event or subject which the research already studies and analyzed before.
Key Informant Interview
➢ Key informant: "surveillance and report"
• Part of the community (immersed/living there)
➢ Selecting KI
• Head/officer off an organization
• Person in charge of the implementation of activities related to the phenomenon
• Strong passion/opinion on the phenomenon`

Historical Research
➢ Systematic investigation, interpretation and analysis of historical events
DESCRIPTION
➢ An attempt to separate true from fictionalized accounts of historical events.
➢ Enables solutions to contemporary problems to be sought in the past.
➢ Stresses important and effects of interactions that are found within all cultures.
- We try to reevaluate data, text, studies before and then we try to check whether how it affect
the present trends and future trends.
SOURCES
➢ Primary sources - artifacts, relics, remains of a person or animal, written or oral narratives,
testimonies, letters, newspaper and other forms of recordings in the past

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 testimonies, letters, newspaper and other forms of recordings in the past
➢ Secondary resources - materials that we refer to but were created after the period of the
study.
○ Examples: publication of the past, events in the past

Examples of Historical Research

- They based their data on the Women's Magazine in the 19th century
`

- Like a movement or change in the transportation system, history repeats itself.

Textual Analysis
➢ Describe, interpret and evaluate texts.
- Ano ba yung text? Text that could be a meaning - product of manuscript (transcription of
interviews, minutes of the meetings and other forms recording)
- Manuscript - transcription of interviews, minutes of the meetings and other forms recording
- Products of communication - scripts, tv programs, songs, new articles and other visual
meanings
DESCRIPTION
➢ Describe: characterizing its nature, finding themes, and patterns, identifying functions
➢ Interpret: making inferences and citing implications and conclusions
- Interpret in a way you can connect it to a sociological or political perspective
➢ Evaluate: relying on certain standards based on past research work, theoretical framework,
social practices o researcher's values
- Consider having effect to the intended audience or artistic feature non, historical fact nun.

- Give evaluations, suggestions, etc na parang siyang reaction paper.

- You evaluate it also, u rely on certain standards based on past research works,.
Types of Textual Analysis

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Types of Textual Analysis
➢ Media Criticism
- Interrogates the content of media esp. those that related to contentious issues.
- You could use certain critical theories kung papaano kayo mabigyan ng perspective, equalities,
oppression happen in the world.
- Go beyond what the media wants you to see
➢ Rhetorical Criticism
- Illuminating and evaluating the products of human activity
- Use your own interpretation and own judgement in understanding the text.
➢ Discourse Analysis
- Analysis and interpretation of archetypes, character portrayals and discursive formation or
practices
- It could be spoken or written language or community
- A way of thinking about a topic on what can be said or wat cannot be said.
- More on coding data text and try to put some themes in that.

- Part of textual analysis is a form of data collection

- It could also be a whole methodology
- May data collection na pwede maconsider as contextual framework.

- Text analyzed: The Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Philippine Star
- Ginamit dito newspaper

Focus Group Discussion

➢ Group discussion of small number of knowledgeable informants under the guidance of a
moderator about a specific topic.
DESCRIPTION
➢ Organized discussion
➢ Collective activity - dynamics

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 ➢ Collective activity - dynamics
➢ Maximum of 1- 1.5 hours
➢ Advantages
○ Participants: Clary confusing/vague questions
○ Moderator: can ask follow-up questions
▪ Can also observe
- More focused on the dynamics of the members
- Edge: produce clear understanding, members feelings, attitudes and beliefs.
- FGD: discussion of thoughts, emotions, attitudes about a certain topic. Wala kang very specific
question, guide question only.
- In selecting participants of FGD, make sure that participants is someone who is also
conversant.
- Used to evaluate the findings of a study, used to triangulate a result of a study. However, you
cannot use FGD in that way in our collaboration research.
- Sa proj: Dapat concurrent: sabay nagaadminister, data collection sa qualitative and
quantitative
- Makikita mo yan gano magkakaparehas na ideas, contrasting ideas ganon
- Parang interview, like kailangan mo 10. Sa FGD, u need 6 groups, 6 times ka din pag FGD.
Group mo pa together yung participants mo.
➢ Disadvantage
○ Time consuming - need pera for our token of appreciation to your participants
○ Costly
- If gagawin nto yo, hire a facilitator or moderator to get all the necessary informations. Kami,
magact lang as assistant facilitator or observer
Facilitator/Moderator
➢ Seasoned, skilled, and sensitive facilitator
➢ Controls the FGD - pace, flow and direction
To control FGD: avoid expressing personal opinion
- Explain the purpose and objectives of the FGD
- Highlight the difference of perspective of members
- Stop conversational drifts - dapat marunong na ibalik sa topic or to stop ung mga lumiliko ng
usapan
➢ Should be familiar with the assigned topic
- Kailangan familiar ka dito
➢ Facilitator should listen to all and give all a chance to express his/her ideas.
Venue
➢ Closed room and big enough to accommodate all participants.
➢ Could also have a one-way mirror for interested observers
- Barangay hall na closed, part, plaza ganon
FGD Team
➢ Recorder
- Sya magtatranscribe
- Forms: could be a write up, video recording, photo documentation
- Whenever you record, always ask permission
➢ Observer
- Observe the reactions, behavior, body language, interaction of member to another behavior
- Behavior na connected sa FGD
➢ Administrative staff
- Provides logical support and actively participants in planning
- They are the ones who send letters to the participants or email, invitation for FGD
- Provides logical requirements (matrabaho)
- Recorders, attendance sheets, name tags, personal information sheet and many others

- Kadalasan pag FGD, purposive ang sampling - u have to control the sociodemographic profile, they
should be the participants that are data rich (key informants sila), who have enough knowledge and
competence, experience about the topic .
- Should also have good communication skills and willing to participate in FGD
- Discussion ang FGD

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- Discussion ang FGD
- Participants should be contacted two before the intended date of the FGD
- Their convenience more than your convenience
Participants/Discussants
➢ Qualification criteria
➢ Types
○ Active - ideal natin na participant, participant na nagpoprovide ng importanteng insight,
very open in giving his/her opinion at the same time respecting the opinion of others
○ Shy - u cannot get everything from them
○ Blabber - nung nagmomonopolize ng discussion, mga bida bida, they intimidate other
participants, start up fight parang nagiging defense na

Example of Personal Information Sheet used in FGD and other interviews

- It depends on your research objective, depende kung ano ilalagay niyo dyan.

Funds/Budget
➢ Venue rental
➢ Facilitators' fee
➢ Token - could increase participation
➢ Honoraria
➢ Office supplies
➢ Equipment
FGD Guide
- Need din ipavalidate yung tool bago magproceed sa data gathering
➢ Main tool in facilitating FGD
➢ Should reflect concepts stated in the research objectives
➢ What is a good question?
○ Contains open-ended questions
- Include a good question, not answerable by yes or no
- Ex: how will you evaluate the LEX Program
○ Not leading questions
○ Avoid long questions
- Pag masyadong mahaba, mahirap na sagutin
- The questions should not make a confusion

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Questions: What are the advantages in working at home?
What are the disadvantages in working at home?
- Always ask first the positive features before the negative features

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 FGD Steps
- Welcome participants
- Give overview of the topic
- Set ground rules
- Open question
- Introductory question
- Transition question
- Key question
- Ending questions

- Maximum 2 pages
- Not interview - more on discussion

STEPS
1. Plan the FGD
2. Determine the informant's qualification
3. Consider group structure - there must be several groups, u repeat it from 5-6x in different
groups
Group Structure
➢ Single category design - 3-4 groups minimum with a same category
- Ex: third yr. psych students - paghihiwahiwalayin mo lang sila ng groups
➢ Multiple category design: we have different types of requirements
- Ex: we have LETS FLEX - merong teachers, students, parents - pagsamasamahin mo sila
➢ Double layered design - groups are distinguishable in two dimensions
- Ex: in terms of yr level academic status - scholar, regular, probationary student (double
layered siya kasi kunyare first yr scholar makakasama sa FGD, 1st yr regular, tapos 2nd yr
scholar, 2nd yr probationary, 3rd yr scholar, 3rd yr probationary)
➢ Broad involvement design - sobrang halo halo
- Ex: sa isang session: andon parent, teacher, student, administrator andon sila lahat.
4. Develop FGD - develop FGD guide
5. Select FGD moderator - ano dapat characteristics
6. Schedule FGD: date, time, place
7. Prepare materials - the logistics
8. FGD proper - mismong FGD
9. Analyze data - then analyze data

Difference of FGD from Interview

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FGD:
➢ 6 - 10members, group interaction/group dynamics
➢ focus on the dynamics, the exchange of the discussion of the participants or the members of
FGD group.
➢ In FGD, nagkakaroon ka agad ng differences or similarities nung mga responses noong mga
participants mo.
Interview:
➢ 1 on 1
➢ One person that you are talking to.

Data Analysis
Focus Group Data
➢ Thematic analysis and ground theory are both suitable.
➢ Conversation analysis/discourse analysis suitable if data can be treated as conversation.
➢ Narrative analysis and interpretive phenomenological analysis: data are unlikely to be
detailed enough for either of these.
➢ Quantitative approaches might be informed by ideas, etc. originating in a focus group.
Examples of FGD

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