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Chapter Outline Characteristics of Qualitative Research

• The Components of Qualitative Methods • Review the needs of potential audiences for the proposal
• The Characteristics of Qualitative Research • Discuss characteristics of qualitative research if audience is not
• Qualitative Designs knowledgeable
• The Researcher’s Role • Characteristics include:
• Data Collection Procedures • Natural setting
• Researcher as key instrument
• Data Recording Procedures • Multiple sources of data
• Data Analysis and Interpretation • Inductive and deductive data analysis
• Validity and Reliability • Participants' meanings
• Emergent design
• Writing the Qualitative Report • Reflexivity
• Example 9.1. Qualitative Procedures • Holistic account

Qualitative Methods Strategies of Inquiry

Questions for designing a qualitative procedure: See Table 9.1
1. Are the basic characteristics of qualitative studies mentioned? • Strategies of inquiry focus on data collection, analysis,
2. Is the specific type of qualitative design to be used in the study mentioned? and writing
3. Does the reader gain an understanding of the researcher's role in the study and how they may shape
interpretations made in the study? • Five popular examples:
4. Is the purposeful sampling strategy for sites and individuals identified? • Narrative
5. Are the specific forms of data collection mentioned and a rationale given for their use?
• Phenomenology
6. Are the procedures for recording information during the data collection detailed?
7. Are the data analysis steps identified?
• Ethnography
8. Is there evidence that the researcher has organized the data for analysis? • Case study
9. Has the researcher reviewed the data generally to obtain a sense of the information? • Grounded theory
10.Has the researcher coded the data?
11.Have the codes been developed to form a description and/or to identify themes?
12.Are the themes interrelated to show a higher level of analysis and abstraction?
13.Are the ways that the data will be represented?
14.Have the bases for interpreting the analysis been specified?
15.Has the researcher mentioned the outcome of the study?
16.Have multiple strategies been cited for validating the findings?

Components of Qualitative Methods Qualitative Design

• Tell readers about the design being used in the study In writing a procedure for a qualitative proposal:
• Discuss the sample for the study • Identify the specific design that you will be using and
provide references to the literature
• Discuss data collection
• Provide some background information about the design
• Outline data analysis steps
• Discuss why it is an appropriate strategy to use in the
• Discuss how to present the data, interpret it, validate proposed study
it and indicate potential outcomes of the study
• Identify how the use of the design will shape many
• Include a methods section that mentions the nature aspects of the design process, such as the title, the
of the final written product problem, the research questions, the data collection and
analysis and report write-up

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The Researcher’s Role
• Researcher has sustained intensive experience with
participants
• Strategic, ethical, and personal issues can arise
• Researchers should
• Discuss prior experiences with participants, setting or
research problem
• Indicate how these experiences may potentially shape the
interpretations the researchers make during the study
• Comment on the connection between the researchers and
participants and the research site that may unduly
influence the researcher's interpretations
• Indicate steps to get IRB permissions
The Researcher’s Role
– Discuss steps to gain entry into the setting
Why was the site chosen for study?
What activities will occur at the site during the research
study?
Will the study be disruptive?
How will the results be reported?
What will the gatekeeper gain from the study?
– Comment about ethical issues that may arise and indicate
how the research will address each
Data Collection Procedures
• Identify the purposefully select individuals and sites
for the study
• Indicate the number of sites and participants to be
involved in the study
• Select the type(s) of data to be collected
– Qualitative observations
– Qualitative interviews
– Qualitative documents
– Qualitative audio-visual materials
See Table 9.2
01-Mar-22
Data Collection Procedures
• Include data collection types that go beyond typical
observations and interviews.
• These unusual forms create reader interest in a
proposal and can capture useful information that
observations and interviews may miss.
• See Table 9.3
Data Recording Procedures
Observational protocol: record information while observing
– Record descriptive notes, reflective notes, and demographic
information during observations
Interview protocol: for asking questions and recording
answers
– A heading
– Instructions for the interviewer to follow
– The questions
– Ice breaker, 4-5 questions, concluding question
– Probes for the 4-5 questions
– Space between questions to record answers
– A final thank-you statement
– A log to keep a record of documents collected for analysis
Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Specify the steps in analyzing the various forms of qualitative
data by segmenting and taking them apart
• Data analysis will proceed hand-in-hand with data collection
and the write-up of findings
• Dense and rich data means presentation will be an aggregate
with small number of themes
• Specify the use of computer data analysis program
• Analysis steps embedded within specific qualitative designs
• Blend the general steps with the specific research strategy
steps
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Data Analysis in Qualitative Research Data Analysis and Interpretation

Step 4. Use the coding process to generate a
description of the setting or people as well as
categories or themes for analysis
Step 5. Discuss how the description and themes will be
represented
Step 6. Present interpretation(s) by capturing the
essence of the idea

Data Analysis and Interpretation Reliability, Validity, and Generalizability

• Qualitative validity
• Researcher uses procedures to check the accuracy of the findings
Step 1. Organize • Triangulate  Negative information
and prepare the • Member checking  Prolonged time in the field
data for analysis • Rich, thick description  Peer debriefing
(e.g. transcribing • Clarify bias  External auditor
interviews)
• Qualitative reliability
Step 2. Read or look • Researcher uses an approach that is consistent across different
at all the data analysts and projects

• Qualitative generalization
• Focus of qualitative research on the particularity, not generalizability

Data Analysis and Interpretation The Qualitative Write-Up

Step 3. Start coding all of the data See Example 9.1
• Codes on topics that readers would expect to find, based on
the past literature and common sense • Discuss strategies for writing up the qualitative
• Codes that are surprising and that were not anticipated at the findings
beginning of the study • Develop description and themes
• Codes that are unusual, and that are, in and of themselves, of • Match write-up to strategy of inquiry
conceptual interest to readers • Use quotes
• Develop codes only on the basis of the emerging information • Include some conversation
• Use predetermined codes and then fit the data to them • Use the first person form
• Use some combination of emerging and predetermined codes • Use metaphors and analogies
• Discuss how findings will be related to theories and
literature