11 SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Practical Research 1
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Qualitative Research and its Importance in
Daily Life
Subject Name – Practical Research 1 for Grade 11
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 2: Qualitative Research and its Importance in Daily Life
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Mary Ann C. Torres, MAED – A&S
Jean G. Fabugais, MAED-ELT, TMC-1
Editors: Lorilyn N. Nudalo, EdD
Reviewers: Lorilyn N. Nudalo, EdD
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Layout Artist/Typesetter: Richie C. Naingue/Josephine V. Austero
Management Team: Senen Priscillo P. Paulin, CESO V Rosela R. Abiera
Fay C. Luarez, TM, EdD, PhD. Maricel S. Rasid
Adolf P. Aguilar, EdD Elmar L. Cabrera
Nilita L. Ragay, EdD
Anna Lee A. Amores EdD

Printed in the Philippines by ________________________

Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental

Office Address: Kagawasan, Ave., Daro, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

Tele #: (035) 225 2376 / 541 1117
E-mail Address: negros.oriental@deped.gov.ph
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Practical Research 1

Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Qualitative Research and its Importance in
Daily Life

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Introductory Message
For the Facilitator:

Welcome to Practical Research 1 Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module

2 on Qualitative Research and its Importance in Daily Life!

This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by

educators both from public and private institutions to assist you, the
teacher or facilitator in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their personal, social, and economic
constraints in schooling.

This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and
independent learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore,
this also aims to help learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking
into consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Research is creating new

knowledge.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing
them to manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to
encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks included in the
module.

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For the Learner:
Welcome to Practical Research 1 the Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM)
Module 2 on Qualitative Research and its Importance in Daily Life!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and
time. You will be enabled to process the contents of the learning resource
while being an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

This will give you an idea of the skills or

What I Need to Know competencies you are expected to learn in
the module.

This part includes an activity that aims to

check what you already know about the
What I Know
lesson to take. If you get all the answers
correct (100%), you may decide to skip this
module.
This is a brief drill or review to help you link
What’s In the current lesson with the previous one.

In this portion, the new lesson will be

What’s New introduced to you in various ways; a story, a
song, a poem, a problem opener, an activity
or a situation.
This section provides a brief discussion of
What is It the lesson. This aims to help you discover
and understand new concepts and skills.

This comprises activities for independent

practice to solidify your understanding and
What’s More
skills of the topic. You may check the
answers to the exercises using the Answer
Key at the end of the module.
This includes questions or blank
What I Have Learned sentence/paragraph to be filled in to process
what you learned from the lesson.
This section provides an activity which will
What I Can Do help you transfer your new knowledge or
skill into real life situations or concerns.
This is a task which aims to evaluate your
Assessment level of mastery in achieving the learning

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 competency.
In this portion, another activity will be given
Additional Activities to you to enrich your knowledge or skill of
the lesson learned.

Answer Key This contains answers to all activities in the

module.

At the end of this module you will also find:

References This is a list of all sources used in

developing this module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any
part of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the
exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other
activities included in the module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your
answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through
with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do
not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind
that you are not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful

learning and gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You
can do it!

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT PAGES

TITLE PAGE ------------------------------------------------ i

INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE --------------------------------- ii

For the Facilitator --------------------------------- ii
For the Learner ----------------------------------------- iii

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW --------------------------------- 1

Learning Competency --------------------------------- 1
Learning Objectives --------------------------------- 1

WHAT I KNOW ------------------------------------------------ 1

Activity 1 ------------------------------------------------ 1

WHAT’S IN ------------------------------------------------ 2
Activity 2 ------------------------------------------------ 2

WHAT’S NEW ------------------------------------------------ 3

Activity 3 ------------------------------------------------ 3

WHAT IS IT ------------------------------------------------ 4

WHAT’S MORE ------------------------------------------------ 8

Activity 4 ------------------------------------------------ 8

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED --------------------------------- 9

Activity 5 --------------------------------- 9

WHAT I CAN DO ---------------------------------------- 10

Activity 6 --------------------------------------- 10

ASSESSMENT ------------------------------------------------ 11

ANSWER KEYS ------------------------------------------------ 12

GLOSSARY ------------------------------------------------ 13

REFERENCE LIST -------------------------------------------- 14

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 What I Need to know

This module tackles the nature of qualitative research and its

importance in daily life. Specifically, this will guide you to determine the
value of qualitative research; its kinds, characteristics, uses, strengths, and
weaknesses; and the importance of qualitative research across fields of
inquiry.

Learning Competencies

At the end of this module, you are expected to

• describe the characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and types of

qualitative research;
• make one’s own research title for a specific type of qualitative
research; and
• illustrate the importance of qualitative research across fields.

What I Know

Activity 1. Let’s check your prior knowledge…

Directions: Read each item carefully. Write TRUE if the statement is true
and write FALSE if the statement if false. Write your answers in your Activity
Notebook.

1. Naturalistic inquiry is studying world situation naturally.

2. Inductive analysis is the qualitative type in which the immersion of
specific type of data is applied to discover the important categories.
3. Holistic perspective is possible in the quantitative type of research.
4. In personal contact and insight, the researcher has direct contact with
and gets close to the people.
5. In qualitative research, the researcher’s personal experiences and
insights are important part of the inquiry and critical to understanding
the phenomenon.
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 6. One of the major characteristics of qualitative research is interview.
7. In the dynamic systems, it is assumed that change is constant and on-
going whether the focus is on an individual or an entire culture.
8. In qualitative research, the researcher’s passion understands the
world in all its complexities.
9. One of the characteristics of qualitative research is emphatic
neutrality where personal experiences are not included as part of the
study.
10. One of the strengths of qualitative research is it offers several avenues
to understand phenomena.

What’s In

Activity 2. Let’s associate the words…

Directions: Answer the questions about the italicized word in the middle of
the graph. Get some clues about the nature of this target word by
discovering its use in the following selection.

What is it? What is it like?

1. Narrative

What are some examples?

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 What is it? What is it like?

2. Phenomenology

What are some examples?

What’s New

Activity 3: Let’s define the newly learned words…

Directions: Using the associated words in Activity 2, define the following:

Narrative: ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Phenomenology: ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

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 What is It

Qualitative research is the collection, analysis, and interpretation of

comprehensive narrative data in order to gain insights into a phenomenon of
interest (Bueno, 2017). It is very useful for describing and answering
questions about participants and contexts.

The purpose of qualitative research is to promote a deep, holistic

understanding of a phenomenon. It provides insight into the complexity of
common occurrences. It also provides specific concrete details to guide
understanding in a setting (Bueno, 2017).

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research can be characterized by at least ten overlapping

themes that researchers should be aware of when collecting and analyzing
data. In qualitative study, Patton (1980) discussed these characteristics to
help researchers design studies. These characteristics are explained below
based on Balester's (1993) text, as cited by Constable and his colleagues
(2012).

Naturalistic Inquiry
Qualitative observational research is naturalistic because it studies a
group in its natural setting. Patton explained that “Naturalistic inquiry is
thus contrasted to experimental research where the investigator attempts to
completely control the condition of the study” (p. 42).

Inductive analysis
This characteristic is prevalent in qualitative research because it
allows the observer to become immersed in a group. The researcher starts
with answers but forms questions throughout the research process.
Hypotheses and theories can continuously change depending on what the
observer wants to know.

Holistic perspective
Patton stated, “a holistic approach assumes that the whole is greater
than the sum of its parts” (p. 40). In other words, almost every action or
communication must be taken as a part of the whole phenomenon of a
certain community or culture. However, this characteristic of qualitative

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observational research can be bothersome because it can lead researchers
into taking every little action into consideration when writing a narrative.

Personal contact and insight

The researcher is responsible for becoming a part of a group to get a
more in-depth study. However, the researcher also has to be aware of biases
(both good and bad).

Dynamic systems
Qualitative observational research is not concerned with having
straightforward, right or wrong answers. In addition, change in a study is
common because the researcher is not concerned with finding only one
answer.

Unique case orientation

Researchers must remember that every study is special and deserves
in-depth attention. This is especially necessary for doing cultural
comparisons.

Context sensitivity
Researchers must realize the different variables, such as values and
beliefs, that influence cultural behaviors.

Empathic neutrality
Ideally, researchers should be non-judgmental when compiling
findings. Because complete neutrality is impossible, this characteristic is a
controversial aspect of qualitative research.

Design flexibility
Researchers can continue to do research on other topics or questions
that emerge from the initial research.

Qualitative data
This is a detailed description of why a culture is the way it is.
Triangulation or the use of many data-gathering methods, such as field
notes, interviews, writing samples, and other data, helps determine the
cultural phenomenon of a group.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is primarily interpretative and ethnographic in
nature. This kind of research approach requires explanation and detailed
observation, and it assumes that it is impossible to define precisely what
elements are essential and crucial and should be considered to the
exclusion of others (Atieno, 2009).

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 The following model in Figure 1 summarizes the strengths and
weaknesses of qualitative research methodology.

Figure 1. The model of strengths and weaknesses of qualitative

research methodology adopted from Choy (2014)

Types of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research methods typically include interviews and
observations, but may also include case studies, surveys, and historical and
document analyses. Qualitative research is an umbrella term used to refer
to the theoretical perspective designs, such as: narrative, phenomenology,
grounded theory, action research, case study, ethnography, historical
research, and content analysis (Creswell, 2009).
Narrative Research. It is a method that includes the analysis of the
characteristics of the narrative text, and recently of the meaning of inter-
human relations in social, historical, and cultural contexts (Felton &
Stickley, 2018). It focuses on people’s narratives either about themselves or
a set of events. Instead of looking for themes that emerge from an account, it
concentrates on the sequential unfolding of someone’s story, so there is an
emphasis on characters. It is time consuming and usually includes a very
small number of cases (Hancock et al., 2009).
Phenomenological Research. The meaning of the phenomenon is
conceptualized in the interior of the individual’s awareness. Phenomenology
is an approach to explore people’s everyday life experience. It is used when
the study is about the life experiences of a concept or phenomenon
experienced by one or more individuals. A phenomenological researcher
investigates subjective phenomena (Creswell, 2009).

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 Grounded Theory. This is an approach to theory development
grounded/rooted in the data rather than empirical testing of the theory, that
is, data are collected and analyzed, and then a theory is developed
which is grounded in the data (Glaser & Strauss, 1967).
Action Research. Action research is an emergent inquiry process that
integrates theory and action to couple scientific knowledge with existing
organizational knowledge and to address real organizational problems
together with the people of the system under inquiry (Coghlan, 2011).
Case Study. Creswell (2009) defined it as a study where “Researcher
makes an in-depth exploration of a program, an event, an activity, a
process, or one or more individuals”. The structure of a case study should
be the problem, the context, the issues, and the lessons learned (Creswell,
2014). Hence, it is a comprehensive description of an individual case and its
analysis.

Ethnographical Research. Ethnographic observation is the most

intensive and in-depth observational qualitative approach. The word
ethnography comes from Greek ethnos which means ‘folk, people, and
nation’, and grapho means ‘I write’. Therefore, ethnography has a setting in
anthropology, which means ‘portrait of a people’. It represents an approach
in which the researcher engages in prolonged observations from the group’s
everyday life. In this type of research, behaviors, values, and interactions
among the members of the group are deeply studied, described, and
interpreted by the researcher (Creswell, 2014).
Historical Research. Historical research is one of the methods to
describe how and where the study started, how it is developed during time,
and where it stands at present. Kerlinger (1972) defined historical research
as “Critical investigation of events, development, and experiences of the
past, careful consideration of past testimonies from the perspective of
information sources validity, and subsequent interpretation of the
concerned testimonies.” Historical research seeks not only to discover the
events of the past but also to relate these past happenings to the present
and to the future.
Content Analysis. Content analysis is “a detailed and systematic
examination of the contents of a particular body of materials for the purpose
of identifying patterns, themes, or biases.” It was first used as a method for
analyzing hymns, newspapers and magazines, articles, advertisements, and
political speeches in the 19th century (Harwood & Garry, 2003).

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Importance of Qualitative Research
Qualitative research mainly investigates the relationships between
individuals and the institutions and society in which they live using a
diverse range of approaches (Islam & Faruque, 2016). It allows the
researcher the flexibility to probe initial participant responses.
The Qualitative Research Consultants Association (2015) explained the
importance of qualitative research in terms of how and what situations it
can be used and when we do not expect from qualitative research.
• It helps develop hypotheses for further testing and for qualitative
questionnaire development.
• It helps understand the feelings, values, and perceptions that underlie
and influence behavior.
• It helps identify customer needs.
• It helps capture the language and imagery that customers use to
describe and relate to a product, service, brand, etc.
• It helps to perceive marketing/communication messages.
• It helps to obtain information in quantitative study and to better
understand the context/meaning of the data.
• It helps generate ideas for improvements and/or extensions of a
product, line, or brand.
• It helps uncover potential strategic directions for branding or
communications programs.

What’s More

Activity 4. Let’s check your understanding…

Directions: Answer the following questions in your Activity Notebook.

1. What are the characteristics of qualitative research?

2. How is qualitative research helpful in your chosen track/strand?

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 What I Have Learned

Activity 5: Let’s reflect…

Directions: Write a short reflection in your Activity Notebook.

I thought _________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________.

I learned that ____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________.

What I Can Do

Activity 6. Let’s prove it…

Directions: Answer the following questions in your Activity Notebook.

1. What is the effect of qualitative research in our decision-making?

2. Why is qualitative research recommended to be used in Senior High
School students?
3. Is the researcher himself the data-gathering instrument? Defend your
answer.

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 Assessment

Activity 7. Let’s check it out…

I. Matching Type: Read carefully the statement in Column A and find the
answer in Column B. Write the letter that corresponds to your answer in
your notebook.
Column A Column B
1. An interpretation of comprehensive a. unique case orientation
narrative data
2. It is a controversial aspect of qualitative b. naturalistic inquiry
research.
3. Every study is special and deserves detailed c. action research
attention.
4. Researcher is responsible for becoming a d. content analysis
part of a group to get a more in-depth study.
5. Whole is greater than the sum of its parts. e. emphatic neutrality
6. The researcher starts with answers, but
forms questions throughout the f. inductive analysis
research process.
7. It studies a group in its natural setting. g. holistic perspective

8. Researchers can continue to do research h. design flexibility

on other topics or questions that i. homogeneous
emerge from the initial research j. qualitative research
9. An emergent inquiry process that k. quantitative research
integrates theory and action to couple l. statistical data
scientific knowledge m. naturalistic inquiry
10. Detailed and systematic examination of n. personal contact & insight
the contents of a particular body
of materials

II. Multiple Choices: Select the letter that corresponds to your answer.

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1. The following are the characteristics of qualitative research except:
a. dynamic systems c. holistic
b. case d. case study

2. Which of the following is not included in the study?

a. issue c. topic
b. respondents d. opinion of others

3. In holistic perspective, the whole phenomenon is understood as:

a. single system c. compound system
b. complex system d. mixed system

4. What research methodology is used by the researcher to discover theory

in a substantive area?
a. grounded c. ethnography
b. holistic d. case study

5. What research approach has specific boundaries and can be both

qualitative and quantitative?
a. historical c. case study
b. grounded d. phenomenology

Additional Activities

Activity 8. Let’s go beyond…

Directions: Make a research title relevant to your chosen track of

specialization. What type of qualitative research methodology are you going
to use? Explain briefly.

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 Glossary

Documentary - It means presenting facts and information, especially

about a political, historical, or social issue.
Homogenous - It is composed of parts or elements that are all of the
same kind.
Hypothesis - It is a tentative explanation for a phenomenon, which
is used as a basis for further investigation.
Perspective - It is a particular evaluation of a situation or facts,
especially from one person's point of view.
Process - It is a series of actions directed toward a specific aim.
Strength - It is the physical power to carry out demanding tasks.
Theory - It is the body of rules, ideas, principles, and
techniques that apply to a subject, especially when
seen as distinct from actual practice

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Activity 1. Let’s check your prior knowledge…
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. True
8. True
9. False
10. True
Activity 2: Let’s connect associative words…
(Answers may vary)
Activity 3. Let’s use the newly learned words…
(Answers may vary.)
Activity 4. Let’s check your understanding…
(Answers may vary.)
Activity 5: Let’s reflect…
(Answers may vary.)
Activity 6. Let’s prove it…
(Answers may vary.)
Activity 7. Let’s check it out…
1. j
2. e
3. a
4. n
5. g
6. f
7. b
8. m
9. c
10. d
II.
11. d
12. d
13. b
14. a
15. c
Answer Key
References

Almeida, Fernando & Faria, Daniel & Queirós, André. (2017). Strengths and
Limitations of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods.
European Journal of Education Studies. 3. 369-387.
10.5281/zenodo.887089.

Almeida, Fernando & Faria, Daniel & Queirós, André. (2017). Strengths and
Limitations of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods.
European Journal of Education Studies. 3. 369-387.
10.5281/zenodo.887089.

Atieno, Ochieng Pamela (2009). An Analysis of the Strengths and Limitation

of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Paradigms. Problems of
Education in the 21st Century Volume 13, 2009. Masinde Muliro
University of Science and Technology, Kenya

Balester, V. M. (1993). Cultural divide: A study of African-American college-

level writers. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Bueno, David Cababaro. (2017). Practical Qualitative Research.

10.13140/RG.2.2.21227.80167.

Choy, Looi Theam (2014). The Strengths and Weaknesses of Research

Methodology: Comparison and Complimentary between Qualitative
and Quantitative Approaches. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social
Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 19, Issue 4, Ver. III (Apr. 2014), PP 99-
104e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org

Coghlan, D., (2011). Action Research: Exploring Perspectives on a

Philosophy of Practical Knowing. Academy of Management Annals,
5(1), 53–87.

Constable, Rolly, Cowell, Marla Sarita Zornek Crawford, David Golden, Jake
Hartvigsen, Kathryn Morgan, Anne Mudgett, Kris Parrish, Laura
Thomas, Erika Yolanda Thompson, Rosie Turner, and Mike Palmquist.
(1994 - 2012). Ethnography, Observational Research, and Narrative
Inquiry. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University. Available at
https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=63.

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed

Method Approaches (3rd Ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.

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Creswell, J. W. (2014). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing
among Five Approaches (4th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Felton, A., & Stickley, T. (2018). Rethinking Risk: A Narrative Approach.

Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, 13(1), 54–
62.

Felton, A., & Stickley, T. (2018). Rethinking Risk: A Narrative Approach.

Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, 13(1), 54–
62.

Harwood, T. G., & Garry, T. (2003). An Overview of Content Analysis. The

Marketing Review, 3, 479–498.

Ibrahim, Muhammad. (2016). Types of Qualitative Research.

10.13140/RG.2.1.2563.4962.

Islam, M. & Faruque, Cathleen. (2016). Features of qualitative research.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301633015

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Schools Division of Negros Oriental

Kagawasan, Avenue, Daro, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

Tel #: (035) 225 2376 / 541 1117

Email Address: negros.oriental@deped.gov.ph
Website: lrmds.depednodis.net