Qualitative Research Methods

Dr. B. Manoj Aravind

Outline
What is Qualitative Research? Its purpose and charecteristics How is it different from Quantitative Research? Qualitative Research Data collection techniques Qualitative Data analyses Summary

Qualitative Research
QR involves finding out what people think, and how they feel 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

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

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 is flexible and iterative

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

Characteristics of Qualitative Research (1)

Asks why, how and under what circumstances things occur Seeks depth of understanding Views social phenomenon holistically Exploration and discovery Provides insights into meanings of decisions and actions

Characteristics of Qualitative Research (2)

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

Characteristics of Qualitative Research (3)

QR research documents may have the following 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 In depth accounts of peoples experiences, opinions, feelings Personal accounts by researcher of research
process and thoughts about what is being studied

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

QUANTITATIVE VS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Differences between the two

Quantitative General framework Seeks to confirm hypothesis
Instruments use more rigid style of eliciting & categorising responses Highly structured methods

Qualitative
Seeks to explore phenomenona Instruments use more flexible style Semi-structured methods used

Differences between the two

Quantitative Analytical Objectives To quantify variation
To predict causal relationships

Qualitative
To describe variation To describe and explain relationships

To describe the characteristics of a population

To describe individual experiences & group norms

Differences between the two

Quantitative
Question format Closed ended Data format Numerical

Qualitative

Open ended Textual

Study Design Study design is fixed and linear Study design is subject to statistical assumptions

Study design is flexible Iterative process and subject to textual analysis

Quantitative Collect

Analyze
Qualitative

Collect

Analyze

Research Process
Sampling Sample size Data collection techniques Data analysis

Sampling
Representative Vs Purposeful Purposive Sample Judgmental Sampling
Maximum variation sampling Extreme case sampling Typical case sampling

Opportunistic Sampling Snowball, network or chain sampling

Sample size
Issue of sample size, a lot like problem students 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 the subject not less, not more

Techniques for Data Collection

1. Participatory Research (PR) techniques 2. In depth techniques 3. Systematic techniques

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

1. Participatory Research Techniques

Social Mapping Transect Walk Participant Observation Seasonal Calender Trend analysis

2. In Depth Techniques
In depth Interviews Key Informant Interview Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

3. Systematic Techniques
Free listing Pile sorting

Analysis of Qualitative Data

Interim analysis Memo Coding Content analysis

Can softwares help?

ATLAS ti Nvivo

Anthropac