approaches to qualitative research

• narrative analysis

  • narratives used as a source of data
  • narratives from one or more sources (e.g. interviews, literature, diaries)
• discourse analysis

  • study of naturally occuring discourse
  • can range from conversation to public events to existing documents
• case study

  • analysis of one to several equal cases that are unique with respect to research topic
  • analysis primarily focuses on exploring the unique
• grounded theory

  • inductive data collection + analytic methods
  • uses systematic and exhaustive comparison of text segments to build thematic structure + theory from a body of text segments to build thematic structure + theory from a body of text segments
• inductive thematic analysis

  • involves identifying and coding emergence themes within data
  • in depth interviews + groups
• ethnography

  • orientated toward studying shared meanings and practices
  • questions generally related to social and cultural processes + shared meanings within a given group of people
• phenomenology: focuses on individual experiences, beliefs + perceptions

  • questions aimed at drawing out individual experiences and perceptions
  • in depth interview + focus groups are ideal methods for collecting phenomenological data
• qualitative methodology characteristics of qualitative research

  1. interpretive experiences
  2. unique perspectives
  3. holistic
  4. natural settings
  5. purposeful sampling
  6. multiple data sources
  7. emergent design
  8. frameworks
  9. inductive explorations
• methodology assumptions

  • the naturalistic process for conducting research, which is inductive, holistic and depends on triangulation of multiple sources to collaborate findings
• axiological assumptions

  • the values in qualitative approach which are inherently biased and subjective focused of the particularly of the caese
• rhetorical assumption

  • the use of language in a qualitative enquiry, often framed in the first person as a story of direct experience, and is informal, descriptive and personal
• paradigm

  • assumptions about the nature of reality and knowledge
  • theoretical framework, literature and research practice
  • value systems + ethical principles
• ontological perspective

  • researchers view of reality
  • researchers positions really as subjective, incorporating the multiple realities represented by participants
• epistemological assumption

  • researchers role, which is intimate + interactive in qualitative studies, reflexivity
  • what are the sources and limits of nowledge