Qualitative Research

• Research

  Suggest an action that denotes "to look for something again"
• Qualitative Research

  Employs qualitative methods and deals with the characteristics observed from the respondents with minimal to no use of statistical analysis
• Quantitative Research

  Uses quantitative procedures where respondents' traits are translated numerically. It focuses on the analysis and interpretation of the raw numerical data gathered based on statistical outcomes.
• The improvement in our way of life is brought about by research.
• WHAT IS TO LOOK FOR IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS?
• Aims of Research

  Gain relevant experiences that enhance and deepen their knowledge and skills in the area of their investigations
• the results of an investigation should be based on actual data which was gathered by the researcher himself.
• Characteristics of Research

  • LOGICAL - follows valid procedures & principles, applies proper & logical approach to find out answers to a particular research question
  • CYCLICAL - starts with a problem and ends with another problem
  • ACCEPTABLE - acceptable procedures in data gathering have been employed correctly & proper analysis of the data should be done before making final conclusions
  • OBJECTIVE - must be free from bias or prejudice, conclusion should be drawn based on the accuracy of the empirical data that supports the study
  • CRITICAL - researcher should exhibit careful & precise judgment, must establish a high level of confidence with regards to the data gathered; (statistics) must establish a certain confidence level to be precise in interpretations whether the results are significant or not
  • VERIFIABLE - others can perform the same study having the same results to verify the validity & consistency of the results of the research if performed in the same conditions as the original research
• Quantitative research is used to test a hypothesis, look at cause and effect, and make predictions.
• Qualitative research is used to understand and interpret social interactions.
• Quantitative research uses larger, randomly selected groups, while qualitative research uses smaller, non-randomly selected groups.
• Quantitative research collects numerical data, while qualitative research collects words, images, or objects.
• Quantitative research is more objective, while qualitative research is more subjective.
• Quantitative research uses a confirmatory or top-down approach, while qualitative research uses an exploratory or bottom-up approach.
• Quantitative research focuses on describing, explaining, and predicting, while qualitative research focuses on exploring, discovering, and constructing.
• Quantitative research studies behavior under controlled conditions, while qualitative research studies behavior in natural environments.
• Quantitative research reports statistical findings, while qualitative research reports narrative descriptions.
• Quantitative research is used to confirm or test a theory or hypothesis, while qualitative research is used to understand a concept, thought, or experience.
• Descriptive research

  Research that deals with everything that can be counted and measured and which has an impact on people or communities
• Ethnographic research

  The investigation of a culture through an in-depth study of the members of the culture
• Ethnographic research approach

  1. Researcher closely studies a group to understand and describe their social customs

  2. Researcher may take an active approach to make the immersion of the research more believable

  3. Researcher observes the group's social dynamics and participates in some of their common activities
• Ethnographic research

  • Attempts to understand what is happening naturally in the setting and to interpret the data gathered
  • Two approaches: Realist (researcher provides an objective account) and Critical (researcher shows advocacy for the marginalized group)
• Experimental research design

  • Best establishes cause-effect relationship
  • An objective, systematic, controlled investigation for the purpose of predicting and controlling phenomena and examining probability
• Experimental research design

  • Developing new drugs and medical treatments
  • Testing theories and understanding human behavior in psychology
• Historical research design

  Involves analysis of events that occurred in the remote or recent past to understand current events and educational practices
• Historical research design

  • Examining the impact of King Martin Luther's Speech
• Phenomenological research

  • Aims to describe an experience as it is actually lived by the person
  • Powerful for understanding subjective experience, gaining insights into people's motivation and actions
• Phenomenological research

  • Studying the experiences of survivors and people who've lost loved ones to COVID-19
• Action research design

  • Involves application of the scientific method in the classroom problems
  • Research done on a very limited scope and is helpful to beginning researchers
• Action research design

  • Exploring how teachers feel about the curriculum
  • Exploring what teaching strategies students think are engaging and why
• Basic concepts in research

  • Research topic
  • Research problem
  • Research objectives
  • The problematic situation
  • Concepts and variables
  • Scope of the study
  • Limitations of the study
  • Research design
  • Research technique
• Research problem

  • The situation that the study wants to address or understand
  • Questions that the study wants to resolve or answer
• Research objectives

  • What the study intends to do
  • General objectives and specific objectives (quantitative)
  • Grand-tour question and sub-questions (qualitative)
• The problematic situation

  • Gaps in knowledge
  • Current situations that are problematic or questionable in nature that the study seeks to address/resolve
  • Provides the rationale why there is a need to conduct the study
• Concepts

  Any construct/idea that represents something in its simplified form
• Variables

  • Anything that has a value that can be measured and varies from case to case
  • Types: Independent, Dependent, Intervening, Antecedent
• Operationalizing a variable

  Assigning a measure to a variable in quantitative research
• Validity and reliability

  • Two important rules or criteria of good measurement
  • Validity - measuring what one intends to measure
  • Reliability - consistency in measurement
• Variables are not applied in qualitative research
• Scope of the study

  • What are the boundaries/parameters of the study?
  • What is included in the study?