Qualitative Research

• Qualitative Research


  Process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting NON-NUMERICAL DATA.

  Is used to undertsnad how an individual subjectively perceives and gives meaning to their social reality.
• Non-numerical data


  Text, video, photographs, audio recordings. Can be collected using diary accounts or in-depth interviews, and analyzed using GROUNDED THEORY or THEMATIC ANALYSIS
• Characteristics of qualitative research


  1. an effort to understand situations in their uniqueness as a part
  2. researcher is the primary instrument
  3. usually involves fieldwork
  4. uses an inductive strategy - builds abstractions, concepts, hypothesis, theories
• Strengths of qualitative research


  • It complements quantitative data - can be utilized as support for quanti data for more reliable result
  • It provides more detailed information to explain more complex ideas - gathers more accurate data to explain complex phenomena
  • It is cost efficient - less resources
• Weaknesses of qualitative research

  • It cannot generalize the findings to the study population - due to limited responses
  • It is more difficult to analyze - due to subjective responses, results may become biased and less credible
  • It is time consuming - take longer time in observing the patterns and themes
• Research topics to avoid

  1. Controversial topics
  2. Highly technical subjects
  3. Hard-to-investigate subjects
  4. Too broad subjects
• Characteristics of a good research title

  • It should be limited only to substantive words with high consideration to the key variables. 
  • It should use words that can create a positive impression among the readers. 
  • It should be in the form of a phrase with correct use of capitalization. 
  • It should be concise by adequately implying the participants and the coverage of the study. 
• Narrative


  These are life accounts based on personal experience. Focuses on the nature of the story as told by participants.

  Main objective: To extract meaningful context based on the documented experience
• Phenomenological 


  Focuses on the lived experiences of the participants in order to understand a phenomenon. Concerened with the feelings of the participants-- uniqueness of situations can be described. Interview is the common instrument.
• Case study

  It allows the researcher to have an intensive analysis of the phenomenon. It describes the case through an in-depth examination of a single person or institution.
• Grounded Theory

  It intends to explain a phenomenon through developing a theory.

  • It aims to provide explanation and theory behind lived experiences. 
  • Interview and supporting documents are the commonly used date collection. 
  • To provide a theory behind the experiences.
• Historical


  Identification, evaluation, synthesis of past event data. It seeks to understand present patterns and anticipate future choices through clearly relating the past event data.