Qualitative Research

• Identifying the problem is usually the toughest part of developing a research study
• It is okay to develop a research idea from personal experiences and observations
• Studies that examine important social issues

  • Domestic abuse
  • Eating Disorders
  • Academic success
• Grades are a numerical expression of academic performance but they induce a great deal of stress upon students
• Bottom-up approach


  The initiation of the research study can come from a wide range of issues
• Inductive reasoning


  Goes from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories
• Deductive reasoning


  Goes from a general premise or theory to a specific conclusion
• Obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree does not necessarily help finding jobs
• Top-down approach


  The identification of the problem comes from a theory or generalized research findings
• Research process


  1. Deductive reasoning: Deduce from Theory

  2. Inductive reasoning: Collect data, analyze, generalize conclusions
• Qualitative research has limitations in generalizing conclusions to a population
• Naturalistic inquiry


  • Inquiry within a natural setting
  • Focuses on first-person narratives
  • Allows research participants to provide information
• Ethnography


  • Study of beliefs, behaviors, attitudes of a specific group of people within a social context
  • Researcher immerses themselves in the setting, sometimes participants are aware, sometimes not
• New questions always emerge from qualitative research approaches
• The whole point here is to examine social factors that shape behavior and then new questions will always emerge from these types of approaches
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High

  • A teenage movie about high school life
  • Created from a book on high school life
  • The author posed as a high school student
• Grounded Theory


  Theory is developed at the ground level, from direct observations, using inductive reasoning
• Grounded Theory research


  • Involves collecting information and transcribing notes/videos/audio to identify patterns
  • Concepts are not based on preconceived hypotheses
  • Involves constant comparative analysis to examine agreement/disagreement with other ideas
• Grounded Theory research involves ongoing theory refinement as more information is gathered, which is typical of new areas of research
• Expert practice in Psychotherapy


  Established by virtue, clinical reasoning, and knowledge
• Qualitative research is valid and reliable, but in a different way than quantitative research
• Internal validity


  The degree to which the outcome of a study can be traced back to the methods of the study
• External validity


  Deals with the transferability of the study findings to a larger population
• Reliability


  Refers to the consistency of a measurement tool, where repeated measurements should yield very similar results
• The pandemic was a source of societal stress that brought out both the best and worst in people
• Protests in Ottawa


  • An event that could have been examined from a research perspective to understand the social and cultural factors at play
• Field observations in qualitative research

  1. Done prior to interviews

  2. Researcher remains quiet and inconspicuous to observe interactions and characteristics without influencing behavior

  3. Involves recording details like time, weather, and street conditions
• Ethical considerations are important when conducting field observations in public settings
• Qualitative Research


  Explores the 'why' and 'how' of human experiences and behaviors, emphasizing non-numerical data
• Approaches to Qualitative Research

  • Bottom-up approach (inductive reasoning)
  • Top-down approach (deductive reasoning)
• Bottom-up approach (inductive reasoning)


  Starts with specific observations, building towards broader theories
• Top-down approach (deductive reasoning)


  Starts with existing theories, testing them with specific observations
• Validity and Reliability in Qualitative Research

  • Established through credibility, trustworthiness, and transferability of findings
  • Internal validity ensures the methods used are directly responsible for the results
  • External validity is how well the findings can be generalized
  • Reliability means consistency of results
• Common Methods in Qualitative Research

  • Naturalistic inquiry
  • Interviews
  • Focus groups
• Naturalistic inquiry


  Studying phenomena in their natural environment
• Approaches within Naturalistic inquiry

  • Phenomenology
  • Ethnography
  • Grounded theory
• Phenomenology


  Investigating experiences and perceptions
• Ethnography


  Examining cultural groups and behaviors
• Grounded theory


  Developing theory based on collected data
• Interviews


  Gathering in-depth information through direct conversation