PR1_Chapter 4-5

• Interviews are, therefore, most appropriate where little is already known about the study phenomenon or where detailed insights are required from individual participants. 
• The purpose of the research interview is to explore the views, experiences, beliefs and/or motivations of individuals on specific matters. 
• Good questions should be open-ended (require more than a yes/ no answer), neutral, sensitive and understandable.
• Starting with easy questions and gradually proceeding to sensitive topics can help put respondents at ease, building rapport.
• Before an interview takes place, respondents should be informed about the study details and given assurance about ethical principles, such as anonymity and confidentiality.
• Interviews should be conducted in areas free from distractions and at times and locations that are most suitable for participants.
• During interviews, listen attentively to what is being said so that participants are able to recount their experiences as fully as possible, without unnecessary interruptions.
• Adopt open and emotionally neutral body language, nodding, smiling, looking interested and making encouraging noises during interview.
• Seek clarification from participants if it is unclear what they mean. The use of 'leading' or 'loaded' questions that may unduly influence responses should always be avoided.
• At the end of the interview it is important to thank participants for their time and ask them if there is anything they would like to add.
• All interviews should be tape or video recorded and transcribed verbatim afterwards, as this protects against bias and provides a permanent record of what was and was not said.
• Make 'field notes' during and immediately after each interview about observations, thoughts and ideas about the interview, as this can help in data analysis process.
• Result and discussion part of research presents the sections and discussions of bracketing, horizontalization, textural and structural descriptions, overall essence, and verification of the lived experiences of the participants.
• The treatment and analysis of data followed in a qualitative research was from Moustakas's (1994) approach as re-detailed by Creswell (2007) used in psychological, transcendental or empirical phenomenology.
• Bracketing. The researcher must set aside all knowledge or related experience about the phenomenon.
• Horizontalization. The researcher will organize interview transcriptions based on the first and second central research questions of the study. Significant statements will be highlighted to come up with an in-depth understanding of a phenomenon.
• Theme Clustering. The researcher will develop clusters of meaning from significant statements into themes.
• Textural Description. The themes will be used to write a textural description of what the participants experienced.
• Structural Description. The themes will also be used to write a description called imaginative variation of the context or setting that influenced "how" the participants experienced the phenomenon.
• Overall Essence. From the structural and textural descriptions, the researcher will write a composite description that presents the "essence of the participants' experience called the essential or invariant structure.
• Validation. The researcher will once again meet the participants for verification of their shared experiences and the corresponding analysis and interpretation. This step is done to ensure validity and credibility of the research findings.
• Solid conclusion is an essential part of a strong research paper.
• Conclusion is the final decision that responds to the research problems/objectives. It summarizes the content and the purpose of the paper. The implications of the conclusions must also be determined.
• Major and minor conclusions should be drawn from the data. Major conclusions are the conclusions drawn from the answers of majority of the participants. Minor conclusions are drawn from the answer of participants that are not common or might not directly answer the question for interview.
• In drawing conclusions, the researcher must think logically since conclusions are not just finding reiterated but interpretations of what is seen in the data (Quinlan, 2011).
• The process of drawing conclusions begins early in the coding process (chapter 4 of the study).
• Recommendations are tracks of action that the researcher recommends based on the findings and the conclusions were drawn from those findings (Quinlan, 2011).
• Recommendations or future directions are based on the conclusions. They may include further research of the study and/or enhancement of the developed system.
• Points to Consider in Making Recommendations

  • Recommendations should be succinct.
  • They should be meaningful in relation to the aim and objectives of the research.
  • They should respond to the research questions or statements.
  • Recommendations should be do-able or achievable.
• Steps in Drawing Conclusions From Pattern/Theme

  • Examine the individual themes which have been identified.
  • The researcher gathers together all of the text passages codes for the theme. 
  • After reading several themes it becomes clear that several should be combined, or one subsumed within another.
• These are the two themes that should be made under theme clustering part of treatment and analysis. Structural and textural theme
• This theme describes "how" the participants experienced the specific phenomenon. Structural theme
• This should be in table format, containing the exact words or answer of your participants. Horizontalization