Qualitative Research

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH INTRODUCTION There are broadly two approaches of research: quantitative research and qualitative research. Quantitative research was originated in the natural sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics, geology etc. and was concerned with investigating things which we could observe and measure in some way. Such observations and measurements can be made objectively and repeated by other researchers. Qualitative research was related to the social sciences: psychology, sociology, anthropology etc. They were interested in studying human behavior and the social world inhabited by human beings. The research attempts to increase our understanding of why things are, the way they are in our social world, and why people act the ways they do. The aim of qualitative research is to gather an in-depth understanding of human

behavior and,

not

just what, where, when.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/qualitative_methods , accessed 22nd March 2009) The

further

discussion

on

qualitative

research

characteristics,

the

theoretical underpinning, the paradigm, the data collection, the advantages and the comparison between qualitative and quantitative will be elaborated as follows.

WHAT IS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH? Qualitative research uses individual in-depth interviews, focus groups or questionnaires to collect analyze and interpret data by observing what people do and say. It reports on the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols and descriptions of things. It is more subjective than quantitative research and is often exploratory and openended. Small numbers of people are interviewed in-depth and/or a relatively small

number

of

focus

groups

are

conducted.

(http://www.nhs.uk , accessed 22nd March 2009) 1

(Holliday:

2007)

Qualitative research involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical

materials,

such

as

case

study;

personal

experiences;

introspection; life story; interview; artifacts; cultural text and productions; observational, historical, interactional, and visual texts that describe routine and

problematic

moments

and

meanings

in

individuals’

lives.(Denzin&Lincoln:2003) Qualitative research is concerned with developing explanations of social phenomena. That is to say, it aims to help us to understand the world in which we live and why things are the way they are. According to Beverley (1998), it is concerned with the social aspects of our world and seeks to answer questions about:

•

Why people behave the way they do

•

How opinions and attitudes are formed

•

How people are affected by the events that go on around them

•

How and why cultures have developed in the way they have

•

The differences between social groups

QUALITATIVE PARADIGM

A paradigm is a loose collection of logically related assumptions, concepts, or propositions that orient thinking and research. When we refer to a theoretical orientation or theoretical perspectives, we are talking about a

2

way of looking at the world, the assumptions people have about what is important and what makes the world work. Phenomenological Researchers in the phenomenological mode attempt to understand the meaning of events and interactions to ordinary people in particular situations. What phenomenologist emphasizes, then, are the subjective aspects of people’s behavior. (Bogdan&Biklen: 1992)

Ethnography The ethnographic approach to qualitative research comes largely from the field of anthropology. It is based on observational work in particular setting. (Silverman: 2005) The emphasis in ethnography is on studying an entire culture.

The

most

common

ethnographic

approach

is

participant

observation as a part of field research (Fraenkel&Wallen: 1993). The ethnographer becomes immersed in the culture as an active participant and records extensive field notes. Field Research The essential idea of field research is that the researcher goes "into the field" to observe the phenomenon in its natural state. As such, it is probably most related to the method of participant observation. The field researcher typically takes extensive field notes which are subsequently coded and analyzed in a variety of ways. (Trochim: 2006) Grounded Theory The self-defined purpose of grounded theory is to develop theory about phenomena of interest. But this is not just abstract theorizing they're talking about. Instead the theory needs to be grounded or rooted in observation. The research using grounded theory seeks to produce theory: a set of interrelated categories that describe or explain some phenomenon. (Travers: 2001) 3

DATA COLLECTION Qualitative approaches to data collection usually involve direct interaction with individuals on a one to one basis or in a group setting. Data collection methods are time consuming and consequently data is collected from smaller numbers of people than would usually be the case in quantitative approaches such as the questionnaire survey. The benefits of using these approaches include richness of data and deeper insight into the phenomena under study.(Beverley:1998).The main methods of collecting qualitative data are: individual interviews, focus groups and observation. Data is usually collected through sustained contact with people in the settings where they normally spend their time. Participant observations and in-depth interviewing are the two most common ways to collect data. "The researcher enters the world of the people he or she plans to study, gets to know, be known, and trusted by them, and systematically keeps a detailed written record of what is heard and observed. This material is supplemented by other data such as, artifacts, school memos and records, newspaper articles, and photographs (Bogdan & Biklen: 2006). Fraenkel and Norman(1993) in their book also states about in – depth interview and the written record :” The researcher is continually observing people,

events,

and

occurrence

,often

supplementing

his

or

her

observations with in-depth interviews of selected participants and the examination of various documents and records relevant to the phenomenon interest.”

QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITAVE Qualitative

research explores attitudes,

behavior and experiences

through such methods as interviews or focus groups. It attempts to get an in-depth opinion from participants. As it is attitudes, behavior and experiences which are important, fewer people take part in the research, but the contact with these people tends to last a lot longer. 4

Quantitative research generates statistics through the use of large-scale survey research, by using methods such as questionnaires or structured interviews. This type of research reaches many more people, but the contact with those people is much quicker than it is in qualitative research.(http://www.googleads.g.doubleclick.net

,accessed

30th

March

2009) Quantitative research methods are concerned with empirical research; the hallmark of quantitative is measurement and quantification. (Connole, Smith&Wiseman:1990). Qualitative research methods on the other hand are not. Qualitative research is most likely same as interpretive approach. Miles and Huberman (1984) as cited from Connole, Smith& Wiseman(1990) used the term ‘qualitative’ to apply to research when ‘the data concerned appear in words rather than in number.’ Strauss and Corbin (1990) defined that Qualitative research:”any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at

by means

of statistical

procedures

or other

means

of

quantification.” (Cited from: Hoepfl, 1997) Qualitative methods can be described as being, “soft”, speculative, flexible and subjective. The data collected have been termed soft, that is, rich in description of people, places and conversation, and not easily handled by statistical procedures. We may say that Quantitative methods are “hard”, hypothesis testing, fixed, value-free and objective. (Bogdan&Biklen: 2006), (Holliday: 2007) In qualitative research, data samples are usually not collected through random selection but rather purposive reasoning, which is to say they are chosen for how well they typify the characteristics of a certain class. The researcher's role in interpreting the meaning of data is more centralized in 5

the qualitative approach than it is in quantitative methods, which ideally seek to make purely empirical observations devoid of perspective. (Flamand: 2009)

CONCLUSION Quantitative and qualitative research methods are very different methods of research. Quantitative researchers seek to provide answers in a balanced scientific way; they do not make assumptions from their findings. Qualitative researchers aim to evaluate things as they stand, in an attempt to look at a lifelike picture, providing a “deeper” understanding. The fact that qualitative research is not a ‘hard science’ leaves it open to criticism from quantitative researchers. In my opinion neither methods is superior. Both when carried out correctly provide good research. As Silverman (2006) stated that “No method of research, quantitative or qualitative, is intrinsically better than any other.” REFERENCES Beverley, Hancock.1998.An Introduction to Qualitative Research. Trent Focus Group,UK. Bogdan, C.Robert & Biklen, K.Sari.2006. Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theories and Methods. Pearson, Allyn and Bacon, Boston. Connole, H., Smith, B., Wiseman, R.1990.Research Methodology 1: Issues and Methods in Research. Deakin University,Victoria, Australia. Denzin,K.Norman&Lincoln,S.Yvonna.2003.Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials.SAGE Publications,Inc. Thousand Oak, London, New Delhi. Fraenkel, R.Jack&Wallen, E.Norman.1993.How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. Mcgraw-hill.Inc. Flamand, Lee.2009.What is Qualitative Research. Available at http://wwww.wisegeek.com 6

Free article & Tutorial.2008. The Difference between Qualitative and Quantitative Research. Available at http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net Hoepfl, C., Marie.1997. Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/journals/JTE/v9nl/hoepfl.html Holliday, Adrian. 2007. Doing and writing Qualitative research second edition. SAGE Publication Ltd. London Key,P.James.1997. Research Design in Occupational Education. Available at http://www.okstate.edu Silverman, David.2005. Doing Qualitative Research. SAGE Publication, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi. Travers, Max. 2001. Qualitative Research Through Case Studies. SAGE PublicationsLtd. London ,Thousand Oak, New Delhi. Trochim,MK.,William.2006.Qualitative Approaches. Available at http://www.socialresearchmethods.net Web Center for Social Research Method. 2009.Qualitative Approaches. Available at http://www.socialresearchmethods.net Wikipedia.2009.Qualitative Research. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/qualitative_methods

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