Showing papers on "Qualitative research published in 1987"

Qualitative analysis for social scientists

Abstract: The teaching of qualitative analysis in the social sciences is rarely undertaken in a structured way. This handbook is designed to remedy that and to present students and researchers with a systematic method for interpreting qualitative data', whether derived from interviews, field notes, or documentary materials. The special emphasis of the book is on how to develop theory through qualitative analysis. The reader is provided with the tools for doing qualitative analysis, such as codes, memos, memo sequences, theoretical sampling and comparative analysis, and diagrams, all of which are abundantly illustrated by actual examples drawn from the author's own varied qualitative research and research consultations, as well as from his research seminars. Many of the procedural discussions are concluded with rules of thumb that can usefully guide the researchers' analytic operations. The difficulties that beginners encounter when doing qualitative analysis and the kinds of persistent questions they raise are also discussed, as is the problem of how to integrate analyses. In addition, there is a chapter on the teaching of qualitative analysis and the giving of useful advice during research consultations, and there is a discussion of the preparation of material for publication. The book has been written not only for sociologists but for all researchers in the social sciences and in such fields as education, public health, nursing, and administration who employ qualitative methods in their work.

The case research strategy in studies of information systems

Abstract: This article defines and discusses one of these qualitative methods - the case research strategy Suggestions are provided for researchers who wish to undertake research employing this approach Criteria for the evaluation of case research are established and several characteristics useful for categorizing the studies are identified A sample of papers drawn from information systems journals is reviewed The paper concludes with examples of research areas that are particularly well-suited to investigation using the case research approach

How to use qualitative methods in evaluation

Abstract: An Introduction to Qualitative Methods When to Use Qualitative Methods Designing Qualitative Evaluations Fieldwork and Observation Depth Interviewing Analyzing and Interpreting Qualitative Data Making Methods Decisions Controversy and Philosophy

The Practice of Nursing Research: Conduct, Critique, & Utilization

Abstract: Unit I: Introduction to Nursing Research. Discovery of the World of Nursing Research. The Evolution of Research in Nursing. Introduction to Quantitative Research. Introduction to Qualitative Research. Unit II: The Research Process. Research Problem and Purpose. Review of Relevant Literature. Frameworks. Objectives, Questions and Hypotheses. Ethics in Research. Understanding Research Design. Selecting a Research Design. Sampling. The Concepts of Measurement. Measurement Strategies in Nursing. Data Collection and Management. Concepts of Statistical Theory. Descriptive and Exploratory Analyses. Bivariate Inferential Data Analyses. Advanced Statistical Analyses. Qualitative Research Methodology. Outcomes Research. Interpreting Research Outcomes. Communicating Research Findings. Unit III: Strategies for Using Research in Practice. Critical Analysis of Nursing Studies. Utilization of Research in Nursing Practice. Unit IV: Seeking Support for Research Activities. Proposal Writing for Research Approval. Seeking Funding for Research.

Focus Group Interview: An Underutilized Research Technique for Improving Theory and Practice in Health Education

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to increase awareness about and stimulate interest in using focus group interviews, a qualitative research technique, to advance the state-of- the-art of education and learning about health. After a brief discussion of small group process in health education, features of focus group interviews are presented, and a theoretical framework for planning a focus group study is summarized. Then, litera ture describing traditional and health-related applications of focus group interviews is reviewed and a synthesis of methodological limitations and advantages of this tech nique is presented. Implications are discussed regarding: need for more inductive qualitative research in health education; utility of focus group interviews for research and for formative and summative evaluation of health education programs; appli cability of marketing research to understanding and influencing consumer behav ior, despite notable distinctions between educational initiatives and marketing; and need...

Qualitative Research Traditions: A Review

Abstract: This article illustrates how various qualitative traditions could be used in educational research by describing and comparing the traditions of ecological psychology, holistic ethnography, cognitive anthropology, ethnography of communication, and symbolic interactionism. The analysis shows that qualitative traditions present diverse approaches to research and that each tradition forms a coherent whole, comprising internally consistent assumptions about human nature and society, foci of study, and methodology. Implications of the analysis suggest that qualitative traditions may offer a richer and fuller understanding of education. Educational researchers could conduct either basic or applied research within these traditions, or they could adapt the traditions to address new problems. Moreover, it is suggested that educators who wish to perform qualitative research should seek to employ the totality of a tradition, not just generic assumptions or methods.

Foundations of nursing research

Abstract: PART I INTRODUCTION TO NURSING RESEARCH 1. Development of Nursing Research 2. Ethical Issues in Nursing Research 3. An Overview of Quantitative Research 4. An Overview of Qualitative Research PART II PRELIMINARY STEPS IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS 5. Identifying Nursing Research Problems 6. Review of the Literature 7. Theory and Nursing Research 8. Hypotheses PART III RESEARCH DESIGNS 9. Quantitative Research Designs 10. Qualitative Research Designs PART IV OBTAINING STUDY PARTICIPANTS AND COLLECTION OF DATA 11. Populations and Samples 12. Measurement and Collection of Data 13. Data Collection Methods PART V DATA ANALYSIS 14. Descriptive Statistics 15. Inferential Statistics. 16. Presentation and Discussion of Study Findings PART VI RESEARCH FINDINGS AND NURSING PRACTICE 17. Communication and Utilization of Nursing Research 18. Evidence-Based Nursing Practice 19. Nursing Research and Health Care Economics 20. Critique of Research Reports Appendix A. Answers to Self-tests. Appendix B. Critique Questions for Specific Research Article Appendix C. Sample Consent Form Glossary Index

Publishing Qualitative Research

Abstract: This paper constitutes a slight departure from editorial policy for AERJ. Far from contributing to general knowledge through empirical analysis, the paper is meant to serve a self-referent and practical purpose. It is meant to signify to the discipline that manuscripts based on qualitative research are being welcomed by AERJ editors. It is also meant to assist the editors in recognizing instances of qualitative research and choosing those manuscripts with the greatest relevance and scholarly merit. The author was asked to define qualitative research in education, describe what form an AERJ article based on qualitative research might take, and state some criteria that can be used by the editors and referees to judge the merit of such studies. Seemingly straightforward, the task could hardly be more daunting. The body of work labeled qualitative is richly variegated and its theories of method diverse to the point of disorderliness. Qualitative research is vexed by the problem of different labels. One sees terms such as naturalistic research, participant observation, case study, and ethnography, as well as qualitative research, used interchangeably. If the terms and the work described can be distinguished, it would be a task that requires a separate paper, and, for the present purposes, I will treat them as a package. In addition to the diversity of labels, the field has grown out of diverse disciplines (anthropology, sociology, psychology). Qualitative research is further divided by differing views of the nature of reality (whether there is a world of social objects and forces separate from the observer's perception of them), of object fields judged to be appropriate for study (from whole institutions or communities to brief encounters), of beliefs about the merits of different research methods and ways of representing findings, and of criteria for judging studies. These divisions have created socially bounded territories, acrimonious exchanges among adherents, and institutionalized schools of thought. How then should the editors judge and select manuscripts when such different ways of thinking about and doing qualitative

Ten criteria for evaluating qualitative research proposals.

Abstract: With the proliferation of interest in qualitative research in nursing comes the attendant problem of how to evaluate it appropriately. Qualitative research has its own unique history, philosophical foundations, and methodologies that separate it from the quantitative approach. Although the literature is crowded with guidelines for evaluating the latter, little is offered for the qualitative reviewer. The Research Proposal Evaluation Form: Qualitative Methodology is a partial solution to this dilemma. It provides a framework for critiquing the proposal phase of a qualitative study and can be an important guide both for the educator and for the novice researcher.

Is There An Association between Gender and Methods in Sociological Research

Abstract: Feminist scholars have proposed that two types of links exist between research methods and gender. Female scholars have been thought to be more likely than males to choose qualitative methods because such methods are compatible with relational and emotional skills stereotypically associated with women. Qualitative approaches also have been thought to be especially appropriate for study of gender issues and women's experiences and to be an effective strategy for correcting androcentric biases in construction of social theory. We examine articles in 10 sociology journals in 1974-83. Most articles have been quantitative, but female authors have used qualitative methods more often than males. Writing about gender increased rather than decreased the likelihood of having used quantitative methods for both women and men. We suggest that papers focusing on gender and also using qualitative methods represented double nonconformity and hence were unlikely candidates for publication in mainstream journals.

Qualitative audience research: Toward an integrative approach to reception

Abstract: Recent research about the mass communication audience suggests that a combination of textual and social science approaches to reception should be adopted. This essay analyzes earlier work in the area and describes a theoretical and methodological framework for further empirical studies. Special attention is given to the explanatory value of qualitative research. The social and cultural implications of the reception process are discussed with particular reference to television. Finally, the essay discusses the applications of qualitative reception data in research and their wider social relevance.

Introducing Research in Nursing

Abstract: 1. What is Nursing Research? 2. How to Read Research. 3. Discovering Researchable Problems and Study Question. 4. The Literature Review. 5. The Theoretical Background. 6. Variables and Hypothesis. 7. Research Designs. 8. Sampling. 9. Quantitative Data Collection: Measurement and Instruments. 10. Quantitative Data Analysis. 11. Qualitative Research Methods. 12. Ethics and the Rights of Research Subjects. 13. The Research Critique. 14. Using Research in Nursing Practice. APPENDIX A: PROPOSAL WRITING RESOURCES. 1. Guidelines for Writing a Research Proposal. 2. Sample Proposal Format. APPENDIX B: HUMAN SUBJECTS REVIEW RESOURCES. 1. Sample Expedited Human Subjects Protocol. 2. Information Sheet for Prospective Participants in a Research Study. 3. Consent To Be a Research Subject. APPENDIX C: SELECTED STATISTICAL INFORMATION. Glossary. Index.

Scientific research evaluation: a review of methods and various contexts of their application

Abstract: The author has conducted a critical review of methods for evaluating R and D, focussing on levels above the individual project or researcher. Methods are classified as peer review, interview and questionnaire, qualitative methods, and case studies. The author reviews their methodological strengths and weaknesses, the types of criteria applied (eg internal or external) in judging their values, and the uses to which the results of the evaluations are put, especially in policy-making. She concludes that at the level considered evaluations have come to stay, but she can find no accepted rationale guiding the choice of method for a particular purpose or circumstance. Caution is therefore needed in selecting methods. She points out the need for empirical study of the effects of such evaluations.

From Beginning to Experienced Teacher: A Study of the Professional Development of Teachers During Their First Four Years of Service.

Abstract: Summary This article presents a report of the results of a longitudinal study of the professional development of beginning teachers during their first four years of service. In this study, which must be considered as being the sequel to a previous study on problems of beginning teachers, a qualitative methodology is again used. During four consecutive years data were collected through structured half‐open interviews with a group of 14 teachers in secondary education. The open answers to the interview questions were analysed, arranged and compared. Based on the data collected, an overview is elaborated of the various aspects of the professional development of the teachers of the group.

The Voice of The People: Qualitative Research and The Needs of Consumers

Abstract: This article describes the benefits of qualitative research in community needs assessment. The value of “going to the people” in order to understand the reality of consumers' lives is outlined. A recent qualitative study with individuals with chronic mental disabilities is used to illustrate the development of themes and patterns of needs. The themes include people's struggle for identity, need for support, and the dilemmas of hospitalization and lack of employment.

Research in Special Education: A Commentary

Abstract: Special educators have given little attention to the historical roots of their practice or research. The history of special education suggests that interventions become disabling when they are based on improbable extrapolations from initial data and when advocates' interpretations are naively literal. Similarities are noted between nineteenth century efforts to educate students with mental retardation and current efforts to accommodate all mildly handicapped students in regular classes. Alternatives to special education research in the natural science tradition, including holism and qualitative research, are discussed. Findings from quantitative research are concluded to be a necessary though not sufficient guide for competent practice. Educational research in the scientific tradition, including articles in this issue, can contribute to humane decisions about students.

Self-Imposed Blindness: The Scientific Method in Education

Abstract: The quantitative research methods we use in education are derivatives of the scientific methods used to study physical phenomena. The scientific method is related to the philosophic principles of logical positivism. Taking these principles one can surmise the underlying assumptions behind our research in education and thus see its limitations more clearly. By comparing two articles which study the placement of students in special education along the lines of these assumptions, one can see how quantitative research as applied to education may have distorted our view of what really goes on in the education of high risk students. The author recommends that the field turn its attention toward establishing a body of knowledge derived from qualitative, not exclusively quantitative, research.

Explaining home education: Parents' accounts of their decisions to teach their own children

Abstract: This paper analyzes the reasons that parents choose to teach their children at home. From data collected over 18 months of qualitative research in a state in the southeast, three broad explanations for choosing home schooling emerged. First, the parents believe that home education will strengthen their families. Second, many home-schooling parents (particularly those who are fundamentalist Christians) believe that schools teach values and beliefs that directly contradict those they want their children to learn. Third, many of the parents believe that only they, as parents, understand their children's unique educational needs well enough to effectively teach them. The failure of educational policy makers to consider the extraeducational issues raised by home-schooling parents is then discussed.

Experiences of Innovation at Work

Abstract: There is a need for individual‐level research into innovation, which departs from the traditions of mainstream creativity research. A working definition is given which enables innovation to be distinguished from creativity, and a qualitative study, examining individual experiences of innovation, is described. Unstructured interviews were carried out with 27 people in managerial or professional jobs, eliciting descriptive accounts of individual experiences of innovation at work. Transcripts of these interviews were content‐analysed, and the findings are discussed here under three headings: facilitators and inhibitors of innovation, reactions to innovations, and strategies for the management of innovation. Implications are drawn for future research in this area.

Swedish and U.S. children's thinking about death: A qualitative study and cross-cultural comparison

Abstract: The objective of this study was two-fold: (a) to investigate the qualitative differences in children's death-related thinking regardless of nationality, and (b) to discover what qualitative differe ...

The development of generic concepts in qualitative research through cumulative application

Abstract: Because of their close contact with the actual flow of human group life, qualitative research projects frequently have as a bonus the development of insightful concepts of generic quality that catch some essence of social interaction and/or structural conditions. Yet little attention has been paid to the way these concepts are modified and strengthenedover a series of projects. The lack of regard for this methodological issue may lead to the false impression that qualitative research is not cumulative. In this paper, I urge qualitative sociologists to be aware of cumulative concept development as a major methodological tool, and to demonstrate how concepts derived from one research project are extended and modified in subsequent projects. Additionally, I show how this approach aids in both illuminating aspects of a given research context, while at the same time drawing attention to hitherto unnoted relationships among concepts. In this way, more systematic strategies for developing generic concepts and cumulative understanding of human group life through qualitative research is possible.