Showing papers on "Qualitative research published in 2006"

Social Research Methods

Abstract: PART ONE: SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS Introduction to Your Companion PART TWO: CORE AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM Theoretical Background Research Basics Research Strategies and Design The Nature of Data Defining the Research Problem Sampling Data Collection Methods Experimental Design Quantitative Data Analysis Qualitative Data Analysis Ethics PART THREE: STUDY AND REVISION SKILLS How To Get the Most Out of Your Lectures - (written in collaboration with David McIlroy) How To Make the Most of Seminars Revision Hints and Tips Exam Tips Tips on Interpreting Essay and Exam Questions Essay Writing Writing a Literature Review Writing a Research Proposal Writing Up a Dissertation or Research Project

The qualitative research interview

Abstract: BACKGROUND Interviews are among the most familiar strategies for collecting qualitative data. The different qualitative interviewing strategies in common use emerged from diverse disciplinary perspectives resulting in a wide variation among interviewing approaches. Unlike the highly structured survey interviews and questionnaires used in epidemiology and most health services research, we examine less structured interview strategies in which the person interviewed is more a participant in meaning making than a conduit from which information is retrieved. PURPOSE In this article we briefly review the more common qualitative interview methods and then focus on the widely used individual face-to-face in-depth interview, which seeks to foster learning about individual experiences and perspectives on a given set of issues. We discuss methods for conducting in-depth interviews and consider relevant ethical issues with particular regard to the rights and protection of the participants.

Integrating quantitative and qualitative research: how is it done?

Abstract: This article seeks to move beyond typologies of the ways in which quantitative and qualitative research are integrated to an examination of the ways that they are combined in practice. The article is based on a content analysis of 232 social science articles in which the two were combined. An examination of the research methods and research designs employed suggests that on the quantitative side structured interview and questionnaire research within a cross-sectional design tends to predominate, while on the qualitative side the semi-structured interview within a cross-sectional design tends to predominate. An examination of the rationales that are given for employing a mixed-methods research approach and the ways it is used in practice indicates that the two do not always correspond. The implications of this finding for how we think about mixed-methods research are outlined.

From the Editors: What Grounded Theory is Not

Abstract: Editor’s Note. Three years ago, I invited Robert (Bob) Gephart to write a “From the Editors” column designed to help authors improve their chances of success when submitting qualitative research to AMJ. Judging from the increasing number of qualitative studies that have been accepted and published in AMJ since that time, I would like to think that his article, “Qualitative Research and the Academy of Management Journal,” has had a positive impact. Continuing in this tradition, I asked Roy Suddaby—an excellent reviewer (and author) of qualitative research—to tackle another “big issue” that the editorial team has noticed with respect to qualitative submissions to AMJ: overly generic use of the term “grounded theory” and confusion regarding alternative epistemological approaches to qualitative research. Like Bob before him, Roy has, I believe, produced an analysis that will greatly benefit those who are relatively new to qualitative research or who have not yet had much success in getting their qualitative research published. Hopefully, Roy’s analysis will help even more authors to succeed, thus allowing AMJ and other journals to continue to increase the quality of insights provided by rich qualitative studies of individual, organizational, and institutional phenomena. Sara L. Rynes

Qualitative research in health care

Abstract: This fully revised and updated edition of Qualitative Research in Health Care offers a clear and accessible introduction to conducting and interpreting qualitative research, incorporating new examples, references and chapters relevant for a comprehensive introduction to the subject. New chapters and references include: • Synthesising qualitative research • Secondary analysis of primary data • Ethical issues • Mixed research methods and integrating qualitative with quantitative techniques • Consensus and other methods for eliciting public and professional views and preferences • Conversation analysis

Research Methods for Social Work

Abstract: In this extensive revision of their best-selling research methods text for social workers, Rubin and Babbie retain the integrity of their comprehensive, quantitative approach, while truly integrating increased coverage of qualitative methods This text has been acclaimed for the depth and breadth of coverage and the clear and often humorous writing style Building on those winning qualities, the authors have created a new edition that provides a balanced and up-to-date presentation, current coverage of technological advances, culturally competent research, and other topics of emerging importance Considered the best social work research methods resource, Rubin and Babbie's text balances depth of content with student-friendly examples and consistently helps students see the connections between research and social work practice

The logic of small samples in interview-based qualitative research:

Abstract: In a qualitative framework, research based on interviews often seeks to penetrate social life beyond appearance and manifest meanings. This requires the researcher to be immersed in the research field, to establish continuing, fruitful relationships with respondents and through theoretical contemplation to address the research problem in depth. Therefore a small number of cases (less than 20, say) will facilitate the researcher’s close association with the respondents, and enhance the validity of fine-grained, in-depth inquiry in naturalistic settings. Epistemologically prior to these considerations, however, is the explanatory status of such research. From a realist standpoint, here concept formation through induction and analysis aims to clarify the nature of some specific situations in the social world, to discover what features there are in them and to account, however partially, for those features being as they are. Since such a research project scrutinizes the dynamic qualities of a situation (rathe...

Conducting in-depth interviews: a guide for designing and conducting in-depth interviews for evaluation input.

Abstract: In-depth interviewing is a qualitative research technique that involves conducting intensive individual interviews with a small number of respondents to explore their perspectives on a particular idea program or situation. For example we might ask participants staff and others associated with a program about their experiences and expectations related to the program the thoughts they have concerning program operations processes and outcomes and about any changes they perceive in themselves as a result of their involvement in the program. In-depth interviews are useful when you want detailed information about a persons thoughts and behaviors or want to explore new issues in depth. Interviews are often used to provide context to other data (such as outcome data) offering a more complete picture of what happened in the program and why. For example you may have measured an increase in youth visits to a clinic and through in-depth interviews you find out that a youth noted that she went to the clinic because she saw a new sign outside of the clinic advertising youth hours. You might also interview a clinic staff member to find out their perspective on the clinics "youth friendliness." In-depth interviews should be used in place of focus groups if the potential participants may not be included or comfortable talking openly in a group or when you want to distinguish individual (as opposed to group) opinions about the program. They are often used to refine questions for future surveys of a particular group. (excerpt)

Research dilemmas: Paradigms, methods and methodology

Abstract: Noella Mackenzie and Sally Knipe Charles Sturt University In this article the authors discuss issues faced by early career researchers, including the dichotomy, which many research textbooks and journal articles create and perpetuate between qualitative and quantitative research methodology despite considerable literature to support the use of mixed methods. The authors review current research literature and discuss some of the language, which can prove confusing to the early career researcher and problematic for postgraduate supervisors and teachers of research. The authors argue that discussions of research methods in research texts and university courses should include mixed methods and should address the perceived dichotomy between qualitative and quantitative research methodology.

Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theory and Methods [Book Review]

Abstract: Includes references. Review(s) of: Robert Bogdan and Sari Knopp Biklen, Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theory and Methods, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 1982, 1992, 1999, ISBN 005132669, hardback, 262 pages.

Validity, trustworthiness and rigour: quality and the idea of qualitative research

Abstract: Aim. In this paper, I call into question the widely-held assumption of a single, more or less unified paradigm of ‘qualitative research’ whose methodologies share certain epistemological and ontological characteristics, and explore the implications of this position for judgements about the quality of research studies. Background. After a quarter of a century of debate in nursing about how best to judge the quality of qualitative research, we appear to be no closer to a consensus, or even to deciding whether it is appropriate to try to achieve a consensus. The literature on this issue can be broadly divided into three positions: those writers who wish qualitative research to be judged according to the same criteria as quantitative research; those who believe that a different set of criteria is required; and those who question the appropriateness of any predetermined criteria for judging qualitative research. Of the three positions, the second appears to have generated most debate, and a number of different frameworks and guidelines for judging the quality of qualitative research have been devised over recent years. Discussion. The second of the above positions is rejected in favour of the third. It argues that, if there is no unified qualitative research paradigm, then it makes little sense to attempt to establish a set of generic criteria for making quality judgements about qualitative research studies. We need either to acknowledge that the commonly perceived quantitative–qualitative dichotomy is in fact a continuum which requires a continuum of quality criteria, or to recognize that each study is individual and unique, and that the task of producing frameworks and predetermined criteria for assessing the quality of research studies is futile. Conclusion. Some of the implications of this latter position are explored, including the requirement that all published research reports should include a reflexive research diary.

Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies

Abstract: Qualitative research may be able to provide an answer as to why adults and children do or do not participate in sport and physical activity. This paper systematically examines published and unpublished qualitative research studies of UK children's and adults' reasons for participation and non-participation in sport and physical activity. The review covers peer reviewed and gray literature from 1990 to 2004. Papers were entered into review if they: aimed to explore the participants' experiences of sport and physical activity and reasons for participation or non-participation in sport and physical activity, collected information on participants who lived in the United Kingdom and presented data collected using qualitative methods. From >1200 papers identified in the initial search, 24 papers met all inclusion criteria. The majority of these reported research with young people based in community settings. Weight management, social interaction and enjoyment were common reasons for participation in sport and physical activity. Concerns about maintaining a slim body shape motivated participation among young girls. Older people identified the importance of sport and physical activity in staving off the effects of aging and providing a social support network. Challenges to identity such as having to show others an unfit body, lacking confidence and competence in core skills or appearing overly masculine were barriers to participation.

The Use of Qualitative Content Analysis in Case Study Research

Abstract: This paper aims at exploring and discussing the possibilities of applying qualitative content analysis as a (text) interpretation method in case study research. First, case study research as a research strategy within qualitative social research is briefly presented. Then, a basic introduction to (qualitative) content analysis as an interpretation method for qualitative interviews and other data material is given. Finally the use of qualitative content analysis for developing case studies is examined and evaluated. The author argues in favor of both case study research as a research strategy and qualitative content analysis as a method of examination of data material and seeks to encourage the integration of qualitative content analysis into the data analysis in case study research.

The Validity Issue in Mixed Research

Abstract: In quantitative research, the importance of validity has been long accepted. In qualitative research, discussions of validity have been more contentious and different typologies and terms have been produced. In mixed methods research, wherein quantitative and qualitative approaches are combined, discussions about “validity” issues are in their infancy. We argue that because mixed research involves combining complementary strengths and nonoverlapping weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research, assessing the validity of findings is particularly complex; we call this the problem of integration. We recommend that validity in mixed research be termed legitimation in order to use a bilingual nomenclature. Tashakkori and Teddlie’s (2003, 2006) evaluation criteria frameworks involving the concept of inference quality are summarized. Although providing a framework for assessing legitimation in mixed research always will be incomplete, it is important to address several legitimation types that come to the fore as a result of combining inferences from the quantitative and qualitative components of the study into the formation of meta-inferences. Nine types of legitimation are described here in order to continue this emerging and important dialogue among researchers and methodologists.

Dominance Through Interviews and Dialogues

Abstract: The article discusses common conceptions of interviews as dialogues and the extensive application of qualitative research interviews in a consumer society. In the first part, an understanding of research interviews as warm, caring, and empowering dialogues is questioned by highlighting power asymmetries in interview relationships. Agonistic interview techniques, which play on contradictions and power differences, are outlined. The second part of the article points to the prevalence of dialogues as exercises of power in politics, management, and education. The third part outlines the interview production of knowledge for consumption in a postmodern society. The article concludes that recognition of power dynamics by the social construction of knowledge in interviews is necessary to ascertain objectivity and ethicality of interview research.

Methods in Educational Research: From Theory to Practice.

Abstract: Tables, Figures, and Exhibits.Preface.Acknowledgments.About the Authors.1. Introduction to Educational Research.2. Identifying and Researching a Topic.3. The Research Proposal.4. Measurement in Educational Research and Assessment: Preestablished Instruments and Archival Data.5. Self-Developed Measures and Qualitative Measurement.6. Working with Research Participants: Sampling and Ethics.7. Descriptive-Survey Research.8. Experimental Research.9. Nonexperimental Approaches: Causal-Comparative and Correlational Research.10. Analyzing Quantitative Data.11. Qualitative Research.12. Mixed-Methods and Action Research.13. Organization and Analysis of Qualitative Research Data.14. Program Evaluation in Education.15. Educational Research Can Make a Difference.References.Appendix A: Sample Qualitative Proposal.Appendix B: Sample Quantitative Proposal.Appendix C: Calculation of the Standard Deviation.Index.

Handbook for Synthesizing Qualitative Research

Abstract: Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: Attitudes, Assumptions, and Caveats The Urge to Synthesize Conceiving the Qualitative Research Synthesis Study Searching For and Retrieving Qualitative Research Reports Appraising Reports of Qualitative Studies Classifying the Findings in Qualitative Research Reports Synthesizing Qualitative Research Findings: Qualitative Metasummary Synthesizing Qualitative Research Findings: Qualitative Metasynthesis Optimizing the Validity of Qualitative Research Synthesis Studies Presenting Syntheses of Qualitative Research Findings Appendix: Reports in the Qualitative Metasynthesis Project Index

How can systematic reviews incorporate qualitative research? A critical perspective:

Abstract: Systematic review has developed as a specific methodology for searching for, appraising and synthesizing findings of primary studies, and has rapidly become a cornerstone of the evidence-based practice and policy movement. Qualitative research has traditionally been excluded from systematic reviews, and much effort is now being invested in resolving the daunting methodological and epistemological challenges associated with trying to move towards more inclusive forms of review. We describe our experiences, as a very diverse multidisciplinary group, in attempting to incorporate qualitative research in a systematic review of support for breastfeeding. We show how every stage of the review process, from asking the review question through to searching for and sampling the evidence, appraising the evidence and producing a synthesis, provoked profound questions about whether a review that includes qualitative research can remain consistent with the frame offered by current systematic review methodology. We conclude that more debate and dialogue between the different communities that wish to develop review methodology is needed, and that attempts to impose dominant views about the appropriate means of conducting reviews of qualitative research should be resisted so that innovation can be fostered. Copyright © 2006 SAGE Publications.

Building Better Theory by Bridging the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide*

Abstract: Qualitative methods for data collection and analysis are not mystical, but they are powerful, particularly when used to build new or refine existing theories. This article provides an introduction to qualitative methods and an overview of tactics for ensuring rigor in qualitative research useful for the novice researcher, as well as more experienced researchers interested in expanding their methodological repertoire or seeking guidance on how to evaluate qualitative research. We focus our discussion on the qualitative analytical technique of grounded theory building, and suggest that organizational research has much to gain by coupling of use of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

A Tale of Two Cultures: Contrasting Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Abstract: The quantitative and qualitative research traditions can be thought of as distinct cultures marked by different values, beliefs, and norms. In this essay, we adopt this metaphor toward the end of contrasting these research traditions across 10 areas: (1) approaches to explanation, (2) conceptions of causation, (3) multivariate explanations, (4) equifinality, (5) scope and causal generalization, (6) case selection, (7) weighting observations, (8) substantively important cases, (9) lack of fit, and (10) concepts and measurement. We suggest that an appreciation of the alternative assumptions and goals of the traditions can help scholars avoid misunderstandings and contribute to more productive “cross-cultural” communication in political science.

E-Mail Interviewing in Qualitative Research: A Methodological Discussion

Abstract: This article summarizes findings from studies that employed electronic mail (e-mail) for conducting indepth interviewing. It discusses the benefits of, and the challenges associated with, using e-mail interviewing in qualitative research. The article concludes that while a mixed mode interviewing strategy should be considered when possible, e-mail interviewing can be in many cases a viable alternative to face-to-face and telephone interviewing. A list of recommendations for carrying out effective e-mail interviews is presented.

Developing and Implementing a Triangulation Protocol for Qualitative Health Research

Abstract: In this article, the authors present an empirical example of triangulation in qualitative health research. The Canadian Heart Health Dissemination Project (CHHDP) involves a national examination of capacity building and dissemination undertaken within a series of provincial dissemination projects. The Project's focus is on the context, processes, and impacts of health promotion capacity building and dissemination. The authors collected qualitative data within a parallel-case study design using key informant interviews as well as document analysis. Given the range of qualitative data sets used, it is essential to triangulate the data to address completeness, convergence, and dissonance of key themes. Although one finds no shortage of admonitions in the literature that it must be done, there is little guidance with respect to operationalizing a triangulation process. Consequently, the authors are feeling their way through the process, using this opportunity to develop, implement, and reflect on a triangulation protocol.

Doing qualitative field research in management accounting: Positioning data to contribute to theory

Abstract: In this paper we argue that theory, method, methodology, and knowledge gains in qualitative field studies are intertwined through the ongoing hypothesis development in the field. We develop our argument through a discussion of specific qualitative field studies in management accounting. We emphasise in particular the distinctive role of theory in qualitative research as relating to expression of a subjective reality more than clarification of an objective one. In considering this subjectivity we discuss the ways in which the doing of qualitative research brings to bear discipline on the researcher allowing us to assess the trustworthiness of their accounts. The intention is to develop a more appropriate basis for judging the plausibility of qualitative field studies than notions borrowed from positivistic methodology.

Adopting a constructivist approach to grounded theory: implications for research design.

Abstract: Grounded theory is a popular research methodology that is evolving to account for a range of ontological and epistemological underpinnings. Constructivist grounded theory has its foundations in relativism and an appreciation of the multiple truths and realities of subjectivism. Undertaking a constructivist enquiry requires the adoption of a position of mutuality between researcher and participant in the research process, which necessitates a rethinking of the grounded theorist's traditional role of objective observer. Key issues for constructivist grounded theorists to consider in designing their research studies are discussed in relation to developing a partnership with participants that enables a mutual construction of meaning during interviews and a meaningful reconstruction of their stories into a grounded theory model.

The “core category” of grounded theory: Making constant comparisons

Abstract: Approximately 40 years ago, Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss and their joint research approach, the constant comparative method of grounded theory, were at the forefront of what can be called a qua...

Women exposed to intimate partner violence: expectations and experiences when they encounter health care professionals: a meta-analysis of qualitative studies.

Abstract: Background The appropriate response of health care professionals to intimate partner violence is still a matter of debate. This article reports a meta-analysis of qualitative studies that answers 2 questions: (1) How do women with histories of intimate partner violence perceive the responses of health care professionals? and (2) How do women with histories of intimate partner violence want their health care providers to respond to disclosures of abuse? Methods Multiple databases were searched from their start to July 1, 2004. Searches were complemented with citation tracking and contact with researchers. Inclusion criteria included a qualitative design, women 15 years or older with experience of intimate partner violence, and English language. Two reviewers independently applied criteria and extracted data. Findings from the primary studies were combined using a qualitative meta-analysis. Results Twenty-nine articles reporting 25 studies (847 participants) were included. The emerging constructs were largely consistent across studies and did not vary by study quality. We ordered constructs by the temporal structure of consultations with health care professionals: before the abuse is discussed, at disclosure, and the immediate and further responses of the health care professional. Key constructs included a wish from women for responses from health care professionals that were nonjudgmental, nondirective, and individually tailored, with an appreciation of the complexity of partner violence. Repeated inquiry about partner violence was seen as appropriate by women who were at later stages of an abusive relationship. Conclusion Women’s perceptions of appropriate and inappropriate responses partly depended on the context of the consultation, their own readiness to address the issue, and the nature of the relationship between the woman and the health care professional.

Making sense of qualitative data analysis: an introduction with illustrations from DIPEx (personal experiences of health and illness).

Abstract: Objectives This paper outlines an approach to analysing qualitative textual data from interviews and discusses how to ensure analytic procedures are appropriately rigorous. Overview Qualitative data analysis should begin at an early stage in data collection and be highly systematic. It is important to identify issues that emerge during the data collection and analysis as well as those that the researcher may have anticipated (from reading or experience). Analysis is very time-consuming, but careful sampling, the collection of rich material and analytic depth mean that a relatively small number of cases can generate insights that apply well beyond the confines of the study. One particular approach to thematic analysis is introduced with examples from the DIPEx (personal experiences of health and illness) project, which collects video- and audio-taped interviews that are freely accessible through http://www.dipex.org. Evaluation Qualitative analysis of patients' perspectives of illness can illuminate numerous issues that are important for medical education, some of which are unlikely to arise in the clinical encounter. Qualitative studies can also cover a much broader range of experiences – of both common and rare disease – than clinicians will see in practice. The DIPEx website is based on qualitative analysis of collections of interviews, illustrated with hundreds of video and audio clips, and is an innovative resource for medical education.