Showing papers on "Qualitative research published in 2007"

Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups

Abstract: Background. Qualitative research explores complex phenomena encountered by clinicians, health care providers, policy makers and consumers. Although partial checklists are available, no consolidated reporting framework exists for any type of qualitative design. Objective. To develop a checklist for explicit and comprehensive reporting of qualitative studies (indepth interviews and focus groups). Methods. We performed a comprehensive search in Cochrane and Campbell Protocols, Medline, CINAHL, systematic reviews of qualitative studies, author or reviewer guidelines of major medical journals and reference lists of relevant publications for existing checklists used to assess qualitative studies. Seventy-six items from 22 checklists were compiled into a comprehensive list. All items were grouped into three domains: (i) research team and reflexivity, (ii) study design and (iii) data analysis and reporting. Duplicate items and those that were ambiguous, too broadly defined and impractical to assess were removed. Results. Items most frequently included in the checklists related to sampling method, setting for data collection, method of data collection, respondent validation of findings, method of recording data, description of the derivation of themes and inclusion of supporting quotations. We grouped all items into three domains: (i) research team and reflexivity, (ii) study design and (iii) data analysis and reporting. Conclusions. The criteria included in COREQ, a 32-item checklist, can help researchers to report important aspects of the research team, study methods, context of the study, findings, analysis and interpretations.

Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods

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Toward a Definition of Mixed Methods Research

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to examine how the field of mixed methods currently is being defined. The authors asked many of the current leaders in mixed methods research how they define mixed methods research. The authors provide the leaders' definitions and discuss the content found as they searched for the criteria of demarcation. The authors provide a current answer to the question, What is mixed methods research? They also briefly summarize the recent history of mixed methods and list several issues that need additional work as the field continues to advance. They argue that mixed methods research is one of the three major “research paradigms” (quantitative research, qualitative research, and mixed methods research). The authors hope this article will contribute to the ongoing dialogue about how mixed methods research is defined and conceptualized by its practitioners.

Narrative Methods for the Human Sciences

Abstract: Looking Back, Looking Forward Constructing Narratives for Research Thematic Analysis Structural Analysis Dialogic Performance Analysis Visual Analysis Truths and Cautions

Qualitative Research in Nursing: Advancing the Humanistic Imperative

Abstract: This text covers qualitative research methodologies and published literature in nursing education, administration and practice for each method. Other topics include publishing, conference presentation, grant writing and ethical concerns.

Foundations of Qualitative Research: Interpretive and Critical Approaches

Abstract: Chapter 1: World Views, Paradigms, and the Practice of Social Science Research Case 1. Quantitative Research Case 2. Qualitative Research Thinking about the Foundations and Practice of Research What This Book Is and Is Not About. What Warrants Our Attention? The Traditional Canon Alternative Paradigms New Techniques or New Paradigms? Chapter 2: History and Context of Paradigm Development Positivism: A Response to Metaphysical and Magical Explanations Critical Theory: A Response to Inequities in Society Interpretivism: A Response to the Excesses of "Scientific" Social Science The Special Cases of Postmodernism and Feminism Chapter 3: Foundational Issues: Postpositivist and Critical Perspectives Social Science Research: The View from the Postpositivist Paradigm Social Science Research: The View from the Critical Theory Paradigm Chapter 4: History and Foundations of Interpretivist Research (1) Nature of Reality. (2) Purpose of Research. (3) Acceptable Methodology/Data. (4) The Meaning of Data (5) Relationship of Research to Practice. The Implications of an Interpretivist Approach What Sorts of Research are Worthwhile? Examples of Interpretive Research Chapter 5: Frameworks for Qualitative Research Postpositivist Research "Moments" of Qualitative Research Some General Frameworks for Qualitative Research Chapter 6: General Guidelines for Qualitative Research Guidelines for Qualitative Research Situated or Contextual Understanding, Not Truth, is the Purpose of Research Accept Multiple Sources of Influence Take A Foundational Rather Than Technique Perspective Practice Recursive (Iterative ) and Emergent Data Collection and Analysis Use Multiple Sources of Data Think of Research as a Reflective Process The Researcher is the Primary Tool for Data Collection and Analysis An Emphasis on Participatory versus Nonparticipatory Research. Adopt an Open Approach Deal With Bias Directly Select Natural Contexts for Research Research Should be Holistic, Not Atomistic Research Involves More Than Induction and Deduction: Analogical Reasoning, Abduction, and Family Resemblances Alternatives to Postpositivist Criteria for Believability: Validity and Reliability Alternative Approaches to Validity and Reliability: Triangulation and More Conclusions? Aren't They Generalizations? Chapter 7: Methods of Qualitative Research Case 1: Action Research on a Pediatric Surgical Ward Established Qualitative Research Methods Ethnography Case Studies: Another Form of Qualitative Observation Interview Research Historigraphy Historiography: The Research Methods of History Innovative Methods Participatory Qualitative Research Emancipatory Research Critical Emancipatory Action Research Chapter 8: Approaches to Data Analysis and Intepretation The Purpose of Research General Theory Objective Description Hermeneutic (Verstehen) Understanding Story telling/Narrative Data Analysis Families Eyeballing the Data Connoisseurship: A Global Perspective Hermeneutics as a Data Analysis Method Grounded Theory Analytic Induction A Final Topic: The Ethics of Research Chapter 9: 21st Century Social Science: Peering into the Future Will the Cacophony Continue? Why Can't Social Science Converge on The Answer? Competition Linearity Dialog as an Alternative to Competition Three Approaches to Knowing in Greek Thought Plato Aristotle The Humanities Choices 20th Century Social Science Made Suppose We Chose Badly Two Theories That May Help Us Build 21st Century Social Science Poetic Logic Chaos and Complexity Theory: Another Route to a Nonlinea Social Science

Paradigms Lost and Pragmatism Regained Methodological Implications of Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

Abstract: This article examines several methodological issues associated with combining qualitative and quantitative methods by comparing the increasing interest in this topic with the earlier renewal of interest in qualitative research during the 1980s. The first section argues for the value of Kuhn’s concept of paradigm shifts as a tool for examining changes in research fields such as social science research methodology. The next two sections consider the initial rise of the “metaphysical paradigm” that justified the renewed interest in qualitative research and the subsequent problems that have encouraged efforts to replace that paradigm. The final section of the paper advocates a “pragmatic approach” as a new guiding paradigm in social science research methods, both as a basis for supporting work that combines qualitative and quantitative methods and as a way to redirect our attention to methodological rather than metaphysical concerns.

Choose Your Method: A Comparison of Phenomenology, Discourse Analysis, and Grounded Theory

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to compare three qualitative approaches that can be used in health research: phenomenology, discourse analysis, and grounded theory. The authors include a model that summarizes similarities and differences among the approaches, with attention to their historical development, goals, methods, audience, and products. They then illustrate how these approaches differ by applying them to the same data set. The goal in phenomenology is to study how people make meaning of their lived experience; discourse analysis examines how language is used to accomplish personal, social, and political projects; and grounded theory develops explanatory theories of basic social processes studied in context. The authors argue that by familiarizing themselves with the origins and details of these approaches, researchers can make better matches between their research question(s) and the goals and products of the study.

Qualitative Research Designs: Selection and Implementation

Abstract: Counseling psychologists face many approaches from which to choose when they conduct a qualitative research study. This article focuses on the processes of selecting, contrasting, and implementing five different qualitative approaches. Based on an extended example related to test interpretation by counselors, clients, and communities, this article provides a detailed discussion about five qualitative approaches— narrative research; case study research; grounded theory; phenomenology; and participatory action research—as alternative qualitative procedures useful in understanding test interpretation. For each approach, the authors offer perspectives about historical origins, definition, variants, and the procedures of research.

Qualitative Data Analysis: An Introduction

Abstract: PART ONE: GENERAL APPROACHES TO COLLECTING AND ANALYZING QUALITATIVE DATA Introduction Design Methodologies, Data Management and Analytical Approaches Incorporating Data from Multiple Sources: Mixing Methods PART TWO: TRADITIONAL ANALYTICAL APPROACHES Classical Ethnography Critical Ethnographic Approaches Feminist Approaches Grounded Theory Phenomenology PART THREE: NEWER QUALITATIVE APPROACHES Postmodern Influences on Society and Qualitative Research Auto-Ethnography Poetic Inquiry Ethnodrama and Performative Art Cyber-Ethnography and E-Research PART FOUR: ANALYTIC APPROACHES FOR EXISTING DOCUMENTATION Structuralism and Post-Structuralism Semiotic Structural and Post-Structural Analysis (Deconstruction) Content Analysis of Texts Content Analysis of Visual Documentation Narrative Analysis Conversation Analysis Discourse Analysis PART FIVE: DATA MANAGEMENT USING QUALITATIVE COMPUTER PROGRAMMES Coding An Overview of Qualitative Computer Programs PART SIX: INTERPRETING AND PRESENTING QUALITATIVE DATA Theorizing from Data Innovative Data Display

Barriers to Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Abstract: This article is concerned with the possibility that the development of mixed methods research is being hindered by the tendency that has been observed by some researchers for quantitative and qualitative findings either not to be integrated or to be integrated to only a limited extent. It examines findings from 20 interviews with U.K. social researchers, all of whom are practitioners of mixed methods research. From these interviews, a wide variety of possible barriers to integrating mixed methods findings are presented. The article goes on to suggest that more attention needs to be given to the writing of mixed methods articles.

Justifying Knowledge, Justifying Method, Taking Action: Epistemologies, Methodologies, and Methods in Qualitative Research

Abstract: In this article, the authors clarify a framework for qualitative research, in particular for evaluating its quality, founded on epistemology, methodology, and method. They define these elements and discuss their respective contributions and interrelationships. Epistemology determines and is made visible through method, particularly in the participant- researcher relationship, measures of research quality, and form, voice, and representation in analysis and writing. Epistemology guides methodological choices and is axiological. Methodology shapes and is shaped by research objectives, questions, and study design. Methodologies can prescribe choices of method, resonate with particular academic disciplines, and encourage or discourage the use and/or development of theory. Method is constrained by and makes visible methodological and epistemic choices. If we define good quality qualitative research as research that attends to all three elements and demonstrates internal consistency between them, standardized checklists can be transcended and innovation and diversity in qualitative research practice facilitated.

Validity and Qualitative Research: An Oxymoron?

Abstract: Although the importance of validity has long been accepted among quantitative researchers, this concept has been an issue of contention among qualitative researchers. Thus, the first purpose of the present paper is to introduce the Qualitative Legitimation Model, which attempts to integrate many of the types of validity identified by qualitative researchers. The second purpose of this article is to describe 24 methods for assessing the truth value of qualitative research. Utilizing and documenting such techniques should prevent validity and qualitative research from being seen as an oxymoron.

Co-Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms: A Metasynthesis of Qualitative Research

Abstract: T: Thirty-two qualitative investigations of co-teaching in inclusive classrooms were in- cluded in a metasynthesis employing qualitative research integration techniques. It was concluded that co-teachers generally supported co-teaching, although a number of important needs were iden- tified, including planning time, student skill level, and training; many of these needs were linked to administrative support. The dominant co-teaching role was found to be "one teach, one assist," in classrooms characterized by traditional instruction, even though this method is not highly rec- ommended in the literature. The special education teacher was often observed to play a subordinate role. Techniques often recommended for special education teachers, such as peer mediation, strategy instruction, mnemonics, and training of study skills, self-advocacy skills, and self-monitoring, were infrequently observed.

Qualitative Methods for Family Studies & Human Development

Abstract: Chapter 1: Qualitative Research and the Art of Learning to See Learning to See The Paradox of Learning to See Paradox of Control and our Ability to See Lessons From the Art World: Positioning Ourselves to See Fully Drawing Informs Research: The Cultivation of Perceptual Skills Chapter 2: Epistemological Considerations in Qualitative Research Epistemology Paradigms Epistemology and Paradigms: Implications for Doing Qualitative Research Chapter 3: Paths of Inquiry for Qualitative Research Deduction Induction Abduction Induction, Deduction and Abduction in Practice: Cycles of Inquiry Chapter 4: Ontology of the Human Realm: Theoretical Foundations for Qualitative Inquiry Ontology and the Nature of Human Reality Ontological Assumptions About Human Development Ontological Assumptions About Families Ontology Shapes Inquiry Chapter 5: Methodology: How Theory Shapes Inquiry Ethnography and the Study of Culture Phenomenology: The Study of Conscious Experience Grounded Theory Methodology Narrative Inquiry: The Study of Story Critical Approaches: The Tradition of Feminist Inquiry and the Example of Participatory Action Research Chapter 6: Methods of Data Collection and Creation Observation Interviews Focus Groups Chapter 7: Research design: Constructing a Research Proposal What Kind of Chef Are You? Level I: Philosophical and Methodological Positioning Level II: Developing a Research Proposal Overview of the Research Plan: Practical Considerations Chapter 8: Positioning the Self: Role Considerations and the Practices of Reflexivity Dimensions of Reflexive Practice Why Do We Do Reflexivity? Reflexivity in Family Research Reflexivity and Social Positioning Balancing Vulnerability and Researcher Presence Chapter 9: Analytical Strategies What is Analysis in Qualitative Research? Analysis for What? Transcription as Part of Analysis Analytic Approaches in Various Methodologies The Diamond Approach: A Theory Development Model for Qualitative Data Analysis Chapter 10: Integrity Practices: Ethics, Credibility and Politics of Conducting Qualitative Research Ethical Guidelines Informed Consent Protecting Participants Through Confidentiality and Anonymity Accountability Credibility issues Conclusion

Research Methods in Information

Abstract: The handbook takes the reader through the whole research process in four parts: * Part 1: Starting the research process: major research paradigms literature reviewing defining the research the research proposal sampling ethics in research * Part 2: Research methods: case studies surveys experimental research ethnography Delphi study action research historical research grounded theory * Part 3: Data collection techniques interviews questionnaires observation diaries focus groups usability testing * Part 4: Data analysis and research prevention: qualitative analysis quantitative analysis overview of software presenting the research. Part 5 supports the text with a comprehensive glossary and further reading.

Appraising qualitative research for inclusion in systematic reviews: a quantitative and qualitative comparison of three methods

Abstract: Objective: Qualitative research is increasingly valued as part of the evidence for policy and practice, but how it should be appraised is contested. Various appraisal methods, including checklists and other structured approaches, have been proposed but rarely evaluated. We aimed to compare three methods for appraising qualitative research papers that were candidates for inclusion in a systematic review of evidence on support for breast-feeding. Method: A sample of 12 research papers on support for breast-feeding was appraised by six qualitative reviewers using three appraisal methods: unprompted judgement, based on expert opinion; a UK Cabinet Office quality framework; and CASP, a Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Papers were assigned, following appraisals, to 1 of 5 categories, which were dichotomized to indicate whether or not papers should be included in a systematic review. Patterns of agreement in categorization of papers were assessed quantitatively using κ statistics, and qualitatively using cross-case analysis. Results: Agreement in categorizing papers across the three methods was slight (κ =0.13; 95% CI 0.06-0.24). Structured approaches did not appear to yield higher agreement than that by unprompted judgement. Qualitative analysis revealed reviewers' dilemmas in deciding between the potential impact of findings and the quality of the research execution or reporting practice. Structured instruments appeared to make reviewers more explicit about the reasons for their judgements. Conclusions: Structured approaches may not produce greater consistency of judgements about whether to include qualitative papers in a systematic review. Future research should address how appraisals of qualitative research should be incorporated in systematic reviews. © The Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd 2007.

Standards of Evidence in Qualitative Research: An Incitement to Discourse

Abstract: In a climate of increased accountability, standardization, federal control, and politicization of education research and scholarship, this article briefly reviews various positions outlined by qualitative researchers about quality in qualitative inquiry, showing how these are implicated in the acquisition, conceptualization, and use of qualitative evidence. It concludes by identifying issues in and challenges to setting standards of evidence for qualitative researchers in education.

Appraising the trustworthiness of qualitative studies : Guidelines for occupational therapists.

Abstract: Qualitative research provides a valuable source of evidence to enhance occupational therapy practice. Occupational therapists need to consider the issue of trustworthiness prior to deciding whether the findings of qualitative research have relevance to their day-to-day work. By trustworthiness we mean the extent to which the findings are an authentic reflection of the personal or lived experiences of the phenomenon under investigation. In this article we provide guidance to enable occupational therapists to competently determine the trustworthiness of a qualitative research project. We do this by explaining, and illustrating with examples, six considerations that should be taken into account when determining whether the method, findings and interpretation of a qualitative research have been conducted in a trustworthy manner. These considerations are evidence of thick description, triangulation strategies, member-checking, collaboration between the researcher and the researched, transferability and reflexivity. Once the trustworthiness of a qualitative research has been determined, occupational therapists are in a better position to consider how the research findings may impact on their practice.

Why, and how, mixed methods research is undertaken in health services research in England: a mixed methods study

Abstract: Recently, there has been a surge of international interest in combining qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study – often called mixed methods research. It is timely to consider why and how mixed methods research is used in health services research (HSR). Documentary analysis of proposals and reports of 75 mixed methods studies funded by a research commissioner of HSR in England between 1994 and 2004. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 20 researchers sampled from these studies. 18% (119/647) of HSR studies were classified as mixed methods research. In the documentation, comprehensiveness was the main driver for using mixed methods research, with researchers wanting to address a wider range of questions than quantitative methods alone would allow. Interviewees elaborated on this, identifying the need for qualitative research to engage with the complexity of health, health care interventions, and the environment in which studies took place. Motivations for adopting a mixed methods approach were not always based on the intrinsic value of mixed methods research for addressing the research question; they could be strategic, for example, to obtain funding. Mixed methods research was used in the context of evaluation, including randomised and non-randomised designs; survey and fieldwork exploratory studies; and instrument development. Studies drew on a limited number of methods – particularly surveys and individual interviews – but used methods in a wide range of roles. Mixed methods research is common in HSR in the UK. Its use is driven by pragmatism rather than principle, motivated by the perceived deficit of quantitative methods alone to address the complexity of research in health care, as well as other more strategic gains. Methods are combined in a range of contexts, yet the emerging methodological contributions from HSR to the field of mixed methods research are currently limited to the single context of combining qualitative methods and randomised controlled trials. Health services researchers could further contribute to the development of mixed methods research in the contexts of instrument development, survey and fieldwork, and non-randomised evaluations.

Literature review: considerations in undertaking focus group research with culturally and linguistically diverse groups.

Abstract: Aims. This integrated literature review seeks to identify the key considerations in conducting focus groups and discusses the specific considerations for focus group research with culturally and linguistically diverse groups. Background. The focus group method is a technique of group interview that generates data through the opinions expressed by participants. Focus groups have become an increasingly popular method of data collection in health care research. Although focus groups have been used extensively with Western populations, they are a particularly useful tool for engaging culturally and linguistically diverse populations. The success of focus groups in this context is dependent upon the cultural competence of the research team and the research questions. Methods. The electronic databases Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Psychlit and the Internet using the Google Scholar search engine were explored using the search terms ‘focus group’, ‘cultural sensitivity’, ‘transcultural nursing’, ‘transcultural care’, ‘cultural diversity’ and ‘ethnic groups’. Hand searching of reference lists and relevant journals was also undertaken. English language articles were selected for the review if they discussed the following issues: (i) methodological implications of the focus group method; (ii) strengths and limitations of the focus group method; (iii) recommendations for researchers and (iv) use of the focus group in culturally and linguistically diverse groups. Conclusions were drawn from each of the articles and consensus regarding a summary of recommendations was derived from a minimum of two authors. Results. Findings from this review revealed several key issues involving focus group implementation including recruitment, sample size, data collection, data analysis and use within multicultural populations. Strengths and limitations of the focus group method were also identified. Conclusions. Focus groups are a useful tool to expand existing knowledge about service provision and identify consumer needs that will assist in the development of future intervention programmes, particularly within multicultural populations. Careful planning related to methodological and pragmatic issues are critical in deriving effective data and protecting participants. Relevance to clinical practice. Focus groups can facilitate increased understanding of perspectives of culturally and linguistically diverse groups and thereby shape clinical practice to better meet the needs of these groups.

What Is Qualitative Research

Abstract: The defining nature and characteristics of qualitative research are surveyed in this article, which identifies key distinctions between method and methodology. The authors note that qualitative research is primarily concerned understanding human beings' experiences in a humanistic, interpretive approach. Issues of research design differences between quantitative and qualitative research are traced with an emphasis on identifying diverse methodologies, including those focusing on analysis of text, and diverse forms of data collection along with criteria for evaluating qualitative research.