Qualitative Research Methods

Purpose of Qualitative Methods:

Examine the impact of policies on results.

Required in conjunction with quantitative techniques for thorough policy analysis.

Choosing a method is influenced by the particular research question.

Examples of When to Use Qualitative Methods:

Analyze the program's success in lowering smoking rates.

Identify the difficulties in giving up smoking.

Investigate the effect of shifting neighborhoods on educational achievement while taking personal experiences into account.

Qualitative Research Characteristics:

Inductive approach: 

Start with a broad question, observe patterns, create hypotheses, and then test them.


Iterative, not sequential: 

Don't conduct every interview at once; make adjustments as you go.

Don't worry too much about how many of the stories are similar; instead, concentrate on getting a variety of experiences.

Embraces complexity and tries to grasp nuances and context.

Adopts a social constructivist viewpoint while recognizing multiple facts.

Qualitative Methods' Advantages:

Ideal for discovering new places.

Reveals information on the attitudes and experiences of the participants.

Produces thorough descriptions and aids in the comprehension of systems and processes.

Explains the "why" behind why something worked or didn't work by answering "why" questions.

Mixed Methods:

Using both qualitative and quantitative methods together results in a comprehensive knowledge.

When collecting quantitative data is difficult, use qualitative methods.

Common Mistakes in Qualitative Research:

Do not limit your question scope.

Avoid trying to do too much in one study; instead, concentrate on the goals of the study.

Introduction to Qualitative Research 

Comparing Qualitative and Quantitative Research 

Sampling in Qualitative Research 

Recruitment in Qualitative Research 

Ethical Guidelines in Qualitative Research




Introduction to Qualitative Research:

An organized scientific research that follows predetermined steps, gathers data, and produces results.

Concentrate on comprehending a research issue from the viewpoint of the neighborhood's inhabitants.

Effective at obtaining knowledge on other cultures.

Comparing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods:

Differ in analytical objectives, data types, data collection instruments, and flexibility in study design.

Sampling in Qualitative Research:

Purposive sampling: 

Select participants with a specific purpose or characteristic.


Quota sampling: 

Create a sample with predetermined characteristics.


Snowball sampling: 

Existing participants refer new ones, useful for hard-to-reach populations.

Qualitative Research:

Definition:

An exploratory research method for understanding complex phenomena.


Involves non-numerical data like interviews, observations, and texts.


Uses open-ended questions to gather in-depth insights into experiences and attitudes.

Quantitative Research: 

Definition:

Systematic empirical investigation collecting, analyzing, and quantifying data.


Aims to establish patterns, relationships, and make statistical inferences.


Uses structured surveys, experiments, and assessments to collect numerical data.

Mixed Methods Research: 

Definition:

Integrates both qualitative and quantitative techniques for a comprehensive understanding.


Data collected concurrently or sequentially, with integration at the analysis stage.

How Researchers Can Apply These Methods:

Selection of Research Methods.


Data Collection.


Data Analysis.


Reporting and Interpretation.


Ethical Considerations.