Presentation 4: Data Analysis - Qualitative Data

What is qualitative data?

~ Research studies that investigate the quality of relationships,
  activities, situations or materials are frequently referred to as
  Qualitative Research.

General Characteristics of Qualitative Research

1. The natural setting is a direct source of data.
    ~ Qualitative researchers go directly to the particular setting    
       of interest to observe and collect their data. 

2. Data collection is in the form of words or pictures rather than
    numbers. 
    ~ the kind of data collected; interview transcripts, field notes, 
       photographs, audio recordings, videotapes, diaries, personal 
       comments, memos, official records, and anything else that 
       can convey the actual words or actions of people. 

3. Qualitative researchers are concerned with process as well as
    product.
     ~ researchers interested in how things occur.
4. Qualitative researchers tend to analyze their data inductively.
     ~ they decided and set important questions after collecting their data.
5. Major interest in the participants' thought.
     ~ researchers want to know what participants in the study
        are thinking and why they think what they do.


Steps in Qualitative Research

There are several steps can be identified in conducting qualitative research.

1. Identification of the phenomenon to be studied.
    ~ Researchers identify particular phenomenon they are
       interested to investigate.

2. Identification of the participants in the study.
    ~ Researchers identify specific participants (sample of
       individuals) to be observed.

3. Generation of hypotheses.
    ~ hypotheses are typically formulated after the researchers
       have begun the study.

4. Data collection.
    ~ There is an ongoing process  in collecting data.

5. Data analysis.
    ~ Analyzing data essentially involves analyzing, synthesizing,
      and reducing the information obtained from various sources.

6. Interpretations and conclusions.
    ~ Interpretations are made continuously throughout the course
       of a study.

Approaches to Qualitative Research

1. Narrative research
    ~ The study of the life experiences of an individual
    ~ Different forms of narrative research;

       a. Biographical study; a form of narrative study in which the
           researcher writes and records the experiences of another
           person.
       b. Autobiography; written and recorded by the individuals who
           are the subject of the study (Ellis, 2004).
       c. Life History; portrays an individual's entire life
       d. Oral history; consists of personal reflections of events and
           their cause and effects from one individual or several
           individuals (Plummer, 1983).

2. Phenomenological study
    ~ Researcher investigates various reactions to, or perceptions
       of a particular phenomenon.
    ~ It needs a number of tape-recorded interview sessions.
    ~ Researcher must search through each participant's statements.
    ~ Researcher then clusters these statements into themes.

3. Grounded theory
    ~ Researchers intend to generate a theory that is 'grounded' in
       data from participants who have experienced the process.
    ~ Researchers start with the data they have collected and then
       develop generalizations after they look at the data.

4. Case studies
    ~ Researchers focus their research on the study of such cases.
    ~ A case is not just an individual or situation that can easily be
       identified; it may be an event, an activity, or an ongoing
       process.
    ~ Intrinsic case study; researcher is primarily interested in
       understanding a specific individual or situation.
    ~ Instrumental case study; researcher is interested in
       understanding something more than just a particular case.

5. Ethnographic and historical research
    ~ Ethnographis research focuses on the study of culture.
    ~ Historical research concentrates exclusively on the past.