Overview of Qualitative Research

Dr. Fadzilah Amzah

https://www.tes.com/us/teacher-lessons/quantitative-
vs-qualitative-observations-7195170
quantitative research seeks to explain and qualitative research seeks to understand.
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 Learning Ootcomes ;

A. Definition & Purpose

B. Qualitative Process
C. Qualitative Research Design
i. Narrative Study
ii Phenomonology
iii. Case Study
iv. Grounded theory
v. Ethnography
D. Key concepts IN QL
A. Definition and purpose
Qualitative Research

The process of collecting descriptive,

narrative, non-numerical data in order to
gain insight into the phenomenon of
interest
Data collection is determined by the nature
of the problem
The researcher must make informed
decisions about what data will contribute
to the study and how to best collect it
Commonly known as field work
Qualitative research provide insight which
is not possible to elucidate with purely
quantitative data
A means for exploring and understanding
the meaning individuals or groups ascribe
to social or human problems
Study human behavior and social world
Help us to understand the world in which
we live and why things are the way they
are
Scientist more comfortable with
quantitative research
Quantitative methods deal with the
collection and processing numerical data
Answer questions
How often? To what extent?
How much? How many … but cannot answer
questions on
Why? how? In what way?
Qualitative research answer questions on:
Why people behave the way they do
How opinions and attitudes are formed
How people are affected by the events that
go on around them
How and why cultures have developed
The difference between social groups
“an approach for exploring and understanding the
meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or
human problem. The process of research involves
emerging questions and procedures, data typically
collected in the particulars to general theses, and the
researcher making interpretations of the meaning of
the data” (Creswell, 2014, p. 4)

Qualitative research is based upon an “interpretative,

naturalistic approach to the world” (Denzin & Lincoln,
2013, p. 6)

depending on the research questions and goals,

qualitative research methods may be more
appropriate than quantitative research methods
 Qualitative methods are chosen when the
goal of the research problem is to examine,
understand and describe a phenomenon. 
often used to study ideas, beliefs, human
behaviors and other research questions
that do not involve studying the
relationship between variables. 

describe how people experience an issue

and allows for the studying the "human"
side of an issue

often used to study and identify

intangible factors such as opinions,
prejudices, values, cultural influences and
social contexts 
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Examples

How do the perceptions of online learning

influence student success in an online course?
What are the barriers encountered by teachers in
infusing ESD in their classroom?
What factors influence teachers’ commitment
……..?
How is the flipped classroom concept influenced
by the learning style of the instructor?
B. Qualitative Process
 C. Qualitative Research Design

QL

Phenomenology Ethography Case Study Grounded theory Narrative Study

• To describe •To describe •To describe •To inductively •To explore

individual’s the cultural in-depth generate a the live of
experience or characteristics issue grounded theory individu
phenomena of of a group of describing and
something people explaining a
phenomenon
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1. Narative Research
– Definition and Purpose
– Definition
– The description of the lives of individuals, the
collection of individuals’ stories of their
experiences, and a discussion of the meaning of
those experiences
– Purpose
– An attempt to increase understanding of central
issues related to teaching and learning through
the telling and retelling of participants’ stories
Narrative Research

Narrative inquiry is the process of gathering information

for the purpose of research through storytelling. The
researcher then writes a narrative of the experience.
Connelly and Clandinin (1990) note that, "Humans are
storytelling organisms who, individually and collectively,
lead storied lives. Thus, the study of narrative is the
study of the ways humans experience the world." In
other words, people's lives consist of stories.
2. Ethnographic research
Definition and Purpose
–Definition
– A qualitative approach that studies the cultural
patterns and perspectives of participants in their
natural settings
–Purpose
– To describe, analyze, and interpret the culture of a
group over time to understand the group’s shared
beliefs, behaviors, and language

Objectives 1.1 & 1.2

Definition
– Ethnographic research
– Culture is the set of shared attitudes, values,
concepts, beliefs, and practices that can be
attributed to the members of the group being
studied
– Three broad areas to help focus on tangible
cultural behaviors
– Cultural orientation – where the people are
situated
– Cultural know-how – how a group goes
about daily activities
– Cultural beliefs – why a group does what it
does

Objective 1.3
Ethnographic research

– Sithamparam, s. (1997). Between worlds :

An Ethnographic case study of a literature-
based ESL class. Tesis Phd. Syracuse
University.
3. Case Study

Definition
“an empirical inquiry that investigates a
contemporary phenomenon within its real-
life context; when the boundaries between
phenomenon and context are not clearly
evident; and in which multiple sources of
evidence are used” (Yin, 1984, p. 23).
– Case studies might be qualitative or
quantitative
– In-depth analysis of a single or small number
of unites
– It is used to describe an entity that forms a
single unit such as a person, an organization
or an institution
– Complexity: illustration of an event . analysis
of social situation over time
– As a research design, it offers rich and in-
depth information which is not usually
offered by other methods
It is highly versatile method and employs
any or all methods of data collection
It can be used for different purposes e.g.
development of new
curriculum/pedagogy; organizational
changes in planning, evaluation of a
program etc
A critic - case may not be representative
of similar cases (findings are not
generalizable)
Can we apply findings elsewhere?
Case study

  Purpose - describe in-depth the

experience of one person, family,
group, community, or institution

  Method

    •Direct observation and interaction

with subject
  Analysis - synthesis of experience

  Outcomes - in-depth description of the

experience
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Issues
Critics of the case study method often claim:
 Studying a small number of cases is
insufficient for establishing reliability or
generality of findings;
 The intense involvement of the
researcher in the study of the case could
bias the findings;
 Some critics suggest case study research
is useful only as an exploratory tool or for
establishing a hypothesis;
 Some would claim it is unscientific.
 Benefits

The case study method is appropriate to:

 Answer why? Questions;

 Gain an in depth understanding of a particular
phenomenon;
 Develop an initial hypothesis;
 Establish a basis for future research;
 Develop new theories;
 Extend existing theories;
 Test existing theory.
How many cases?

 Eisenhardt (1989), suggests from 4 to

10 is ideal;
 Yin (1984) and Stake (1995) suggest
that one can be acceptable;
 The key is to justify your choice.
What is the Difference Between Case Study and Phenomenology?

Definitions of Case Study and Phenomenology:

Case Study: A case study can be defined as a research method that is used to investigate an
individual, a group of people or an event.
Phenomenology: Phenomenology is a research methodology as well as a philosophy that
explores the lived experiences of people as well as the structures of meaning.

Characteristics of Case Study and Phenomenology:

Focus:
Case Study: In a case study, the attention is paid to the individual, a group or an event.
Phenomenology: In Phenomenology, the attention is paid to the lived experiences of
individuals.
Nature:
Case Study: A case study is a research method used in a number of disciplines.
Phenomenology: Phenomenology is a philosophy as well as a methodology used mainly in the
social sciences.
Type of Data:
Case Study: A case study produces rich, qualitative data.
Phenomenology: Phenomenology produces qualitative data that mainly explore the subjective
meanings that people produce and sustain.

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4. Grounded theory

Main feature: development of a new theory

through the collection and analysis of data
about a phenomenon
It goes beyond phenomenology as the
explanation are genuinely new knowledge
and are used to develop theories
Key feature: constant comparative analysis –
simultaneous collection and analysis of data
Various data collection techniques are used
 Literature review, documentary analysis, interviews
, observation
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Grounded theory
  Purpose - theory development
    •Used in discovering what problems exist in a social
scene &how persons handle them
•Involves formulation, testing, & redevelopment of
propositions until a theory is developed
  Method - steps occur simultaneously; a constant
comparative process (berterusan)
    •Data collection - interview, observation, record
review, or combination
  Analysis
    •Concept formation
•Concept development - reduction; selective sampling
of literature; selective sampling of subjects;
emergence of core concepts
•Concept modification & integration
  Outcomes - theory supported by examples from data
looks to provide an explanation or
theory behind the events
use primarily interviews and
existing documents to build a
theory based on the data.
 Grounded Theory flow
chart

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 Stages
Determine the research questions;
Decide if case study is appropriate;
Decide how many cases are appropriate;
Select the cases and determine data gathering and analysis
techniques;
Prepare to collect the data;
Collect data in the field;
Evaluate and analyze the data;
Write up the research and present the findings.

These processes are not always linear and can be iterative

5. Historical
  Purpose - describe and examine events of the past to
understand the present and anticipate potential future
effects

  Method
     Formulate idea - select topic after reading related
literature
 Develop research questions
 Develop an inventory of sources - archives, private
libraries, papers
 Clarify validity & reliability of data - primary sources,
authenticity, biases
 Develop research outline to organize investigative
process
 Collect data
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Analysis - synthesis of all data; accept
& reject data; reconcile conflicting
evidence

Outcomes - select means of

presentation - biography, chronology,
issue paper

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D. Key concepts IN QL

1. Methodological pragmatist (Schatzman &

Strauss, 1973)
- Being alert & sensitive with the setting,
participants, situation
- Choosing the ‘best’ data collection
technique
Key concepts
2. See things big (Greene, 1995)
- Giving ‘careful’ attention on every single
things.
- Eg; classroom observation – sitting
arrangement, condition of the classroom –
fans, door, windows etc (each of this has
effect on the T&L process)
Key concepts

3. Word picture (Bogdan &Biklen, 1992)

- explanation & description (imaging)

4. Multi-voiced (Denzin, 1997)

- variation in description
Qualitative Studies

1. Marohaini Yusoff (1996). Perlakuan dan proses

menulis karangan pelajar T.4: Satu kajian kes.
Tesis PhD, UM
2. Perl, S. (1979) The composing process of
unskilled writers. Research in The Teaching of
English
3. Pengaruh bahasa ibunda dalam penulisan
karangan murid SJKT.
References
– Norman K. Denzin & Vyonna S. Lincoln
(2011). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative
Research. 4th Edition. SAGE Publications,
Inc