Qualitative Research Approaches

Qualitative Research Approaches

1. Grounded Theory

   • Generates a theory that explains a process/action about a topic
     • Types
       • Systematic design
         • Use of data analysis + axial and selective coding + visual diagram of theories
       • Emerging design
         • Allows the theory emerge from the data
       • Constructive design
         • Interested in the view of the participants
     • Procedures
       • Interview 20-30 persons to understand how they experienced the process
       • Analysis of data
         • Open coding of data
           • Categorization of the process by its properties
         • Axial coding
           • Develop a visual model for identifying the main process
         • Selective coding
           • Write a storyline that connects the data
       • Develop a matrix about conditions influencing the process
       • Forming a theory about the process
     • Challenges
       • Cons/Issues
         • Possible privacy violation of information
       • Pros
         • Resulting theory helps explain specific processes

2. Ethnographic Designs

   • Describe and analyses shared patterns from a cultural group
     • Types
       • Realist ethnography
         • Objective report from what is learned in field-work
       • Critical ethnography
         • Studies social issues from marginalized groups
     • Procedures
       • Identify the type of design needed
       • Discuss approval from the community
       • Select topics/issues to study from the group
       • Do fieldwork and use data collection instruments
       • Analyses the topic within the context of the group
       • Make a cultural portrait of the group
     • Challenges
       • Cons/Issues
         • Respectfully interact with the groups
         • Properly represent the groups
       • Pros
         • Exposure of social issues for consideration

3. Narrative Investigation

   • Describes and tells the stories of an individual's life
     • Types
       • Biographical study
         • Writes the life of another person
       • Autobiography
         • Written by the subject of the study
       • Life history
         • Records an individual's entire life
       • Oral history
         • Gathering multiple reflections of a phenomenon
     • Procedures
       • Identify and explore an issue
       • Select an individual to learn about the issue
       • Collect the person's story
       • Restory (sequence the story properly)
         • Collaborate with the individual
       • Write the story of the individual's experience
     • Challenges
       • Cons/Issues
         • Authenticity of the story
         • Permission of the story
       • Pros
         • First-hand experience from an issue

4. Phenomenology

   • Describing "what" and "how" the participants experienced a phenomenon
     • Types
       • Hermeneutic phenomenology
         • Research of lived experiences and the nature of the phenomenon
       • Transcendental phenomenology
         • Description of the participant's experiences
           • What they experienced
             • Textural description
           • Context of experiencing the phenomenon
             • Structural description
           • Essence of the experience
     • Procedures
       • Recognize the previous literature about the issue
       • In-depth interviews (5-25) from people who have experienced the issue
       • Ask questions that help understand the textural and structural description of the phenomenon
       • Highlight answers that help understanding the phenomenon
       • Write a description of their experience
     • Challenges
       • Pros
         • Deep understanding of a phenomenon
       • Cons/Issues
         • Previous knowledge of its philosophical views
         • Suspend our personal experiences

5. Case Study

   • Studying an issue using one or more cases within a specific context
     • Types
       • Instrumental case study
         • Focuses on a case to illustrate an issue
       • Collective case study
         • Multiple cases are selected to study an issue
       • Intrinsic case study
         • Focus on a case presenting an unusual issue
     • Procedures
       • Determine the best approach and identify the cases
       • Description of the case, its themes, its context
         • Within-case analysis
           • Thematic analysis of each case
         • Cross-case analysis
           • Thematic analysis of all the cases
         • Report the results
     • Challenges
       • Cons/Issues
         • Consider boundaries
       • Pros
         • Illustrates real issues

6. Action Research

   • Is used when finding a solution for a specific problem
     • Types
       • Practical action research
         • Researches a specific situation in order to improve it
       • Participatory action research
         • Improves the quality of groups of people
     • Procedures
       • Find antecedents about the issue
       • Planning the collection of data
       • Applying the data in a plan design
       • Qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis
       • Execute the plan and reflect on its results
     • Challenges
       • Cons/Issues
         • Possible non-reliable results
       • Pros
         • Finds proper solutions to problems
           • Based on people's necessities