Research Methods - Portfolio Task 7 Qualitative research

Research Methods - Portfolio Task 7 Qualitative research

1. The research questions and objectives

   • Interviews
     • Telephone
     • In Person
     • Via internet
     • Questions should be directly related to the study

2. Interview questions and prompts

   • Questions
     • Open
     • Closed
     • Surveys/ Questionaires
       • Generalised result?
     • Unstructured
       • Additional probing questions
     • Structured
     • Designed to provide answers to research questions and objectives
       • Researching the pattern of relationships between two categories
   • Ethics
     • Permission to record interviews
   • Participants
     • Where will they be located?
     • How will they be chosen?

3. Verbatim transcripts from interviews - first copy

   • Research results
     • Spoken results
       • Record method
         • Dictaphone
         • Notes
       • Written notes
     • Written answers
     • Observable behaviour
     • Anaylasis
       • Open ended data - difficult to anaylase
       • Content anaylasis
       • Key word counting.
       • Coding and comparison of findings.
         • Code showing the source of the data, in order to trace at a later stage .

4. Verbatim transcripts from interviews - second copy

   • Merge the data into one document
     • Remove non essential data
   • Ensure data is anonymous

5. Content anaylasis

   • Record frequency counts of key words
     • Uses key words/phrases
     • Record the 'hits' counted
   • Decide on key words to be used.
     • Are they relevant?
     • Ensure a suitable number are used.
   • Will the research be any more in depth than this?

6. A 'basket of labels'

   • Design and log labels; arising themes?
     • Words/ phrases
       • How many words used in the theme, 1,2/3?
     • Build programmes, Working Conditions
   • Not necessarily the same as the key words previously used.
   • Use coding for the words
     • e.g. T(Time)1, T2
       • T1 - Build programmes, T2- Working Conditions
     • To ensure hits are not generated within the interview transcripts.
   • Group labels into the themes
     • - Time, - Cost, -Quality

7. Verbatim transcripts from interviews - third copy

   • Rearrange data into paragraphs - manageable length
     • 2 - 5 sentences long
   • Label paragraphs with code for further rearrangement
     • e.g. Ans1, Ans2 , Ans2a
   • Separate 'change in direction' into a new paragraph
   • Analyse and label the end of each paragraph with a label/s from 'basket of labels'
     • - Time, - Cost, -Quality
     • Bracket each section if more than one label is used.
   • Ignore superfluous data

8. Verbatim transcripts from interviews - fourth copy

   • Rearrange paragraphs so they are under 'basket of labels'per page (can be under more than one label)
   • Create a copy of document
   • Superfluous data will now be removed

9. A new file, with tables

   • Bring together the data and the literature
   • Carry out a search using the coding to find the frequency of the words for the content analysis
     • e.g. T1, T2
   • Do any of the literature source found address the themes/ labels identified?
     • Do they address one or all?
     • What are the observations, propositions or explanations?
     • Where are the inconsistencies/ similarities - respondents or literature?
       • literature should have been picked up previously within literature review and/ interviews

10. The final narrative

    • Condense data into narrative
    • Use the table as a framework
      • Group titles and labels
    • Describe inconsistencies and similarities, and any observations/ explanations made from the research
    • Should it include discussion or should this be a different chapter?
    • Use as a platform for conclusion and recommendations
      • Quantitative study resulting from Qualitative work?

Images and files in the map