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Qualitative research: an overview

Qualitative research: an overview. Dr Salwa Tayel & Dr. Noura Abouammoh KSU College of Medicine October 2016. Learning Objectives. To compare between quantitative / qualitative approaches to research To understand basic concepts of qualitative research

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Qualitative research: an overview

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  1. Qualitative research: an overview Dr Salwa Tayel & Dr. NouraAbouammoh KSU College of Medicine October 2016

  2. Learning Objectives • To compare between quantitative / qualitative approaches to research • To understand basic concepts of qualitative research • To be introduced to some examples of qualitative techniques and methods Qualitative Research

  3. Consider these questions • Why do people smoke ? • Why do people eat what they eat ? • Whydon’t most people in our part of the world exercise ? • How do people contractinfection ? • How is such information useful ? Qualitative Research

  4. What is qualitative research • Qualitative research is a research methodology that is characterized by its aims, which relate to understanding some aspect of social life, and its methods which (in general) generate words, rather than numbers, as data for analysis. Qualitative Research

  5. Aim of Qualitative Research • Understand phenomena to inform policies and services • Answer questions such as What, How and Why of a phenomena • Examples: - • Why do people smoke ? • How do people contract infection ? Qualitative Research

  6. Why Qualitative ? • Do we need qualitative approaches to research in health ? • Social determinants of health report (2008): requires methodologies, implications and new horizons for in depth understanding of causal pathways of health-related events (habits/RFs, CDs, NCDs, indicators) Qualitative Research

  7. Quantitative vs. Qualitative • Quantitativemethodology • Emphasises on quantification in collection and analysis of data • Tests theories • Views social reality as external and objective • Results as numbers and statistics • Qualitativemethodology • Emphasising words, rather than numbers • Generate theories • Based on understanding the ways in which individuals and groups interpret their world • Results as words and concepts Qualitative Research

  8. Quantitative vs. Qualitative • Qualitative methodology • May, or may not, be representative • Less structured instruments (interviews) • Do not infer to population • Reflexivity and attention to individual participants • Flexibility of approach • Quantitative methodology • Generalisability, representativeness • ‘Objective’ structured instruments (attitude/ outcome scales) • Infer to population • ‘Distance’ between researcher and Subjects • Emphasis on following original research plan Qualitative Research

  9. Quantitative vs. Qualitative Quantitativemethodology • Methods • Observational • Experimental • Mixed • Sampling: Large& random (simple, stratified, cluster, etc) or purposive • Quality Assurance: • Reliability • Validity Qualitative methodology • Methods • Focus Groups • Interviews • Self-reports  • Observations  • Document analysis • Sampling: Small &purposive • Quality Assurance: • Trustworthiness • Authenticity Qualitative Research

  10. Quantitative vs. Qualitative MethodologyQuantitative MethodExperiment TechniqueRCT Qualitative Research

  11. Quantitative vs. Qualitative MethodologyQualitative MethodInterview TechniqueSemi-structuredinterview Qualitative Research

  12. Characteristics of Qualitative Research • Natural context • Places where people interact • Study of inanimate objects • Non-manipulative - Researcher observes, interviews, records, describes settings ‘as they are’ • Researcher as ‘instrument’ – researchers engages in a situation and attempts to make sense of it • Data collected through human observation • Data interpretation through human perceptions • ‘Subjectivity’ / reflexivity of researcher – insights, experiences, perceptions of researcher are important part. Qualitative Research

  13. Characteristics of Qualitative Research • Interpretive character – researcher attempts to explain ‘why’ and ‘how’ something is happening - focus is on meaning rather than specific behaviours • Focus on process, rather than outcome • Depth (rather than breadth) of understanding • Inductive analysis – research begins with open-ended questions rather than attempting to test a priori hypotheses. • Context sensitivity – findings are placed in social and spatial context – limiting generalisations Qualitative Research

  14. Limitations of Qualitative Research • Subjective • Labour/time intensive • Misunderstanding of novice researchers • Limited generalisability Qualitative Research

  15. Qualitative Research Techniques • Participant observation (field notes) • Interviews / Focus groups • Video / Text and Image analysis (documents, media data) Qualitative Research

  16. Qualitative Research Techniques • Participants observation (field notes) • Gains insight into understanding cultural patterns to determine what’s necessary and needed in tool development (complementary to interviews) Qualitative Research

  17. Qualitative Research Techniques • Interviews/ focus group discussions • Explores how tools are used and could be used in a novice programming course • Gains insight into the meaning of tools for students for learning to programme Qualitative Research

  18. Qualitative Research Techniques • Document analysis Qualitative Research

  19. Involved Skills • Observing • Conversing • Participating • Interpreting Qualitative Research

  20. Qualitative Technique- Data analysis Themes arising from data would provide insight into the issue(s) under investigation and see what is important to students / physicians / administrators Qualitative Research

  21. Data Analysis Steps • Organize and prepare the data for analysis • Read all data, get a sense of the whole • Begin detailed analysis with coding process • Generate a description of the setting /people as well as categories or themes for analysis • Represent themes (writing, visual, etc.) • Interpret and make meaning out of data • *iterative, non-linear process Qualitative Research

  22. Ethical Considerations • Consequences • Rights and Responsibilities • Social Justice • Care Qualitative Research

  23. Choice of Methodology Depends on: • Research Questions • Research Goals • Researcher Beliefs and Values • Researcher Skills • Time and Funds Qualitative Research

  24. Summary • Qualitative methodology has different aims and methods than that of quantitative methodology • Research question, among other factors, inform your choice of methodology • You will then have a wide choice of methods within these methodological approaches • Both methodologies could be used in an integrated complementary fashion Qualitative Research

  25. References • Michaela Mora. Quantitative Vs. Qualitative Research – When to Use Which. 2010 available at http://www.surveygizmo.com/survey-blog/quantitative-qualitative-research • Creswell JW. Research design. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2003 • Bricki, N. and Green, J. (2007) A Guide to Using Qualitative Research Methodology. MSF field research. Available at http://hdl.handle.net/10144/84230 • Silverman, D. (2001), Interpreting Qualitative Data: Methods for Analysing Talk, Text and Interaction, London: Sage Qualitative Research

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