Chapter 9 Qualitative Methods: Introduction and Data Collection

Chapter 9 Qualitative Methods: Introduction and Data Collection

CONTENTS • Introduction: nature, history and development • Merits, functions, limitations • The qualitative research process • The range of methods – introduction • Validity and reliability

Data collection/analysis • Typically, in qualitative methods, data collection and analysis are intermingled • Although Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management has separate chapters on data collection (Ch. 9) and data analysis (Ch. 15), this relationship is recognised. A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Nature of qualitative methods • Qualitative methods deal with: • words(+, sometimes, images, sounds) • generally a great deal of information about relatively few cases/subjects, sometimes called ‘rich’ or ‘thick’ data • Reason for use: • pragmatic: eg. nature of the data, small number of available subjects • theoretical: subjects ‘speak for themselves’ A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Merits • Correspond to the qualitative nature of sport experiences. • Brings people into sport research and studies them ‘in the round’ (Maguire). • Results understandable to people not statistically trained. • Able to encompass personal change over time. • Suited to investigating face-to-face interaction between people (symbols, gestures, etc.). • Suited to providing an understanding of people's needs and aspirations. A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Use in market research (Peterson) • developing hypotheses on behaviour and attitudes; • identifying the full range of issues/views/attitudes to be pursued in larger-scale research; • suggesting methods for quantitative enquiry; • identifying appropriate language to use in surveys; • understanding buying decision-making process; • developing new product/service/marketing strategy ideas – free play of attitudes/opinions a rich source of ideas for the marketer; • providing initial screening of new product/service/ strategy ideas; • learning how communications are received by potential customers – particularly related to advertising. A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Qualitative methods: ‘Issues’ (Miles & Huberman) • Labour-intensiveness • Time-extensiveness • Frequent data overload • Possibility of researcher bias • Time demands of processing/coding data • Adequacy of sampling • Generalisability • Credibility, quality and utility of conclusions A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Qualitative research process (Fig. 9.1) Sequential approach (typical of quant. methods) 1. Hypothesise/ conceptualise/plan 2. Collect data 3. Analyse data 4. Write up results A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Qualitative research process (Fig. 9.1) Sequential approach (typical of quant. methods) Recursive approach (typical of qualitative methods) 1. Hypothesise/ conceptualise/plan 2. Collect data 3. Analyse data 4. Write up results A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss) • Theory arises from (qualitative) empirical A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

The range of methods of qualitative data collection (Fig. 9.2) A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Context: questions, responses & interview types (Fig. 9.3) A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Questions, responses & interview types (Fig. 9.3) A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

In-depth interviews • Nature: • Length – 30 mins to several hours • Depth – more in-depth than a typical questionnaire-based interview • Structure – fluid, informal structure • Purposes/situations: • No. of subjects small • Information complex/variable • Exploratory/preliminary. • Checklist of topics: • rather than formal list of questions A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Example of checklist: interview on sport activity (Fig. 9.4, part) CURRENT SPORTS ACTIVITIES HOW OFTEN? WHY? EXPLORE EACH ONE – COMPARE WHERE? home/away from home WHO WITH? MEANING/IMPORTANCE TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES WOULD LIKE TO DO WHY? MEANING TO YOU OF: ‘FITNESS’ ‘SPORT’ A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

In-depth interview: interviewing process • Standardised approach: • question format same for all subjects • minimal unscripted interaction • Informal/unstructured approach • Free-form, conversational • Substantial interaction A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

In-depth interview: interviewer interventions (Whyte) (Fig. 9.5) A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

In-depth interview: recording • Take notes, during or after the interview? • Sound/video recording? • Create written version: Transcription: • Use of transcription software A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Focus groups • Nature: • Similar to in-depth interviews but: • Conducted with a group(typically 6-12 members). • Facilitator(rather than interviewer) guides discussion. • Interaction between subjects takes place. • Purposes/situations: • researching a small group which would not be adequately represented in a general community survey • used when the interaction/discussion process itself is of interest – eg. testing reactions to a new product; • individual in-depth interviews may not be practical to arrange for s but people are willing to be interviewed as a group. A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Focus groups contd • Methods: • Facilitator has similar role to interviewer • Significant difference: need to ensure all group members have their say • Recording: as for in-depth interviews A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Participant observation • Nature: The researcher becomes a participant in the social process being studied. • Examples: • Studying a whole community by living there – Whyte Street Corner Society • Studying a sport facility/club as a user/member. A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Participant observation: issues • Gaining admission to/acceptance by a group • What role to play: • Full identification as researcher? • Partial identification? • No identification or fake identity? • NB Related ethical issues • Identification of informants/confidants – related to the idea of sampling • Practicalities of recording of information A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Analysing texts • Research tradition derived from the humanities • And theology: hermeneutics • ‘Text’ includes: • Books, newspapers, magazines - Pictures • Posters - Recorded music • Film - Television • Internet • Examples exist of analysis of: • Novels and other literature • Mass media coverage of events/issues • Film • Internet A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Biographical research • The study of people’s lives • Biography/autobiography/personal narrative • eg. major figures in a sport • Oral history • eye-witness accounts of events, lifestyles • Memory work • Focus group style process using shared written accounts of experiences – eg. holidays • Personal domain histories • Accounts of individual life-time experience of a life-domain, eg. Sports involvement A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Ethnography • From the Greek ethnos, people. • Not one technique but an approach drawing on a variety of, generally qualitative, techniques. • Also: bricollage: mixed methods. A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Validity, reliability and trustworthiness • As discussed in Ch. 2: • Validity: extent to which the research represents what is intended • Reliability: extent to which research is replicable • Internal validity: data gathering process: • qualitative research validity likely to be high • External validity: applicability beyond the research subjects: • typically no general applicability is claimed, but some wider applicability can be expected … A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Validity, reliability and trustworthiness contd • Replication • Often not possible in qualitative research, but like meta-analysis, cumulative evidence from similar studies may be used. • Trustworthiness • term used for qualitative research to cover validity and reliability A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Chapter 9 Qualitative Methods: Introduction and Data Collection