Transcript Introduction

SWRK 171
Qualitative Research in Social
Work
What is qualitative
research?
Definition of Qualitative
Research
• Rossman & Rallis (2003) define
qualitative research as:
“Naturalistic and interpretive, and it
draws on multiple methods of inquiry”
(p. 6).
In research there are two distinct types of
research or worldviews/paradigms.
• Qualitative (inductive method;
incorporates values and perspectives
of both researcher and participants).
• Quantitative (deductive – reasoning
from general theories to specific
instances. Researchers are supposed
to be objective.)
Common characteristics
of qualitative research:
• Takes place in the natural world (rather than a
laboratory).
• Uses multiple methods.
• Focuses on context (surroundings in which in
occurs).
• Is emergent rather than tightly prefigured
(meaning not everything is structured or planned)
• Is fundamentally interpretive (meaning that the
researcher’s own perspective and experiences will
influence how he or she interprets the data).
Other characteristics of
qualitative research
• It is done for a purpose rather than just to
develop new knowledge.
• It is conducted to improve services,
organizations, and communities or to achieve
social justice!
• The researcher also conducts studies to increase
his or her understanding of the world.
• Research is a process that involves developing
research questions, designing and conducting
studies, and writing up what you’ve learned.
Qualitative research:
• Involves interpretation of a situation, set of
behaviors, or a setting.
• Analysis must take place within a context –
different findings may be found in different
settings or situations.
• Different researchers may view the same
situation and obtain different results.
• Assumes there is no one right or wrong answer.
• Comes from a particular set of assumptions or
theories about how research should take place.
Two important differences between
qualitative & quantitative research:
• In quantitative research, the researcher is supposed to be
value-free or objective. In qualitative research,
researchers are expected to have a point of view and their
own values or perspectives influence how they analyze and
present their findings. This is called subjective research.
• Research is also conducted differently. Quantitative
researchers use a theory to guide their research. Research
involves hypothesis testing. Hypothesis are tested as to
whether the theory is true. This is called deductive
reasoning. Qualitative researchers may use a framework or
approach to guide their studies. However, the theory does
not determine what they find. Instead they use what they
observe to develop new theories about how the world works.
This is called inductive reasoning.
Three main types of data
collection
• Interviews
• Observation
• Content analysis
There are different approaches and
types of qualitative research:
• Text focuses on 3 types of qualitative
research:
• Descriptive studies
• Evaluations or policy studies
• Action research
• [Fictional Characters in the Learning in the
field book conduct each type of study]
We will also discuss a
number of other
approaches to qualitative
research in this class
Expectations for this
Class:
• Purchase Rossman & Rallis rather than Shaw &
Gould text.
• Class will be taught using lectures and exercises.
• Course material is on instructor’s website
http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/!donnah and
Blackboard.
• Additional readings can be downloaded from the
Internet and the library’s electronic reserve
system.
Assignments
• Observation.
• Interviews and Analysis of Interview
Data
• Field study/group project.
• Midterm (short answer & essay)
• Final Exam (essay)
• Attendance
Exercises for today
• Need two groups of volunteers to conduct
observations either in the Free Speech
Area or the Subway.
• Take 5 minutes to write 4-6 sentences to
write a description of an object (in your
room, apartment, or office). Share your
description with at least one other person
in the class and compare the degree of
detail used in the description.