Transcript QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative Research
Richard Peacock, Clinical Librarian
Archway Healthcare Library
Ziba Nadimi, Outreach and Information Skills Librarian
Camden Primary Care Trust
Adapted presentation originally produced by Helen Goodman- Library
Manager, Cassel Hospital
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What is Qualitative Research?
• “Qualitative research, with its focus on the
experiences of people, stresses the uniqueness of
individuals…qualitative researchers collect data from
their respondents, often in their natural environments,
taking into account how cultural, social and other
factors influence their experiences and behaviour”
(Parahoo 1997)
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What can it be used for?
Qualitative Research is used to ascertain
people’s
•Feelings
•Opinions
•Behaviours – reasons for
•Attitudes/ beliefs
•Problems
•Areas of need/ gaps in services
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The Anatomy of a Research Paper
• The introduction summarises the background to the
study
• The methods helps to understand if you are critically
appraising a paper
• The results reports findings objectively without
speculation or interpretation.
• In the discussion the authors interpret the findings
in light of the study design and other research.
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Qualitative Methodologies
These include:
• Grounded Theory
• Thematic analysis
• Content Analysis
• Discourse Analysis
…and more
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Qualitative Methodologies
Cont.
Grounded theory- A research method in which the
theory is developed from the data, rather than the
other way around. That makes this an inductive
approach, meaning that it moves from the specific to
the more general.
• The method of study is essentially based on three
elements: concepts, categories and propositions, or
what was originally called “hypotheses”. However,
concepts are the key elements of analysis since the
theory is developed from the conceptualization of
data, rather than the actual data.
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Qualitative Methodologies
Cont.
• Thematic analysis- Focuses on identifiable themes
and patterns of living and/or behaviour. From the
conversations that take place in a therapy session or
those that are encouraged for the sake of
researching a process, ideas emerge that can be
better understood under the control of a thematic
analysis.
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Qualitative Methodologies
Cont.
• Content Analysis- Is doing the word-frequency
count. The assumption made is that the words that
are mentioned most often are the words that reflect
the greatest concerns.
• Discourse Analysis-. Discourse analysis focuses on
talk and texts as social practices, and on the
resources that are drawn on to enable those
practices. For example, discourse analytic studies of
racism have been concerned with the way
descriptions are marshalled in particular contexts to
legitimate the blaming of a minority group (Potter and
Wetherell, 1988),
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Common Features of Qualitative Research
• Sampling
• Data Collection
• Triangulation
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Sampling - How people are selected?
• From the “population” – e.g. mental health trusts in
Wales, teenage smokers in Newcastle
• “Target population” – inclusion/exclusion criteria
applied”
• “Sample population” is selected - purposeful
sampling (size and specific cases depend on the
study purpose; theoretical sampling (guided by
emerging theories))
• Convenience - near to hand/ available
• Snowball - people known to other participants
• Volunteer - keen and eager
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What size should the sample be?
• Does not need to be representative of population not statistical
• Saturation – recruitment of additional cases no longer
provides additional information or insights
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Different methods of data collection
• Interviews- structures or semi-structured, guided,
unstructured
• Focus groups- researcher(s) plus 2-10 participants guided group discussion on topic(s)
• Telephone interviews
• Observation - researcher may be just observing or
sometimes more part of the group - “participant
observation”
• Covert observation - two-way mirrors or hidden
camera
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Triangulation
• Is the application and combination of several
research methodologies in the study of the same
phenomenon-data sources, sample groups or
investigators
• Area under investigation is looked at from different
perspectives
• By combining multiple observers, theories and
methods, researchers can hope to overcome the
weakness or intrinsic biases and the problems that
come from single method, single-observer, singletheory studies
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Bibliography
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Bell, J. (1993) Doing your research project , Milton Keynes, Open University Press
Cornack, D. (2000) The research process in nursing 4th ed Oxford, Blackwell Science
Press
Denzin, N. and Lincoln, Y. Handbook of qualitative research (2000) (nb – new edition
out in May 2005) London, Sage
Krueger, R. (2000) Focus groups; a practical guide for applied research, London,
Sage
Parahoo, K. (1997) Nursing research; principles, process and issues. London,
Macmillan
Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1999) Basics of qualitative research – grounded theory,
procedures, techniques. London, Sage
Bassett, C. (Ed.) 2004 Qualitative Research in Health Care, London, Whurr Publishers
Discourse analysis and constructionist approaches: theoretical background - John
T.E. Richardson (Ed.) (1996). In Handbook of qualitative research methods for
psychology and the social sciences. Leicester; BPS Books.
Aronson, J. A Pragmatic view of thematic analysis - The Qualitative Report, Volume 2,
Number 1, Spring, 1994, (http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/BackIssues/QR21/aronson.html)//az.essortment.com/groundedtheory_rmnf.htm
Greenhalgh, T. How to read a paper: the basics of evidence-based medicine, 3rd ed.,
(2006), BMJ Books:http:////unyit.edu/traingulation.htm
http://www.tele.sunyit.edu/triangulation.htm
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