Lesson 3

A CLOSER LOOK ON QUALITATIVE

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, I can:
 Describe the characteristics, strengths, weaknesses of qualitative
research; and
 Classify and describe the kinds of qualitative research.

MOTIVATE
In the previous lessons, you have learned that qualitative
research is an empirical process of solving problems using
obtained from in-depth observation and interviews from a group of
people or set of documents.

Frankael and Wallen (2010) defined qualitative research as

studies that investigate the quality of relationship, activities,
situations, or materials. The setting of the research is a direct
source of information in which the research is a direct source of
information in which the researhcer has a big role in the entire
research process. It is subjective which is highly dependent on the
participants’ point of view. Qualitative research does not rely on
numbers but rather on ideas and meanings that will be interpreted
in order to form generalizations and possible constructs and
theory.

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 ORGANIZE
Now let’s learn more about the characteristics of a qualitative
research. Bogdan and Bikle (2007) cited in the book of Fraenkel
and Wallen (2010) outlined the main features of qualitative research.
These are the following.

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

1. The Researcher has an important role in qualitative research

The researcher goes directly to the place where the study is being
conducted. As a qualitative researcher, you will have to spend time in
the actual location interviewing, observing, and taking down notes
about the participants of the study. Usually, a researcher uses paper
and pen and/or audio and voice taping equipment. The data collected
are primarily from the scene ad are verified through interviews. This is
a clear indication that the setting is the primary source of data and
information. This is also done by the researcher in order to feel and
experience the actual activities and situations the participants are
doing in the actual location. However, you have to take note that the
participants should be protected and treated with respect during the
entire procedure.

2. Qualitative data are gathered and presented in a form of words,

descriptions, pictures, or meanings, and not in numbers.
This is basically the difference between a qualitative and
quantitative research. As a qualitative researcher, you have to be a
keen observer. You have to take note of every detail – even the
gestures and facial expressions of the participants, especially during
interviews. You can collect data like notes, photographs, anecdotes,
comments, or anything that can help you better understand the
participants.

3. Qualitative researcher is concerned with the process involved.

As a qualitative researcher, you are concerned with the interaction
of your participants with each other or to the situations they are in.
These interactions convey meanings and symbols which can be
interpreted into words or ideas. It is your duty as a qualitative
researcher to take note of these clearly so as to get substantial
information.

4. Inductive reasoning is used in analyzing qualitative data.

As a qualitative researcher, you are not expected to formulate
hypothesis at the start of your study. Hypotheses are defined and
formulate hypothesis as the study progresses. This means that you
are constructing concepts and meanings based on your interpretation
at the end of the study.

5. Qualitative researcher is concerned with meanings and

interpretations.
As a qualitative researcher, you are aiming to determine the
perceptions and thoughts of the participants and giving reasons to
these meanings through interviews and observations.

Qualitative research has numerous strengths and weaknesses when

conducted properly. However, it is also has its own share of
limitations as a research strategy. The following (adapted

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from Anderson, 2010) are some of the strengths and limitations
of a qualitative research:

Qualitative Research
Strengths
Issues can be examined in
detail and in depth
Interviews are not restricted
to specific questions and can
be guided/redirected by the
researcher in real time
The research framework and
direction can be quickly revised
as new information emerges
The data based on human
experience that is obtained is
powerful and sometimes more
compelling than quantitative
data
Subtleties and complexities
about the research subjects
and/or topic are discovered
that are often missed by more
positivistic enquiries.
Data usually are collected from
a few cases or individuals so
findings cannot be generalized
to a larger population. Findings
can be however be
transferable to another
setting.
Limitations
Research quality is heavily
dependent on the individual
skills of the researcher and
more easily influenced by the
researcher’s personal biases
and idiosyncrasies
Rigor is more difficult to
maintain, assess and
demonstrate.
The volume of data makes
analysis and interpretation
time consuming.
It is sometimes not as well
understood and accepted as
quantitative research within
the scientific community.
The researcher’s presence
during data gathering, which is
often unavoidable in qualitative
research, can affect the
subjects’ responses.
Issue of anonymity and
confidentiality can present
problems when presenting
findings.
Findings ca be more difficult
and time consuming to
characterize in a visual way.

Basically, the goal of qualitative research is to provide answers as to

why and how people come to make to certain decisions. There are
several different approaches to undertaking qualitative research.
Below are five of the most common qualitative research
approaches.

Qualitative Research Approaches

1. Ethnography
The ethnographic approach to qualitative research is basically
derived from anthropology. In this approach, the ethnographer studies
the entire culture of a particular group. Although ethnography was
initially concerned with geographic location and ethnicity, the definition
has expanded to include pretty much any organization of group; thus,
ethnographic research is no longer limited to ethnic groups. The most
common immersed in the culture study as an active participant, taking
extensive notes about observations and impressions.

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 2. Phenomenology
This qualitative research approach explores the world of the
participants by gaining thoughts, insights, and perceptions to a
particular phenomenon. The researcher tries to investigate an
individual’s thoughts and perceptions and find the common ground to
every experience. This is what we called essence in which every
researcher wants to identify and describe. In phenomenology, the
participants relive their experiences in order to obtain the very
essence of these thoughts and perceptions. Some of the possible
topics that can be studied using phenomenology are the experiences
of athletes who played in the national and international events,
student-artists who joined art competitions, students who volunteer in
relief operations, and probably teachers who are teaching in remote
areas.

3. Narrative Research
This is qualitative research that narrates the life-experiences of an
individual told to the research or from available document or material.
Narrative research highlights special events in the individual’s life.
This could either be biography or autobiography. In biography, the
researchers narrate the experiences of other person, while in
autobiography, the written account of the individual who is subject of
the study.

4. Grounded theory
This qualitative research approach aims to generate a theory from
the data which are analyzed and interpreted inductively. The theory
that can be generated does not start from the beginning but only
surfaced after all data have been analyzed but only surfaced after all
data have been analyzed inductively. This is the result of thorough
interviews and observations. Some of the topics that can be used
using grounded theory study are the system of disciplines of skilled
workers and how coaches maintain discipline among his team
players.

5. Case study
This qualitative research approach presents a detailed analysis of
a specific case. Usually, a case is an individual, or one group of
people or one school. The researcher focuses only on one particular
case. For example, you can perform a case study on a student who
excels both in math and science, or, on student who is poor in reading
and yet a black belter in taekwondo.

In this lesson, you have learned the characteristics of qualitative

research. You have also described its strengths and limitations and
the different approaches used in qualitative research. This module
also gives you some examples of possible topics for qualitative
research and shows the overview of how observations and analysis of
data are done.

VALIDATE
E
Read the passage below and answer the guide questions that
follow.

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 A researcher wanted to determine the in-depth reasons of child labor.
The study focused on a group of children aged 6-12 who are
collecting plastic bottles, scraps, metals, and other
materials that can be sold to a junk shop. The researcher observed
and interviewed one of the children on the actual site where the children
are looking and collecting junks. In one of their conversations:

Researcher: Why are you not in school?

Interviewee: Walang pera pang-school. (No money to attend school)
Researcher: But, education in a public school is free.
Interviewee: Oo nga, kaso kailangan naming mabuhay. Di kaya ng
magulang naming nap ag-aralin kaming
magkakapatid. Kailangan naming kumain,
kaya nangongolekta kami nga basura. (Yes, but we need
to live. Besides, my parents cannot afford sending my
other brothers and sisters to school at the
same time. We need to eat that’s why I’m collecting
these scraps.)

Guide Questions:

1. If you were the researcher, what do you think will be your next
question to ask?
_ i just need to ask is how hard is to obey the laws of the
government cause many people didn't
obeyed.________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______

2. What can you say to your interviewee on his attitude toward school
and work?
_I THINK ALL IS THAT ITS SO UNFORTUNATE TO LIVE IN SUCH
A YOUNG AGE.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

3. What concepts can you get from the conversation?

_
CONVERSATION ANALYSIS CAUSE IT APPROACH TO THE
STUDY OF SOCIAL INTERACTION AND TALK IN
INTERACTION.___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
___________

ENGAGE
Give what is asked on each item. Write your answers on the space
provided below.

A. Define the following approaches in your own words:

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 1. Ethnography

STUDY OF A PARTICULAR HUMAN SOCIETY OR THE PROCESS

OF MAKING SUCH A STUDY
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

2. Phenomenology

IT MAY BE DEFINED INITIALLY AS THE STUDY OF

STRUCTURES OF EXPERIENCE OR
CONCIOUSNESS._____________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
_______________

3. Narrative Research
__ Narrative research is a term that subsumes a group
of approaches that in turn rely on the written or
spoken words or visual representation of individuals.
These approaches typically focus on the lives of
individuals as told through their own
stories._____________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
_____

4. Grounded Theory
_____  defined as the systematic methodology used in
many social sciences which involves the construction
of theories through methodical gathering and analysis
of
data.________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

5. Case study
_ A case study is a qualitative research approach
where multiple methods of data collection are used for
a detailed examination of a single 'case'. A case is a
single unit in a
study. ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
_____

B. Given the following topics, what approach is the most appropriate to

use?
1. Story of a famous mathematician
_PHENOMENOLOGY___________________________________
____________

2. Working habits of a carpenter

_CASE
STUDY______________________________________________
_

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 3. Attitude problem of a 16-year old boy
__NARRATIVE
RESEARCH__________________________________________
____

4. How a military general disciplines his children

ETHNOGRAPHY______________________________________
__________

5. Mental models of chemistry among Chavacanos

_GROUNDED
THEORY_____________________________________________
__

C. Which among the five approaches to qualitative research do you like

to conduct? Why?
__I PREFER ETHNOGRAPHY BECAUSE ITS A STUDY OF
HUMAN
SOCIETY________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_____

MY TREASURE

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