Paper 502: Qualitative Research Methods

Presentation on Selecting a Research Topic, Writing a Title page and Abstract

Submitted to Dr. Sabiha Alam Choudhury, MZU
Submitted by R. Lalrinmawii (Amawii), Phd Scholar
MZU, MZU2101366
Choosing a Qualitative Research Topic

 In Qualitative research, the researcher usually starts with a broad area of interest.

 An early step in designing a research is to narrow down the broad general area of

interest to a specific topic, which will continually be refined as the research proceeds.

 Many iterations of the topic are needed, each time making the topic more specific,

until the precise purpose of the research and the research question to be answered by

the research are determined.

 There are many factors to be considered when choosing a topic.

 Smith (1948) suggests asking yourself questions such as: Can you sustain interest in

your topic for as long as it takes you to complete it? Will you be able to complete

your research in the time you can devote to it? Is the project practically possible?
Fig. 4 Steps to select a Suitable Qualitative Research Topic.

Choosing a Research Topic

 While planning to write a research paper on qualitative research topics, it is very

important that you pick the right topic, which challenges you and enables you to

explore the field. The following factors must be considered –

 Select a topic from your field of interest: Choosing a topic of your interest will ensure

that you stay motivated and that you give maximum effort to the research.

 Ensure there is supporting research on the topic: Choosing a topic with ample

literature to review will allow you to have a deep understanding of the topic and also

identify the gaps in knowledge.

  The topic is aligned with your university guidelines: Make sure your topic will be

approved by your supervisor and ultimately by your university before diving deep into

it.

 Make sure it is worth your time: If the topic is very cliché or over-researched, then

there is no point of conducting further research on it.

Ethical Issues

 Prior to committing yourself to conducting research on a specific topic in a particular

setting or with a social group, you should consider ethical issues related to your

choice.

 Although you cannot predict all of the ethical issues that could possibly arise from

your choice of a field research project, you can minimize such problems by asking

yourself a series of questions before finalizing where you will conduct your research.

 First, can the research you are considering be completed without deception?

Deception is tempting if you believe that participants in the setting will change their

behavior enough to make the research meaningless. If you think this will be the case,

you should select another project in order to avoid slipping into deceptive practices,

unless you have been granted a rare exception.

 Second, how difficult will it be to keep promises of confidentiality? confidentiality

issues are complex and particularly problematic for research on illegal, immoral, or

unethical behaviors. Virtual field research has more issues related to confidentiality

than might be readily apparent.

  Third, what are your chances of getting dirty hands during your research by

participating in illegal behavior or behavior that is against your own moral standards?

You need to be particularly careful about illegal behaviors because engaging in

research cannot be used as a legal defense for breaking the law.

 Fourth, what are the chances that your research will harm someone in the setting?

Even if you maintain confidentiality, can your presence in the setting be distressing to

group members? Might your final report bring unintended, negative consequences to

group members?

 Finally, could the project be harmful to your personal safety? Do the responses of

others to your race, ethnicity, gender, age, or sexuality put you at risk?

 It should be remembered that as with most aspects of field research, there is no

complete list of ethical issues to consider—nor is there a rulebook on how to resolve

ethical dilemmas in project selection.

Issues of Practicality

 One of the most practical issues of research is time. The time you think you will need

to complete your research is likely to be an underestimation. Keep in mind that even

fairly narrowly defined research topics undertaken by seasoned field researchers can

take years to complete.

 Think about your level of commitment to your topic. Will you be able to commit to

your selected topic of research despite many difficulties and obstacles? It is difficult

to maintain motivation for research you are excited about and much harder when you

feel so-so about it at the beginning.

  The interpersonal skills of the researcher has to be considered while selecting a topic

that will eventually lead to the development of a certain design.

Insider/Outsider Debate

 Some researchers are familiar with a group or setting that they conduct the research

in. They are called insiders. Those who are not familiar with the setting are called

outsiders.

 Research in unfamiliar settings might be more fruitful than research conducted in

familiar ones because cultural and social events in unfamiliar settings are easier to see

(Neuman, 1991, p. 344). Researchers with outsider status might be less biased by their

own view and less likely to ignore the perspectives of others if they do not have a

history with the group under study.

 Being an insider provides a firm foundation on which to build. Those who are

familiar with a setting may already have rapport with participants, understand the

nuances of language and behavioral expectations, and possess analytic insights into

the working of the setting.

 Research can be more exciting if you engage in research in an unfamiliar setting. At

the same time, it is advised to conduct research in places where questions that are both

of theoretical interest and substantively important can be answered.

Some Examples of Qualitative Research Topics

• Understanding how different industries have adapted to working from home.

 • Is a 6-day week more productive than a 5-day week format? In-depth qualitative

analysis of the IT industry.

• How has freelancing become a new field of interest among the youth in 2020?

• Is prison rehabilitation helpful for ex-convicts? Qualitative analysis of life after prison

for individuals in New South Wales.

• Why is the iPhone still a market leader in 2020 among teenagers?

• Why is PS5 preferred by gamers over Xbox Series X despite better specs and

competitive pricing?

• Are the amendments made in light of ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests enough?

Qualitative analysis of African- American Population in California.

Structure or Format of a Research Report

 Title Page

 Abstract

 Introduction

 Method

 Results

 Discussion

 References

 Appendix

 Author Note
The Title page: What is it?

 A research paper title page is the first page of your research paper.

 It is designed to be an indicator of the basic points of your project.

 The Title page gives the reader a first impression of your work.

 It should also be structured in a way that gives it a professional outlook.

 It basically contains three elements: title, author(s) and affiliation, as well as a running

head. (AK Singh 1996)

Tips for Writing a Good Title Page

 Don’t make it too lengthy. Keep your frontpage information to a bare minimum with

only the essentials being listed.

 Follow the prescribed format and make sure that you are abiding by the line spacing

rules. Make sure that all the minor details are correct.

 Avoid unnecessary capitalization. There is a tendency to put a capital letter in all

words of a title page, but this isn’t necessary and is seen as bad grammar by the

marker.

 Stay away from quantitative phrases like “impact of”, “effect of”, “relationship

between”, “influence of”, etc.

 Give the same attention to your title page as the rest of the paper. Make the effort to

print it on the same kind of paper, use the same font as the rest of your essay and use

the same sized lettering as you have used in throughout your project.
Characteristics of an Effective Research Title

 Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.

 Avoid using abbreviations.

 Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest.

 Use current nomenclature from the field of study.

 Identify key variables, both dependent and independent.

 May reveal how the paper will be organized.

 Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis.

 Is limited to 10 to 15 substantive words.

 Do not include "study of," "analysis of" or similar constructions.

 Titles are usually in the form of a phrase, but can also be in the form of a question.

 Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words capitalized,

including the first word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and

adverbs that appear between the first and last words of the title are also capitalized.

 In academic papers, rarely is a title followed by an exclamation mark. However, a title

or subtitle can be in the form of a question.

APA Format of Writing the Title Page

 According to the APA 7th edition guidelines, the title page for professional research

papers should include the following –

 Paper Title: Write an informative and striking title that summarizes the topic of your

paper. Try to keep the title focused and use relevant keywords. Place the title three or

four lines down from the top of the paper. Center align and bold it. Don’t forget to use

title case capitalization (capitalize the first letter of each word, except small words

such as articles and short prepositions).

 Author: Write the author’s name under the paper title (leave a blank line in between).

Give their full names (first name, middle initial(s) and last name), but don’t include

titles (Dr., Prof.) or degrees (Ph.D., MSc)

 When there are multiple authors on the title page, list the authors in order of their

contribution. If there are two authors, separate their names with the word “and”, like

this: ‘John T. Taylor and George Kotler’

 If there are more than two authors, separate their names with a comma. Only write

“and” before the last author, like this: ‘John T. Taylor, George Kotler, Dennis G.

Parker and Laura Johnson’

 Institutional Affiliation: Write the author’s affiliation on the next line under the author

names. Professional researchers should specify the department and institution where

they conducted their research.

 When there are multiple authors with different affiliations, use superscript numbers on

the author line to indicate which institution they’re affiliated with. Don’t use

superscript numbers if all authors are affiliated with the same institution (and

department).

 Author Note: This note may contain the author’s ORCID iD, affiliation changes,

disclosures of conflicts of interest, brief acknowledgments, and contact information

(in that specific order). Present this information in separate paragraphs.

 Place the author note on the bottom half of the page. Center the label “Author note”

and apply bold styling. The paragraphs in the author note are left-aligned. The first

line of each new paragraph is indented.

 Page Header: There is no need for a running head (as was the case in APA 6th

edition). A professional title page does have a running head. The running head is an

abbreviated version of the paper title in all capital letters. The maximum length is 50

characters (counting spaces).

P.T.O
Fig. Example of an APA title page.
The Abstract: What is it?

 An abstract is a short summary of your (published or unpublished) research

paper

 It is written in a separate sheet of paper, that is page 2. The first line is not

indented.

 It describes the study in about 100 to 150 words.

 It generally includes the problem under study, methods, characteristics of the

subject, research design, materials used, results as well as implications.

 References should not be cited in the abstract

Purpose of the Abstract

 A well-written abstract serves multiple purposes:

 An abstract lets readers get the gist or essence of your paper or article quickly, in

order to decide whether to read the full paper

 An abstract prepares readers to follow the detailed information, analyses, and

arguments in your full paper.

 An abstract helps readers remember key points from your paper.

 Although it may be tempting to write the abstract first, it is advised to write the

abstract until after the full paper has been drafted, so that you know what you are

summarizing.
Abstract Template for Qualitative Research

 Template Developed by Pat Goodson (2009), Ph.D. Texas A&M University / College

of Education and Human Development

 Adapted from the work by: Mikhailova, E.A. & Nilson, L.B. (2007). Developing

Prolific Scholars: The “Fast Article Writing” Methodology. Journal of Faculty

Development, 21 (2), 93 – 100.

 1 double-spaced page, 250 words

 Objective, or research question / problem being investigated: 1 – 2 sentences

   Rationale: 1 sentence

 Paradigmatic Approach: 1 – 2 sentences

 Methods: 1 – 2 sentences

 Theoretical Framework (when applicable) – 1

 Findings: 3 – 5 sentences (summarize major themes)

 Conclusion/Discussion: 1 – 2 sentences

 Keywords: list up to 6 words (Avoid repeating words in the title)

Abstract Template for Mixed Methods Research

 Objective, or research question / problem being investigated: 1 – 2 sentences

 Rationale: 1 sentence

 Paradigmatic Approach: 2 – 3 sentences

  Quantitative Methods: 1 – 2 sentences

 Qualitative Methods: 1 – 2 sentences

 Theoretical Framework (when applicable) – 1 sentence

 Findings - Quantitative: 2 – 3 sentences

 Findings - Qualitative: 2 – 3 sentences

 Conclusion/Discussion: 1 – 2 sentences

 Keywords: list up to 6 words (Avoid repeating words in the title)

Content of the Abstract

 The Society for Research in Rehabilitation (SRR) has given specific guidance on the

content of qualitative research abstracts. According to this, the abstract of any

Qualitative research paper should include the following –

 Research question/objective and design: clear statement of the research

question/objective and its relevance. Methodological or theoretical perspectives

should be clearly outlined.

 Population and sampling: who the subjects were and what sampling strategies were

used.

 Methods of data collection: clear exposition of data collection: access, selection,

method of collection, type of data, relationship of researcher to subjects/setting (what

data were collected, from where/whom, by whom).

 Data analysis: clear exposition of analytic process.  Clear definitions of concepts,

categories and themes, how these were developed and how they relate to data
 Quality of data and analysis: strategies to enhance quality of data analysis e.g.,

triangulation, respondent validation; and to enhance validity e.g., attention to negative

cases, consideration of alternative explanations, team analysis, peer review panels.

 Findings: overview of important findings, moving towards interpretation rather than

simple summaries of themes where possible e.g., by linking to theory.

 Application of critical thinking to analysis: attention to the influence of the researcher

on data collected and on analysis. Critical approach to the status of data collected

 Theoretical and empirical context: evidence that design and analysis take into account

and add to previous knowledge

 Conclusions: justified in relation to data collected, sufficient original data presented to

substantiate interpretations, reasoned consideration of transferability to

groups/settings beyond those studied

Fig. Sample of a Qualitative Research Paper Abstract

Sample Abstract of a Qualitative Study

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify factors that college students perceived

as contributing to healthy and unhealthy eating patterns, physical activity (PA) levels, and

weight change. Participants: Forty-nine 18- to 22-year-old students at a Midwestern

university participated. Methods: Six focus groups (3 with each gender) were conducted,

and data were analyzed using qualitative software to code and categorize themes and then

reduce these to clusters according to commonly practiced methods of qualitative analysis.

Results: Eating and PA behaviors appear to be determined by a complex interplay

between motivations and self-regulatory skills as well as the unique social and physical

environment comprising college life. Moreover, there appear to be gender differences in

how these determinants impact behavior. Conclusions: Future research should examine

these interactions in the college context in order to further our understanding of potential

interventions or environmental modifications that support healthy eating and PA.

References

 Venkatesh S. (2008). A Guide to Qualitative Field Research. SAGE Publications, Inc.

 Newhart M. (2018).Understanding Research Methods : an overview of the essentials.

Routledge
 Singh A.K. (2019). Tests, Measurements and Research methods in Behavioural

Sciences. Bharati Bhawan

 http://study.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/Goodson%20Template_0.doc

 https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/writing-an-abstract-for-your-research-

paper/

 https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/apa-title-page/

 https://www.bachelorprint.eu/academic-writing/cover-page/title-page/

 https://researchpaperwriter.net/research_paper_titles/

 https://www.totalassignmenthelp.com/blog/qualitative-research-topics/

 https://www.totalassignmenthelp.com/blog/qualitative-research-topics/