I.

Definition of Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research is a scientific method of observation to gather non-numerical

data. It refers to the meanings, concepts, characteristics, metaphors, symbols and
descriptions of phenomena, and not to their counts or measures.

II. Purpose of Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research promotes a deep, holistic understanding of a particular

phenomenon.

III. Characteristics of Qualitative Research

1. Human understanding and interpretation in data analysis

2. Active, powerful, and forceful in data gathering and rephrasing interview

questions

3. Multiple research approaches and methods that allow you to plan your study and

being multi-method research

4. Specificity to generalization on specific ideas will lead to generalizations or

conclusions.

5. Contextualization - context or situation of an individual’s life

6. Diversified data in real-life situations on collecting data in a natural setting

7. Abounds with words and visuals that present people’s views in a picture, video,

drawing, or graph.

8. Internal analysis on examining the data yielded by the internal traits of the
subject

persons.
IV. Strengths of Qualitative Research

1. It adopts a naturalistic approach to its subject matter.

2. Promotes a full understanding of human behavior/personality traits in their

natural

setting.

3. It is instrumental in positive societal changes.

4. It engenders respect for people’s individuality.

5. it’s a way of understanding & interpreting social interactions.

6. Increases the researcher’s interest in the study.

7. Offers multiple ways of acquiring and examining knowledge about something.

V. Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

1. It involves a lot of researcher subjectivity in data analysis.

2. It is hard to know the validity/reliability of the data.

3. It is open-ended questions yield “data overload” that requires long-time analysis.

4. It is time-consuming.

5. It involves several processes, whose results greatly depend on the researcher’s

views or interpretations.

VI. Kinds of Qualitative Research2

1. Case Study - Long time study of a person, group, organization or situation

and an empirical inquiry that investigates current phenomenon.
Example: “Teenage Pregnancy in the Public High Schools”
2. Ethnography- a study of a particular cultural group.
Example: “Cultural Awareness and Integration of Peace Education in the
Indigenous Peoples (IP) Communities”
.
3. Phenomenology- “live-experienced” of a phenomenon.
Example: “Life without Gadget”

4. Content and Discourse Analysis-

 Content Analysis- is a research technique that analyzes the modes of
communication such as letters, e-mails, etc.

 Discourse Analysis- is the study of social life, understood through an

analysis of language it includes face-to-face talk, non-verbal
interaction, images, and symbols.

Materials for Discourse Analysis include books, newspapers,

periodicals, brochures, and advertisements.

Example: “A Discourse Analysis on the Impact of Modern Technologies on

Communication”

5. Historical Analysis- this is a qualitative method where there is an

examination of past events to draw conclusions and make predictions about
the future.

Example: “The Impact of Ferdinand Marcos’ Speech”

6. Grounded Theory- this takes place when there is a discovery of a new theory
that underlies your study at the time of data collection and analysis.
Example: “The Story Behind the Migration of Christians from Visayas and
Luzon to Mindanao”

7. Narrative Report - designed to present things or events that have happened

in the past through a logical progression of the relevant information. The
 main purpose of a narrative report is to present a factual depiction of what
has occurred.

Example: “Vocabulary Building of Students through Proper Solid Waste

Management”

8. Biography- is the study of an individual’s life and struggles and how they
reflect cultural themes of the society. It deals with an interesting story found
in documents and archival materials. It is concerned with the reconstruction
of life histories and the constitution of meaning based on biographical
narratives and documents.

 Five common types of biography are

(1) Scholarly Chronicles -focus on the historical portrayal of an individual
life.
e.g. “Biography of Gloria M. Arroyo, the First Woman President of the
Philippines”
(2) Intellectual Biography- narrative of a life through the conceptual analysis
of the subject’s motives and beliefs within the world of ideas.
e.g. “Life and Works of Dr. Jose Rizal”
(3) Life History Writing- recording of life memories, experiences, whether
one’s or another’s.
e.g. “The Hardships of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s)”.
(4) Memoir Biography- stylistic presentation of the biographer’s reflections
and insights in relation to the factual account of life.
e.g. “The Experiences of Stranded Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic”
(5) Narrative Biography-a nonfiction account of life experiences of a
person.

9. Action Research- is a classroom-based or school-based research seeks

transformative change through the process of taking action and doing
research, which are linked together by critical reflection. This type of
research is commonly conducted by the teachers to give solutions to the
existing problems to improve students’ academic performance and positive
attitudes.