Qualitative Research

Methods Training
Public Policy in Africa Initiative
Benjamin Fields, Betel Woldu, Nana
Afua Yeboah, Tim Klustner, Rohail
Salman, Benita Kayembe and Hugue
Nkoutchou
 Social Media

● Please with all of us on LinkedIn:

○ Follow the PPiA page!
○ Connect with all of the contributors for this training: Hugue, Benjamin, Betel, Tim, Nana, Benita and Rohail.
● Use hashtags #PPiAI, #PPiAITraining, and #PPiAIPeaceMovement. This will help everyone stay in
touch, promotes collaboration, and gives us the ability to track impact.
● Please, share the most insightful parts of today’s training as well as your ideas for research
projects. As PPiA grows, so does impact! You never know who you may have the chance to work
with, or which paid opportunity could be shared with you.
● Please endorse and recommend each other on LinkedIn!
Here are some African proverbs…

“Only a fool test the depth of a river with no feet.”

“Examine what is said, not who is speaking.”

“Knowledge is a garden. If it isn't’ cultivated, you can't harvest it.”

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Sampling
4. Data
5. Interview Methods
6. Ethics
7. Discussion
What is your goal for this training?

Please submit in the chat

Our Goals

1. Create knowledge about qualitative research methods and how/why they’re useful

2. Connect with like-minded leaders to solve problems

Introduction
 Qualitative Research =

Focus on individual’s (one or multiple) POV, experience, attitudes, and

beliefs

How is this
different from
quantitative
research?
 4
Research Design
7
3

Rank in
chronological
order

5 2

1
6
 What is it?

Qualitative research is a type of research that aims to gather and analyse non-numerical (descriptive)
data in order to gain an understanding of individuals' social reality, including understanding their
attitudes, beliefs, and motivation. Qualitative research is often used to explore complex phenomena or to
gain insight into people's experiences and perspectives on a particular topic. It is particularly useful when
researchers want to understand the meaning that people attach to their experiences or when they want
to uncover the underlying reasons for people's behavior.

Paraphrase:
what is Qual
Research?
Diagram/state
the differences
between
Quan/Qual
research
Why this training is important to you!

1. Can be done without or with little money or resources.

2. Can help with particular African issues, and approach them from an African perspective.
3. Can help bring research and knowledge into the hands of the community.
4. Can innovate and have a larger impact, and can create domestic research community and engine;
for example, why are we not trying to compete with things like academic impact or the number of
patents here in Africa?
Most Common Uses: Humanities and Social Sciences

● Anthropology,
● Sociology,
● Education,
● Health Sciences,
● History,
● Management,
● and more…
 General Process

1. Obtaining the data.

2. Preparing and organizing the data.
3. Reducing the data into themes.
4. Presenting the data in narrative or graphic form.

Why is Step #3
important?
Research Questions
As mentioned above, it may be useful to remember that qualitative research is concerned with finding
answers to the HOW and WHY questions.

Desired Characteristics:

● Clarity
● Complexity
● Relevance
● Applicability
 Hypotheses and Literature Reviews

● Derived from theory ● Include reputable academic publications

● Educated guess about the nature of the ● Identify common themes or problems
relationship ● Note the methods that other authors have
● State in temporary order; predictor used on similar topics
variables presented before dependent ● Include reference information
variable
● Does not have to be endless! Especially if
● Null hypothesis: define
you are earlier in your careers and not paid
● Alternative hypothesis: define
lucratively for it.
What is theory?

Interrelated set of constructs, variables, hypotheses or propositions that offer an explanation for the
problem identified in the problem statement. It allows the systematic view and lens of viewing a
problem/phenomenon. It must be falsifiable (use a null hypothesis) and it drives the observation.
 Variables

● Measurement holding at least two distinct values,

● Values describe item of interest,
● Mutually exclusive,
● Exhaustive,
● Directly observable.

Examples:

● Subjective: Coworker support, autonomy, job satisfaction, etc.

● Directly Observable: Mental representations based upon experience feelings, attitudes, etc.
Methodologies & Methods
Research Methodology and Methods
Research Methodology:
● Overall framework and systematic approach used by researchers.
● Guides the research process from formulating questions to interpreting results.
● Encompasses principles, theories, and concepts.
● Establishes the foundation for conducting research.

What’s the difference

Research Methods:
●
●
Specific techniques, tools, and procedures employed within the chosen methodology.
Practical steps or strategies to gather and analyze data.
between Methodology
●
●
Address research objectives and answer research questions.
Serve as the practical tools to execute research.
and Methods?

Difference:
● Research Methodology:
● Deals with the overall design and theoretical perspective.
● Establishes the "what" and "why" of the study.
● Sets the broad framework and strategy.

● Research Methods:
● Focuses on specific techniques and procedures.
● Provides the practical tools for data collection and analysis.
● Addresses the "how" of the study.
Qualitative Methodologies and Methods

Methodologies Methods

● Action Research ● Interviews

● Case Study ● Field Notes
● Ethnography ● Focus Groups
● Grounded Theory ● Observation
● Historical Model ● Document Analysis
● Narrative Research ● Content Analysis
● Phenomenology
Grounded Theory

Why is Step 2
(Categories)
important?
Ethnography

One of the most popular methods! It occurs when a researcher embeds themself into
the daily life and routine of the subject or subjects.

● Researchers can be active an participant or an observer.

● Researchers experience customs, traditions, mannerisms, reactions to situations
first hand for different time periods.
● Geographical constraints could hinder things.
Phenomenology

● Used to study an event or activity as it happens from different angles.

● Using interviews, videos, on site visits, one can add to existing information using
perspectives and insights from the participants themselves about the activity or
event.
● It is primarily an experience or perception based research method
Narrative

Researcher gathers data or facts from one or two subjects through interview
documents etc over a period of time.

● Chronology important
● Focuses on the experience of individual
● Based on a theme these are then pierced together not necessarily in the same
sequence to derive answers and suggestions
 Historical Model
● Historical studies identify, locate, evaluate
and synthesize data from the past. Historical
research helps researchers understand why
something happened and what its impact
was. Researchers can use this data to predict
the future or understand the past better.
● You can find data for historical research in
documents or relics and artifacts. These
include books, published works such as
newspapers and older texts and letters from
people who lived during certain periods.
● Historical data sources can be primary and
secondary sources. Primary sources provide
direct information or evidence, while
secondary sources contain indirect
information.
Observation

Observation happens when researchers observe participants in natural and or

structured environment. Why? What people say is not always what they do!

Four roles:

1. Complete participant What’s the

2. Participant as observer difference between
3. Observer as participant roles 2 and 3?
4. Complete observer
 Documents

● Personal written or recorded for

private purposes.
● Letters diaries family pictures.
● Official documents written or
recorded by organizations.
● Newspapers annual reports
yearbooks minutes.
Sampling
 Recruiting Participants

● This makes or breaks the strength of your research, as it is a huge determinant

when thinking about bias.
● You want to make sure you are accurately representing the population that you
are trying to draw conclusions on.
● It needs to be feasible and cost effective!
● You do not need to sample everyone.
Purposive sampling

● Maximum variation sampling

● Homogenous sample selection
● Extreme case sampling
● Typical case sampling
● Critical case sampling
● Negative case sampling
● Opportunistic sampling
● Mixed purposeful sampling
The Four Main Types of Data
Interviews
 Focus Groups

What data is
being collected?
Documents
Observations
Interview Methods
Interviews and Types

● Structured Standardized Open-Ended Interview

● Semi-Structured Interview Guide Approach
● Unstructured Informal Conversational Interview

There are tradeoffs! These center around flexibility and spontaneity, the quality of
data, and ease of analysis.
Good Interview Practices

● It is not a normal conversation! The interviewee should be doing most of the

talking.
● Give the interviewee time to think and respond; don’t interrupt.
● Use probes and follow up questions for clarity and deep responses.
Crafting Interview Questions

● Avoid academic jargon and confusing terminology.

● Avoid leading questions where answer is embedded in question.
● Avoid interpretive questions.
● Avoid fact questions or yes or no.
● No word limits.

Harvard Guide:
Focus Groups
Group discussion of particular topic of
interest.

Why do one and not interview

individually?

● Effective for exploring ideas and

botaining in-depth information
● Gathering opinions, beliefs, and
attitudes about the topic
● Test assumptions
● Encourages discussion about topic
Interview Transcripts

● Verbatim transcription: EVERYTHING.

● Intelligent transcription: remove pauses, status, and filler words while touching
up grammar.
● Edited transcription: This is cleaned up for readability and clarity. You can edit
grammar, sentence structure, and summarize.
Coding Interviews
Ethics Principles
● Respect for persons requires a commitment to ensuring the autonomy of research
participants, and, where autonomy may be diminished, to protect people from exploitation
of their vulnerability. The dignity of all research participants must be respected. Adherence
to this principle ensures that people will not be used simply as a means to achieve research
objectives.
● Beneficence requires a commitment to minimizing the risks associated with research,
including psychological and social risks, and maximizing the benefits that accrue to research
participants. Researchers must articulate specific ways this will be achieved.
● Justice requires a commitment to ensuring a fair distribution of the risks and benefits
resulting from research. Those who take on the burdens of research participation should
share in the benefits of the knowledge gained. Or, to put it another way, the people who are
expected to benefit from the knowledge should be the ones who are asked to participate.
 Informed Consent
In general, data collection activities that require more than casual interaction with a person require individual
informed consent from that person, regardless of whether community-level permissions exist. Examples of
such activities include in-depth interviews and focus groups. The person should be told:
the purpose of the research
● what is expected of a research participant, including the amount of time likely to be required for
participation
● expected risks and benefits, including psychological and social
● the fact that participation is voluntary and that one can withdraw at any time with no negative
repercussions
● how confidentiality will be protected
● the name and contact information of the local lead investigator to be contacted for questions or
problems related to the research
● the name and contact information of an appropriate person to contact with questions about one’s rights
as a research participant (usually the chair of the local ethics committee overseeing the research)
 Confidentiality and Anonymity
● Anonymity: the researcher doesn't even know who the participants are
● Confidentiality: the researcher knows who participants are but remove identifying
information (especially from the research report)
 Social Media
● Please with all of us on LinkedIn:
○ Follow the PPiA page!
○ Connect with all of the contributors for this training: Hugue, Benjamin,
Betel, Tim, Nana and Rohail.
● Use hashtags #PPiAI, #PPiAITraining, and #PPiAIPeaceMovement. This will help
everyone stay in touch, promotes collaboration, and gives us the ability to track
impact.
● Please, share the most insightful parts of today’s training as well as your ideas
for research projects. As PPiA grows, so does impact! You never know who you
may have the chance to work with, or which paid opportunity could be shared
with you.
● Please endorse and recommend each other on LinkedIn!
Data Collection!

[Link]

Please fill out our short survey (in the chat)

Put your LinkedIn info in the chat (as you’re comfortable)

Discussion
Discussion Questions

1. Why is qualitative data important?

2. How would you use qualitative data to make recommendations?

3. How do quantitative and qualitative data complement/work together?