Introduction to Qualitative

Research
Sal
EDUC 8122 a am
!

Dr Nirmala Narayan, Ph.D.

The George Washington
University
Graduate School of Education
 CLASS OVERVIEW
Changes to Syllabus & Final Project
LECTURE ~
Final project: Steps
Basic Interpretive Design
Group Work: Work on Final Project
 STEPS (SECTIONS)
FOR YOURThe proposal begins with about a
PROPOSALhalf page introduction reminding
Step ONE
INTRODU the reader of the problem and
CTION purpose of the study, followed by
your research questions. You might
also tellyou
Here the will tell
reader us topics
what that you
plan to cover
you are in this
doing chapter (that
a qualitative
is, design of the study, sample
Step TWO DESIGN OF study, what some
selection, and so on).
of the
THE defining characteristics of a
STUDY qualitative study are.
p #1 RESEARCH PROPOSAL: introduct

1. We need to better understand . . . (the

topic)
2. We know little about . . . (the topic)
3. For these reasons, I propose to study . . .
(purpose)
4. The setting and participants are
Mention that your study is qualitative
research. Once you decide on the appropriate
qualitative design to use you can insert the
name of the design.
Use an action verb to convey how you will
learn about your topic, such as understand,
describe, develop, discover, or generate.
The purpose statement is the overall objective or
intent of the study. It is the most important statement
in your qualitative study.

The purpose of this __________ (qualitative

approach) study is (will be) to __________ (action
verb—understand, describe, develop, discover, etc.)
__________ (the central topic being studied) for
__________ (the participants) at __________ (the
research site).
Research Questions
The research questions then narrow the purpose statement
to specific questions you will answer by collecting and
analyzing data.
There are two types of research questions in qualitative
research: the central question and sub-questions
A central question is a single general question that reframes
the purpose into a specific question. This central question is
the broadest question that can be asked.

The central question begins with a word such as how or

what.
Central Question
How do secondary school students describe their
experiences with academic pressures in their in their lives?

SUB-QUESTIONS:The central question can then be made

more specific by writing sub-questions that subdivide the
central question into parts or topics. These sub-questions
then become the major questions used during your
qualitative data collection procedures

SUB QUESTIONS
a. What are the kinds of stresses experienced by the participants
 IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY WE
USUALLY USE PURPOSEFUL
Step SAMPLE SAMPLING OR PURPOSIVE sampling.
THREE FIRST define purposeful sampling, then
SELECTION tell us the criteria you will use to select
Finally, tell us precisely your
howsample, providing
you will go abouta rationale
getting for each
your
sample, and approximately criterion
how(Chapter 4, Merriam Tissdale)
many participants you will
have in your study ( We recognize that you cannot determine
this precisely ahead of time, but we like to have some idea).

Begin with an introductory paragraph

identifying which data
Step FOUR DATA collection method(s) you will use in you
study. Example: Interviews
COLLECTIO Tell us what a research interview is, th
N different types, and which
type you plan to use. Most qualitative
Step FIVE VALIDITY AND
RELIABILITY

What strategies will you build into your study to ensure that your study is
trustworthy—that is, that it is valid and reliable? Triangulation is a common
strategy, as is the audit trail and especially member checks. Tell us how to
think about external validity
(generalizability), because in a qualitative study the reader will not be able to
generalize in the statistical sense.
Basic Interpretive Design
 Methodology:
A central characteristic
InterpretiveofDesign
all qualitative
research is that individuals construct reality in
interaction with their social worlds.
Qualitative researchers conducting a basic
qualitative study would be interested in
1) how people interpret their experiences,
2) how they construct their worlds
3) what meaning they attribute to their
experiences.
 Methodology:
Interpretive Design
Basic qualitative studies can be found
throughout the disciplines and in applied fields
of practice.
They are probably the most common form of
qualitative research found in education. Data
are collected through
1. Interview (1-on-1, focus group)
2. Documents/artifacts
 Methodology:
Interpretive Design
Takes place in the natural setting
Uses multiple methods that are interpretive
Fundamentally interpretive (role of researcher as
interpreter)
Researcher systematically reflects on who he or she is in the
inquiry and is sensitive to how or her personal biography
and how it shapes the study
Researcher adopts and uses one or more strategies of inquiry
 Methodology:
Interpretive Design
Establish the general problem to be investigated
Stating the purpose of the study
Develop a conceptual/theoretical framework for the
study (as appropriate)
Formulate general and specific research questions
(aims and objectives)
 Methodology:
Interpretive Design
Ensure trustworthiness of the study
Determine data collection methods and develop
data collection tools
Establish how data will be managed and
analyzed
Interpretation and discussion of findings
 Methodology:
Strengths
Interpretive Design
Research done in natural settings
Emphasis on participants interpretations and meanings
Seek deep understanding of participants’ world
‘Thick Description’ (Clifford Geertz)
Humanizing research process by raising the role of the
researched
High levels of flexibility in research process
 Methodology: Basic Interpretive Design

Concerns/Disadvantages

Subjective -- nature of data collection and analysis

Observations may be selectively reported making it
impossible to gauge the extent to which they are
typical
Very time consuming