Nature and Scope of Qualitative Research Methods

Introduction

• Research aims to discover answers to questions using systematic techniques.

• Qualitative examination seeks answers by investigating diverse social settings and the groups or individuals within these settings.

• Qualitative research focuses on how people organize themselves and their environments.

• It studies how members of these settings arrange their ecological variables through symbols, customs, social structures, social positions, etc.

• The researcher stresses the importance of interpreting what is happening to understand the whole society and the meaning it holds for participants.

• The key message from qualitative researchers is that events can only be understood when placed in a broader social and historical context.

Nature and Scope of Qualitative Research

• Qualitative research requires clear research questions that mostly focus on participants’ understanding of meanings and social action in a specific setting.

• There is a close link between the researcher’s objectives and their theoretical frameworks, which include past studies, findings, and theories relevant to the topic.

• Qualitative research addresses different questions than quantitative research; it explores how and why factors connect by examining participants’ explanations or accounts.

• Quantitative research typically answers questions like “How many?”, “What are the causes?”, and “What is the strength of relationships between variables?”

• Despite different focuses, both methodologies often aim to understand a specific phenomenon and can be complementary.

• Methodological decisions in qualitative research depend on case selection, data collection, and data analysis methods.

• The researcher becomes deeply immersed in the contextual details of the setting.

• Qualitative research requires linking research questions to methods, coordinating research design and data collection, and being clear about the research purpose.

• Researchers prefer an iterative process where hypothesis and concept development occur alongside data collection.

• Qualitative methods allow respondents to highlight issues important to them, explaining how these affect their daily lives, work approach, and job satisfaction.

• Ethnographers aim to provide detailed descriptions of social settings.

• Qualitative research emphasizes contextualism, aiming to understand events and behaviors within their specific context.

• Detailed everyday data, though seemingly trivial, helps understand what is happening and reveals layers of social reality.

• Descriptions help frame the setting for understanding subjects, enabling the researcher to develop analyses that do justice to the milieu.

• The open and unstructured nature of qualitative research increases the chance of discovering unexpected, relevant issues.

• Participant observation fits well as researchers become immersed and can delay analysis until fully familiar with the setting.

• The open approach allows access to significant, unforeseen topics that might otherwise be missed.

• Researchers’ social background and disciplinary training influence their approach, choice of questions, techniques, and methodologies.

• Qualitative research is especially suited to studying context and is effective for understanding change processes—whether organizational or interpersonal—by examining how changes affect daily practices and communications.

Characteristics

• Research is conducted in real or natural settings, closely engaging with participants by observing their behavior and interactions with minimal disturbance.

• Data collection happens in the field, where participants experience the issue under investigation.

• The goal is to provide in-depth descriptions of people’s behavior and thoughts, capturing social meanings from an insider perspective.

• Researchers build rapport with participants to encourage open and honest communication about sensitive issues.

• Qualitative research is flexible; research questions and focus may evolve during data collection as new ideas and important issues emerge.

• Initial research plans may change as the researcher immerses deeper into the subject or phenomenon.

• Researchers use multiple sources of data like interviews, observations, documents, audio, and visual materials instead of relying on a single source.

• Data is mostly open-ended, allowing participants to express their thoughts freely without being constrained by preset scales or instruments.

• During analysis, researchers organize and code all data sources into themes that cut across the entire dataset.

• The research follows an inductive approach, starting with organizing data into conceptual units and developing themes based on the data.

• Researchers then apply deductive reasoning by reviewing the data to confirm themes or identify the need for further data collection.

• The process begins inductively but includes significant deductive elements as analysis progresses.

Distinction between Quantitative – Qualitative Research

• Quantitative research uses numbers and statistical methods for analysis of social life, while qualitative research uses words and narratives for analysis.

• In quantitative research, the researcher frames the investigation structure and controls participant involvement; in qualitative research, understanding comes through the perspectives of participants.

• Quantitative researchers remain distant with a more formal investigation and less participant interaction; qualitative researchers have a close, informal relationship with participants.

• Quantitative research tests theories and concepts based on a theoretical framework guiding data collection; qualitative research allows theories and concepts to emerge from data.

• Quantitative research presents a static picture of social reality, emphasizing connections between variables; qualitative research depicts social life as a process, unfolding over time with interconnected participant actions.

• Quantitative research is highly structured, investigating problems based on predefined concepts; qualitative research is unstructured, allowing new concepts and meanings to emerge during data collection.

• Quantitative findings are generally generalizable; qualitative research requires contextual understanding of social life through specific settings.

• Quantitative data is hard, reliable, and measurable; qualitative data is rich, deep, and interpretative due to its contextual nature.

• Quantitative research focuses on macro-level, large-scale connections between variables; qualitative research focuses on micro-level, small-scale aspects of social settings.

• Quantitative research is conducted in artificial, controlled settings; qualitative research takes place in natural environments.