Article Type
Article
Reference
How the research
question was
addressed
Justification of the
methodology
Sampling
procedures
Procedures for
implementation
Data analysis
procedures
Validity
Issues/Human
as Instrument
Recommendations
Ethnographic
Interview
Article
Dobbs, D.,
Eckert, J. K.,
Rubinstein, B.,
Keimig, L.,
Clark, L.,
Frankowski, A.
C., &
Zimmerman, S.
(2008). An
ethnographic
study of stigma
and ageism in
residential care
or assisted
living. The
Gerontologist,
48(4), 517-526.
There is no specific
question stated, but
the researchers do
state the purpose of
the research: to
examine stigma in
the Residential
Care-Assisted
Living (RC-AL)
setting. There is
also a reference to
the need for this
study due to the
implications for
future patient care
that it may provide.
The researchers do
not state a reason
for their use of
qualitative
methodology. The
researchers want to
examine lived
experiences of
transition of the
participants in the
study.
6 RC-AL were
purposively
selected to
represent a range
of setting types
(small,
traditional, and
new-model).
Resident
participants were
selected based on
their likelihood
for transitions
over the recent
or upcoming
months (into,
within, out of
RC-AL).
Observations and
interviews were
conducted for over a
4-year period.
Researchers used a
semi-structured
interview guide.
Some participants
were interviewed
several times over
months. The avg.
interview length was
1 hour and 15
minutes.
Observations were
also conducted by
one or two
ethnographers
(depending on the
size of the location)
for several hours
each week.
Transcripts were
entered into a database
(Atlas.ti 5.0). Coding
was collaborative.
Researchers,
ethnographers, and
research assistants
independently coded
using a coding scheme
from group
discussions, then the
group met to discuss
results and talk
through differences.
Word searches and
queries of coding
categories were used
in the database tool.
Group review and
discussion was also
used.
I thought this study
was well planned
and implemented.
I think the write-up
may have been
improved with the
addition of a
subjectivity
statement,
especially due to
the emotional
subject matter.
Pellegrino, A.
M. (2010). Preservice teachers
and classroom
authority.
American
Secondary
Education,
38(3), 62-78.
The researcher
states the aim of the
study: to examine,
through the
experiences of five
pre-service
secondary social
studies teachers, the
challenges of
establishing
classroom authority
in order to attain a
healthy learning
environment. The
study is also framed
with theory on
authority.
There is no stated
reason for the use
of qualitative
methodology. The
researcher does,
however, quote
sources that
support the use of
methods in
addition to that of
observation for a
more complete
picture of the
phenomenon.
The researcher
uses 5 student
teachers in three
high schools as
his sample. The
sample is most
probably a
convenience
sample; the
researcher is also
the student
teachers’
university
supervisor.
The researcher
observes the student
teachers in teaching
situations for at least
5 hours each.
Reflective
discussions are also
conducted for a
minimum of 3 hours
with each student
teacher. A 1-hour
focus group and a
14-question survey
were also used. The
student teachers also
kept a reflective
journal of their
teaching.
Data were coded based
on theoretical
framework. Data were
examined for
emergent categories.
Final member
checking with
participants and
mentor teachers was
conducted.
The researchers
briefly address
trustworthiness
as being
enhanced by the
researchers’
ability to
interview
participants
multiple times
over months.
The total number
of interviews
(353) and
observations
(338) contribute
to the
trustworthiness
of the findings.
The analysis of
data was
extensive and
collaborative.
The researchers
do not state their
subjectivities in
this article.
The researcher
does use final
member
checking to
support themes.
The findings also
indicate the
discrepancies
between
interview
responses,
survey data, and
observations.
The researcher
noted the
necessity of
additional data
(beyond the
observational
data) to present a
Participant
Observation
Article
The write-up could
be improved by
adding 5 brief
descriptions of
each of the student
teachers and their
assignments for the
reader, before
discussing their
placements and
mentors more
descriptively and
comparatively.
Artifact
Article
Ishii, H.,
Gilbride, D. D.,
Stensrud, R.
(2009).
Students’
internal
reactions to a
one-week
cultural
immersion trip:
A qualitative
analysis of
student
journals.
Journal of
Multicultural
Counseling and
Development,
37 (1), 15-27.
The research
question is broad:
What do counseling
students experience
during their cultural
immersion, as
reflected in their
journal writing?
More questions
guiding the coding
process are stated in
the analysis section
of the paper.
This study uses the
grounded theory
method. The
authors state their
belief:
investigating the
immersion
experiences of the
participants
without focusing
on preselected
outcome constructs
allowed for a more
comprehensive
exploration.
15 of 24 master’s
level counseling
students agreed
to participate in
the study. They
would allow the
journals of their
experience to be
used for the
study.
Prior to the
immersion trip, the
participants attended
several meetings for
background and
training. Students
were required to
keep a daily journal
of reflections. The
journals were to
provide evidence of
the attainment of
specific educational
outcomes outlined
in the class syllabus.
15 journals were
collected (a total of
238 double-spaced,
typed pages).
One researcher began
using open coding
analysis on seven of
the journals. Broad
questions guided the
initial coding process.
The researcher noted
the emphasis of
participant writing on
their internal reactions
to the experience.
Data was compared
with counseling
literature and analyst
experience. The
participants’ internal
reactions then became
the primary focus of
analysis. Categories
were generated,
constant comparison
to raw data, and peer
debriefing and audit
were used in a circular
process.
complete picture
of the
development of
classroom
management.
This adds to the
validity of the
overall study.
This article
provides an
entire section on
trustworthiness.
The authors note
several
techniques that
were used to
promote the
trustworthiness
of their study:
peer debriefing,
use of the course
instructor for
triangulation
(member
checking was
considered but
not possible), the
analyst
participated in
the trip to gain
contextual
knowledge, thick
description and
illustrative
quotations were
used, and
independent
audit was used.
The researchers did
list some of the
limitations of the
study. I would add
that the researchers
should have
planned better for
carrying out
member checking,
especially since the
study was
completely based
on the personal
reflections of the
participants.