Basics of Qualitative
Research Design
Berg Ch. 2
Leedy and Ormrod Ch. 3 - 5
Three General Approaches to
Research
APPROACH POSITIVISM CRITICAL
INTERPRETIVE
USUAL TYPE
OF RESEARCH
experiment,
survey,
cont. anal.
historicalcomparative
field research,
interviews
PERSPECTIVE
technocratic
transcendent
transcendent
TYPE OF LOGIC
reconstructed logic-in-practice logic-in-practice
PATH
linear
non-linear
/cyclical
non-linear
/cyclical
Qualitative methodology
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Data in words rather than numbers
Non-positivistic orientation
Includes:
 Field
research and ethnography
 Observation, case studies
 Qualitative interviewing
 Action research
 Historical comparative analysis
Characteristics of Qualitative
Research
Context is critical
 In depth, detailed
 Researcher immerses self in data (nonobjective)
 Researcher integrity
 Bias recognized
 Use of grounded theory
 Can detect process and sequence
 Data are interpreted rather than analyzed

Ideas and Theory
The Deductive
(Quantitative)
Process
 Ideas and theory
come before
empirical research
 Ideas lead to
refutation through
research
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The Inductive
(Qualitative)
Process
o Research leads to
theory development
o Research initiates,
reformulates, deflects
and clarifies theory
What is Theory?

“a statement of relationships between
concepts”

“a roadmap for organizing ideas and
knowledge about the social world”
Theory Parts

Concepts
 Concept
clusters
 Classification concepts (ideal types)

Assumptions

Typology or Taxonomy

Relationships
The Measurement Process

Quantitative = deductive

Qualitative = inductive

Both involve conceptualization and
operationalization
Concepts
 Symbolic
elements
 Foundation of communication and
thought
 Two distinct parts
Symbolic
elements (word, symbol, term)
Definitional element
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Operationalization of a
Concept
 Conceptualize
 Providing
a working definition of a concept
 Use theory and research
 Operationalize
 providing
the criteria for measuring a concept
 What, specifically, will you be observing?
 Often continues throughout the research
process
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Process of Qualitative
Operationalization:
Empirical Observations
Working Ideas
Concepts
Generalizations/Theories
Berg’s Blended Model
 The
Spiraling Research Approach
Begin with a rough idea
 Gather theoretical information
 Reconsider and redefine
Process: Idea
-- Lit. Review (involves Theory)
-- Design
-- Data Collection/Organization
-- Analysis/Findings
--Dissemination
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010

Choosing a Research Problem

Where do problems come from?
Practical
problems in the field
The literature in the field
Personal interest
Examples of Problems:
The purpose of this study is to examine
the effect of body image and PPF
(perceived physical fitness) for different
exercise settings
 The purpose of this study is to examine
the type of talk during a writing activity to
determine if there is a difference between
off topic and on topic talk on the quality of
students’ writing samples

Reviewing the Literature

Recommended Sources:
 Journal
articles
 Books
 Conference
proceedings
 Government / corporate reports
 Library Databases

Other Sources (not recommended)
 Newspapers
and Magazines
 Internet esp. sites like Wikipedia
The Annotated Bibliography

A very useful first step…

Consists of a bibliographic citation and a
descriptive and evaluative annotation of a
selection of your most useful sources
Reviewing the Literature
 Formulate
a rough question
 Visit the Library
Conduct
both online and in-print
searches
 Make
a list of search terms
 Evaluate the results
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Evaluating Web Sites
 Information to check
 URL
 Domain
 Date of last update
 Corroborating information
on every website
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Writing The Literature Review

Concentrates on the scientific research

Provides the context for your research

Justifies the proposed study

Summarizes and evaluates the literature in
the field
Questions to be answered in a
literature review:

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1. What do we already know in the immediate area concerned?
2. What are the characteristics of the key concepts (or the main
factors or variables)?
3. What are the relationships between these key concepts,
factors or variables?
4. What are the existing generalizations or theories?
5. Where are the inconsistencies/shortcomings in our knowledge
and understanding?
6. What views need to be (further) explored?
7. What information or evidence is lacking, inconclusive,
contradictory or too limited?
8. Why study (further) the research problem?
9. What contribution can the present study be expected to make?
10. What research designs or methods seem unsatisfactory?
Tips:
Remember the purpose
 Read with a purpose
 Write with a purpose

Always put citations into your writing
immediately
 Keep a bibliographic file

Berg’s Two-Card Method
Author
 Full
Card
citation
 Library call
number
o Topic Card
oAuthor’s name
oDate of
publication
oBrief topical
label
oVerbatim excerpt
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010
Janesick (1994) in Berg….
“design is the choreography
that establishes the
research dance”
 What
are the implications of this
statement?
The Research Design

The plan for conducting a study
 Foresee possible glitches
 Consider appropriate pacing
 Appraise ethical proprieties

Feasibility is contingent on many factors:
 Length of time to do the study
 Ethical constraints
 Cooperation of others
 Cost of conducting the research
 Researcher’s own skills
Setting
 Identification
of a data-collection site
Practical
 entry
or access - gatekeepers
 availability
Reasonable
in size and complexity
Appropriateness
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Sampling Strategies
 Probability
Sampling
 Mathematically
representative of the larger
population
 Relies on random sampling
 Non-Probability
Sampling
 Doesn’t
require a list of the population elements
 Can be used with difficult or sensitive populations
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Probability Sampling
 Simple
Random Sampling
 Every unit has the same chance of inclusion
 Systematic Random Sampling
 Every nth unit is selected from the list
 Stratified Random Sampling
 Independent samples from subgroups of the
sample
 Cluster Sampling
 Clusters are randomly and elements within are
randomly selected
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010
Non-probability Sampling
 Convenience
Samples
 Relies on available subjects
 Purposive Samples
 Researcher knowledge or expertise
 Snowball Samples
 Respondent-driven
 Quota Samples
 Proportional matrix
Data Analysis
 Data
Reduction
Reduce
 Data
and transform the data
Display
Organize
and assemble the data
 Conclusions
and Verification
Confirm
initial conclusions through
double checking and independent
examination
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Dissemination
Writing the final report on your research
for publication or presentation to a funding
agency
 Integral part of the research process
