Comprehensive
Exam Review
Qualitative Research Methods
Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya
Purpose
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Epistemology
Theoretical Framework
Research Purpose and Questions
Methodology
Methods of Data Collection
Data Analysis
Ethical Issues
Academic Rigor and Trustworthiness
Epistemology
• What are the overall ways of knowing in
qualitative research?
• How do we know what we know?
• What assumptions are made about truth,
reality, and meaning?
Theoretical Framework
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Interpretive
Critical
Deconstructive
Examples here - http://kakali.org/6384handouts.html
Paradigms of Postpositivist inquiry
Understanding various paradigms
And here http://kakali.org/6384lectures.html
Madonna Reinvented Isms
Research Purpose and Questions
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Open ended
Perspectives of participants
Context driven
Aligned with each other
Examples here http://kakali.org/6384lectures.html
Methodology
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Ethnography
Participant Observation
Interview Study
Case Study
General Interpretive Study
Phenomenology
Grounded Theory
Guidance here  http://kakali.org/6384handouts.html
– Thinking about your research project
Methods of Data Collection
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Interviews
Observations
Documents
Photos
Videos
Podcasts
Web-based products and many more
Data Analysis
• Inductive
– Coding
– Categorizing
– Thematizing
• Experimental
– Arts-based
– Narrative
– Performative
Ethical Issues
• What are the risks and benefits to this study?
• What are the risks and benefits for the
researcher of this study?
• How would you compensate the participants
for their time? (Reciprocity)
Academic Rigor & Trustworthiness
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Review of existing literature
Multiple data sources
Prolonged stay in field
Member checks
Peer debriefing
Research journal
Triangulation
Example
• As an educational leader, you have been
concerned about the culture of your school.
You want to understand the daily struggles of
your teachers so that you can support them in
their practice. You hire a qualitative
researcher to conduct a study. Construct a
research design addressing all the items in
slide 2.
Example
• You are a leader in higher education of a small liberal
arts college. You have noticed that the students of
your school are not academically prepared to meet
the demands of the curriculum. You have
implemented a mentoring program for all
undergraduates on campus. You want to have an indepth understanding of how the mentoring program
is meeting the needs of the students. Prepare a
qualitative research design addressing all the
elements presented in slide 2.
Example
• You are a teacher. You want to implement several
interactive techniques in your classroom to see how
your students learn. You want to go beyond test
scores to evaluate students’ learning. You want to
assess what students are taking away from each
techniques, and the ways in which students respond
to higher level learning tasks based on the
competencies you have designed for the class. Work
through the elements listed in slide 2 to construct a
qualitative research design for this scenario.
Example
• As an educational leader, you have noticed
that Latino and African male students in your
school are not performing well academically.
You want to understand how the experiences
of these students in education are produced in
relation to their ethnic backgrounds. Design a
qualitative research study addressing items on
slide 2.
Example
• As a leader in higher education, you have
seen very few examples of Hispanic males
and females in key leadership roles. You want
to understand the essence of the experiences
of these Hispanic leaders that allowed them
such success in their careers. Design a
qualitative study addressing all the criteria
listed in slide 2.
Example
• As a graduate student, you have noticed that many
female Latina students have to negotiate the
demands of being a mother, a professional, and a
wife, sometimes without cultural support for their
needs to pursue higher education. You want to
explore the experiences of Latina women in higher
education and their negotiations of multiple
expectations while they complete their degrees.
Design a qualitative study addressing the criteria
listed in slide 2.
Questions?