The ABCs of Qualitative
Research
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014
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THE ABCs OF QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
NICOLE L. STURGES
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
CENTER FOR SURVEY RESEARCH
 Qualitative research defined
SESSION
AGENDA
 Qualitative vs. Quantitative
 Methods for collecting qualitative




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data
In-depth interviewing/focus
group discussions
Key study design considerations
Qualitative analysis options
Reporting and presenting your
qualitative data
CSR qualitative services
Questions?
WHAT IS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?
 Allows researchers to delve deeper and gather an
in-depth understanding of a particular topic
 The “whys?” and “hows?”
QUALITATIVE VS. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Qualitative
Quantitative
Objectives
(when to use)
• Exploration and discovery
• Context and depth
• Interpretation
• Quantify
• Generalize information
about a population
• Describe characteristics of a
population
Examples
Focus groups, in-depth
interviews, etc.
Telephone surveys, web
surveys, etc.
Data format
Text
Numerical
Flexibility in study
design
• Data collection and questions
adjusted based on discussion
and what is learned
• Stable from beginning to
end
Cost
• Can be a cheaper option
• Typically more expensive –
pay interviewers, phone
bill, sample, etc.
QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION METHODS
 Interviews

In-depth one-on-one interviews with a trained interviewer
 Focus Groups

Small group interview, usually 6 to 10 people lead by an
experienced moderator
 Participant Observation

Recording behaviors of people in their own environment
 Other

Self-reports of knowledge or attitude, including: field logs or
diaries
IN-DEPTH PERSONAL
INTERVIEWS
IN-DEPTH PERSONAL INTERVIEWS
 One-on-One with trained interviewer


Can be conducted face-to-face or via telephone
Typically last 30-60 minutes
 Useful when you want detailed information about an individual’s
thoughts or behaviors
 Useful for more personal or sensitive topics
 Some examples:

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Program evaluation
Needs assessment
Instrument development
ADVANTAGES VS. CHALLENGES OF
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS
ADVANTAGES
 Provides more detailed
information with little burden for
the respondent
 Respondents can feel more
CHALLENGES
 Time consuming
 Not generalizable
comfortable to open up and discuss
 Utilize non-verbal communication
in your research
 Flexibility
 Dependent on the skills of
the interviewer
QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWERS
 Interviewing requires a high level of training and
skill
Understand what you are trying to get out of interviews
 Filter and draw out information
 Keep respondent on track

 Use proper interviewing techniques
Active listening
 Avoiding yes/no and leading questions
 Avoiding bias/no personal opinions
 Probing
 Patience

FOCUS GROUPS
FOCUS GROUPS
 Small group discussions/interviews led by a trained
moderator
 Useful when:
 Looking for a range of ideas or feelings from people
 Trying to understand differences between groups or categories
of people
 Information is needed to help design a quantitative study (i.e.
survey instrument development)
 Trying to clarify data already collected from a quantitative
study
ADVANTAGES VS. CHALLENGES OF
FOCUS GROUPS
ADVANTAGES
 Group dynamic
 Utilize non-verbal
communication in your
research
 Flexibility
 Client or sponsor involvement
CHALLENGES
 Need a trained focus group
moderator
 The dominant personality
 Time consuming
 Not generalizable
TRAINED FOCUS GROUP MODERATOR
 Highly skilled and trained in moderating skills
 Proper techniques including:
 Active listening
 Probing
 Flexibility and patience
 Group interaction skills
 Pleasant personality – make people feel comfortable
 An untrained moderator will not yield high quality
data!
 CSR has trained moderators
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
STUDY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS
LOGISTICS
 How many groups to conduct/people to interview?
 Considerations
Breadth and depth of research on your topic/issue; may need a
literature review
 Your population
 Level of analysis needed
 Basic logistics (budget, travel, availability, etc.)


Saturation, or the point when you have heard a variety of ideas and
you are no longer getting new information

Krueger & Casey (2000) suggest the rule of thumb is 3-4 focus
groups with any one type of participant.
MORE LOGISTICS
 Consider your participants when setting the date and time for
your session or interview.

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Focus groups typically last 1-2 hours
In-depth interviews last 30 minutes to an hour
 Location
 Easily accessible, convenient, good parking
 Room considerations
 Private – able to close a door
 Quiet with minimal distractions
 For focus groups consider:
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Large table that is conducive to group discussion
Availability of food or catering
Examples - Hotel meeting rooms, community rooms, libraries, etc.
•
Room on Penn State
Harrisburg campus
in Church Hall
•
Comfortably seats 15
•
Ample parking
•
Private viewing room
with a one-way
mirror
•
Audio/visual
equipment available
•
IT support
•
Other services
available, contact
CSR if interested
csr@psu.edu
FOCUS GROUP FACILITY
RENTAL
RECRUITING PARTICIPANTS
 How do you find participants?
 List
 Random mailing/phone screening
 Advertisements/flyers
 Key stakeholder groups
 Onsite intercepts
 Piggyback
 Snowball recruiting
 Over-recruit or create a waiting list
Recruiting is the most challenging and timeconsuming part of qualitative data collection!
TIPS AND
STRATEGIES
TO HELP
YOU
RECRUIT
RECRUITING
BOOST YOUR RECRUITING NUMBERS
 Offer incentives – worth the investment!
Money
Food
Gift
cards
 Show the importance of participation
 Make personal contact
 Pre-notification letter or email
 Send a confirmation letter or email
 Make reminder calls to each participant
LINE OF QUESTIONING
 Remember your research question!
 Open-ended and conversational
 Clear and easy to say
 Stick with short
 How many?
 Focus Groups - 8 to 12 questions
 In-depth Interviews - Up to 15 questions
FUNNEL
APPROACH
One way to help you
design your
moderator’s guide or
in-depth interview
guide.
Greeting (Pre-Session)
Opening/Welcome
Introductory
Questions
Key
Questions
Closing
Greeting & PreSession Activities
•
Greet participants as
they arrive
•
Engage in small talk
•
Make participants
feel comfortable
•
Pre-session activities
•
Informed consent
forms (if applicable)
•
Intake form
(demographics)
•
Answer questions
•
Address concerns
Greeting (Pre-Session)
Opening/Welcome
Introductory
Questions
Key
Questions
Closing
•
Start of your
questioning
•
Thank participants
•
Give your name and
names of any other
researchers in the
room
•
Purpose of the focus
group or interview
•
Confidentiality
•
Duration
•
Instructions
•
Reminder if audio
recording
•
Introductions of
participants
Greeting (Pre-Session)
Opening/Welcome
Introductory
Questions
Key
Questions
Closing
•
Introduce discussion
topic
•
Broad, open-ended
questions
•
Easier to answer to
encourage
participation
Greeting (Pre-Session)
Opening/Welcome
Introductory
Questions
Key
Questions
Closing
•
Specific questions
that will answer your
main research goals
•
Plan to spend most
of your time here
•
Be sure to probe and
clarify responses to
get as much
information as you
can
Greeting (Pre-Session)
Opening/Welcome
Introductory
Questions
Key
Questions
Closing
•
Wrap up discussion
Greeting (Pre-Session)
•
If time allows, give
participants time to
provide additional
comments
Opening/Welcome
•
Thank participants
for their time and
effort
Introductory
Questions
Key
Questions
Closing
ANALYSIS & REPORTING
DATA ANALYSIS OPTIONS AND SHOWCASING
YOUR QUALITATIVE DATA
•
What the participants
say during the
interview or
discussion is the
essential data
•
Notes, audio or video
files, and transcripts
can all capture your
data
•
Purpose helps drive
analysis of your
qualitative data
•
Identify key
themes/topics
•
Use quotes for
support
ANALYZING
QUALITATIVE DATA
Qualitative
Analysis
Software
•
Many software
options available
•
Helps researchers to
organize, code, and
analyze nonnumerical data
•
Is this the right tool
for me to analyze my
qualitative data?
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS SOFTWARE
Nvivo
Atlas.ti
Dedoose
Data formats
Word docs, PDFs,
spreadsheets, audio and
video files, social media
data, web pages, and more
Text, graph, audio and video
formats; transcription work
can also be done in the
software
Numbers, text, transcripts
or photos
Data coding
Robust pattern autocoding
Auto-coding available
No auto-coding
Visuals
Range of visualization
options for data
Visualization options
available
Over 40 interactive data
visualizations
Compatibility
Desktop (Windows;
working on Mac)
Desktop (not compatible with
Mac)
Web-based (can use on
Windows or Mac)
Cost
Educational = $670
Government = $1,340
Free 30 day trial
Educational = $670
Government = $1,290
Free trial but with limitations
Monthly fee of $12.95
(less if multiple users)
Free 30 day trial
REPORTING
 What is the purpose of your report?
*NOTE: this should be determined at the beginning of your research project!
 Brief or full report?
 Five principles of reporting (Krueger/Casey 2000)
 Get to your point quickly!
 Make sure your report is clear and conveys your ideas
effectively
 Enlighten your audience
 If possible, involve others in the study and reporting
 Use multiple reporting strategies (narrative, audio, video,
visuals, etc.)
“JAZZ UP” YOUR REPORT
 Can include visualization tools from qualitative
analysis software
 Word clouds


www.wordle.net
www.worditout.com
 Pull quotes throughout your report
 Charts/tables
 Maps
 Audio or video clips
Consider your audience and what you are
trying to convey with your report!
CSR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH SERVICES
 Study design
 Interview guide /intake form
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development
Literature reviews
Sampling
Recruiting
Logistics
Moderating services
In-depth interviewing
Interviewer training
Transcription
Analysis
Reporting
FREE cost estimates!
OTHER CSR RESEARCH SERVICES
 Telephone surveys (both landline
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and cell phone calling)
Penn State Poll – statewide
omnibus poll
20-seat call center on Penn State
Harrisburg campus
Web surveys
Digital Dashboards
Research workshops and lectures
FREE cost estimates and much
more!
Visit our website for more information
http://csr.hbg.psu.edu
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https://www.facebook.com/PSUCSR
 Be the first to get CSR news
 Learn about upcoming CSR workshops
 Keep up on research trends
 Connect with other researchers
Nicole L. Sturges
Assistant Director
Center for Survey
Research
nls17@psu.edu
717-948-6117
http://csr.hbg.psu.edu
QUESTIONS?