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Qualitative Methods. Introduction A. Caveat: Quantitative methods are the most common and popular tools of social/behavioral research (just peruse the top 100 journals in Political Science).
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Qualitative Methods • Introduction A. Caveat: Quantitative methods are the most common and popular tools of social/behavioral research (just peruse the top 100 journals in Political Science). But qualitative research is helpful for at least two reasons: First, sometimes it is the most appropriate (e.g., we may need more exhaustive insight into particular cases, especially outlying cases). Second, it often serves as a telling and colorful supplement to quantitative research (e.g., illustration).
B. Qualitative Research – research in social science using techniques like interviews, surveys, case studies, and other relatively personal (in-person) techniques. C. Misconceptions: • Easier? – not always; perhaps not usually. It takes longer, requires more leg-work, more complex, more variables must be considered, data must be collected first-hand, typically more costly (i.e., travel), etc. • Different path/format than quantitative – often students believe that talk about DVs, IVs, measurement, analysis, research hypotheses, etc. are only required in the quantitative realm. Not true. Basic elements of social science are always the same, only the tools of analysis change. • Sometimes people think that qualitative research is basically “anything goes” approach. That is, they
assume that quantitative designs are restricted and narrow while qualitative designs are open-ended. Not true. Qualitative design is NOT code for “writing on a topic without having to use numbers.” It is not simply narration (we are not journalists). • Research Sources: Primary and secondary • Documentation – law content, government documents, policy details, contract, etc. • Archival records – helps research chart/trace a phenomena over time • Direct observation – firsthand experience. Actually visiting and observing a phenomena to evaluate a hypothesis (advantage = observation occurs in normal environment for phenomena). • Participant observation – observing phenomena directly, not as bystander, but as participant (e.g., observing gang behavior by becoming a member). • Focus Group – gathering a group (sampling rules apply) in order to observe their response/reaction to some stimulus (main independent variable).
Case Studies – purpose is to observe and record a particular case (N=1) with as much care and detail as possible (not intended to be parsimonious like quantitative analysis). Often used to examine unusual/outlying cases. (e.g., Utah, what makes it different?). • Advantages • More exhaustive analysis (each case is treated as “special” and understood to be unique with case-specific factors. • Encourages the use of multiple techniques for analysis B. Disadvantages – time consuming, costly, etc.; depth is achieved, but not breadth (hard to generalize from case studies to other cases); temptation for bias or subjectivity when collecting/interpreting data
Ethnography – exploring a culture (ethnicity). Basically involves immersing oneself in the culture and studying it from the inside. Different than a case study: • Holistic perspective – looking at the system as a whole (less-structured approach, almost incidental data collection). • Naturalistic orientation – actually take up residence in the culture (participant observer). Danger: “going native” • Prolonged field activity – requires a much longer time commitment than other methods. • Inductive approach – hypotheses are formulated AFTER observation takes place. No preconceived ideas going in (hard to do).
Historical research (historiography) – social/behavioral science using historical or archival documentation to analyze phenomena (using primary sources). • Conducting historical research – though rarely taught as a useful technique in most social science fields, has been used, primarily by historians, to make important contributions to social science areas of study (e.g., origins of educational reform). Why? Understanding a phenomenon’s origin is as important as understanding the phenomenon itself. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” “Nothing new under the sun.” Example: New revelations/movements are usually just old “heresies” in many religious circles. • Steps: • Define a topic/problem for investigation (virtually unlimited). • Formulate a hypothesis/question to the extent possible • Make use of a variety of primary and secondary sources to analyze • Evidence must be assessed according to its authenticity AND accuracy to be valid.
Data needs to be synthesized/integrated so that it fits into a larger body of literature or observed trends and suggests more questions. • Interpretation in light of the original argument (especially “so what” answer, why this topic is worth pursuing). VI. Innovations in Qualitative research – computer programs like QSR International (qsrinternational.com) and HyperRESEARCH (researchware.com) have been developed to help researchers organize and process huge amounts of qualitative data.
