Considerations in Designing a Qualitative Study
Using what you have learned about your topic from your literature search, you are working towards formulating a research purpose and question. Note that in the Learning Resources for this week, the language of qualitative research is incorporated into how the research purpose and question is formulated. Here are some basic do's and don'ts.
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Quantitative (Don'ts)
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Qualitative (Do's)
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- Predict
- Examine differences, effects, or impact
- Correlate
- Analyze
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- Explore
- Understand
- Describe
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- Variables
- Indicators
- Measures
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- Experience
- Meaning
- Essence
- Narrative
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Hypotheses
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Broad, open-ended questions
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For example, in the ongoing scenario for each of the weeks of this course, the qualitative research question is formulated based on:
DO: The purpose of this study is to understand the narratives of childcare and support in families in impoverished communities.
DO: What is the meaning of a "well-behaved child" to early childhood caregivers in impoverished neighborhoods?
While as in this example, the research question is formulated based on quantitative information
DON'T: The purpose of this study is to examine the demographic and family factors that predict the use of childcare services in impoverished communities.
DON'T: What are the differences in early childhood social skill acquisition between children that do receive childcare services and those that do not?
For this Discussion, you will examine qualitative research as it relates to qualitative design considerations.
To prepare for this Discussion:
Review the Learning Resources and the Fundamentals of Qualitative Research Methods: Developing a Qualitative Research Question video and consider the basic guidelines for qualitative research design.
Use the Course Guide and Assignment Help found in this week's Learning Resources and search for a qualitative research article. (Note: This article should be the research article you are using for your Major Assignment 1.)
Review the qualitative research article you found and identify each of the components of the research design and consider what is present and what is missing.
Identify what the authors did to document positionality, reflexivity, and bias.
Transform your notes from your preparation work into three paragraphs and post the following:
A brief statement of the purpose and primary research question the article addresses
An assessment of how thoroughly the research design was presented, including what was missing
An assessment of the extent of the researcher's presentation of positionality, reflexivity, and bias
Be sure to support your main post and response post with reference to the week's Learning Resources and other scholarly evidence in APA style.