PLEASE RESPOND AND ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS OR POST STATEMENTS. MUST BE 150 WORDS (PLEASE), WRITE IN 3RD PERSON. ONLY ONE REFERENCE CAN BE USED FOR EACH ANSWER.

DQ 1

Discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of qualitative research methodology for your dissertation topic or topic area. (Research is not required to support your conclusions.)

DQ 2

The reading, "Workplace learning strategies, barriers, facilitators and outcomes: a qualitative study among human resource management practitioners" presents an application of qualitative research methodology. Discuss whether or not qualitative research methodology is appropriate to this study. Discuss other types of methodologies that may have been appropriate for this investigation.

Lecture Notes
Qualitative Research Design
Introduction

The goal of this lecture is to help the doctoral learner understand the critical attributes of qualitative research designs and when to use them. Another focus will be on the characteristics of a strong qualitative study. Finally, four different approaches to qualitative inquiry will be introduced.

Critical Attributes of Qualitative Research

One distinguishing characteristic of qualitative research is that it occurs in the natural setting. The researcher is the key instrument for data collection and goes into the field, where the people work and live to collect data (Creswell, 2007). Thus, the participants do not come into a lab or contrived setting. Qualitative researchers use multiple sources of data in their collection. Some common sources of data used in qualitative research are interviews, focus groups, observations and artifact collection. Researchers use these sources of data to find themes and patterns between and among those sources.

Qualitative research has also an emergent design (Creswell, 2007). At the beginning of the study, the researcher will have an initial plan, but things may change as data collection ensues. While a qualitative researcher may have a general idea of how a study might turn out, the design and findings emerge as data is collected (Creswell, 2007). So, the doctoral learner will need to be able to tolerate a bit of ambiguity if he or she is going to do qualitative research.

A question which a doctoral learner might pose is what happens if the design changes after receiving IRB approval to collect data. The response to that question is that when one is doing a dissertation, it is necessary to have a structure and plan to collect data, but one also must take into consideration the fact that some things will emerge. As long as the researcher does not change the total focus of the research study or affect the participants, then usually the IRB approval will not have to be revised. However, the best approach to take would be to speak with the dissertation Chair and methodologist. They will determine the best way for the learner to proceed.

The focus of qualitative research is on the meaning of the problem as constructed by the study participants, not the researcher (Creswell, 2007). However, a theoretical lens is used by the researcher as a filter to view the study. An example of a theoretical view would be a feminist perspective that would be used in a study to focus on social justice for women (Creswell, 2007). For instance, a doctoral learner might do a study on why female K-12 leaders tend to hit a concrete ceiling as they try to move into superintendent positions. The purpose of the study might be to find out why this situation exists and how to pose some possible solutions to this.

Qualitative designs also use interpretive inquiry, meaning that the researcher makes an interpretation of what he or she sees, hears, and understands, so multiple views emerge (Creswell, 2007). Likewise, data analysis is inductive, meaning that as data is collected and reviewed, patterns and themes emerge (Creswell, 2007). The researcher often starts off with specific statements, details and examples from participants, and field notes, then develop patterns, then categories, then generalizations. Thus, data analysis is a bottom-up, rather than top-down approach. Finally, qualitative research is holistic in nature, meaning that the end result is a complex picture of the problem that was studied from multiple perspectives, data points, and factors (Creswell, 2007).

The qualitative research must employ the use of detailed methods, and a rigorous approach to data collection, analysis, and report writing. Data analysis often includes multiple levels of abstraction. This means that the researcher will start with the specific statements that participants may give during interviews, for instance, couple that with an analysis of field notes, and start to look for recurring statements, phrases, and words. Then the researcher will look for patterns and themes. Then categories will be developed, and finally conclusions will be drawn (Creswell, 2007). Another important focus of qualitative research is the report and how it is written. It should be presented in a persuasive format so the reader gets the experience of "being there" and can picture the setting as well as how the participants feel (Creswell, 2007). In qualitative studies researchers also have to reflect on how to approach the study and how they will position themselves in the study as well as the setting. This helps them keep their perspective. Finally, as in all strong studies, ethical procedures should be used in qualitative research.

When to Use Qualitative Research

Several situations are appropriate for the use of qualitative research. When a problem or issue needs to be explored and the researcher wants to develop a complex, detailed understanding of a problem or issue, qualitative research is a good choice (Creswell, 2007). Additionally, when a researcher wants to empower marginalized populations and hear their voices, or wants to minimize the power relationships that exist between the researcher and participants, qualitative research is a strong choice. When the researcher wants to further understand the context and setting of the participants in the study in relation to the problem, qualitative research is appropriate. An obvious situation in which this methodology is useful is when the best way to report data is in a literary, rhetorical format (Creswell, 2007). Often, researchers will use qualitative research to follow up quantitative research with further explanations. For example, in educational settings, data is used in a variety of ways and formats. However, the result is often that the teacher may know where students are not performing and what specific content they do not understand, but not necessarily why. If the teacher interviews students and gains their perspective on a particular math skill, for instance, then he or she can get the meaning behind test numbers and use that to make changes in instructional strategies. Finally, researchers can use qualitative research when they want to develop theories where partial or incomplete theories exist.

Four Qualitative Research Designs

At GCU, doctoral learners usually use one of four qualitative designs: phenomenology, case studies, ethnographies, and sometimes, grounded theory studies. However, the choice really depends on the research question and the proposed outcomes of the study. Several of these designs require extended lengths of time in the field, so the GCU doctoral learner will need to be cognizant of this fact and select a topic as well as a design and data collection plan that will fit in the time constraints of the degree program.

Perhaps the most popular qualitative approach is the case study. The defining characteristic of a case study is that an issue is explored within a "bounded" system (setting, time, or context). A case study focuses on an event, an activity, a program, a process, or multiple individuals or cases. The purpose of a case study is to develop a detailed description and analysis of one case or multiple cases (Creswell, 2007).

A phenomenology describes the lived experiences of a group of people and how they make meaning of a concept or phenomenon. The researcher focuses on what all of the participants in the study have in common, what they experience and how they experienced it. The basic purpose is to describe the universal essence of how these individuals experience the concept (Creswell, 2007).

Grounded theory studies go beyond a description to generate a theory or framework for interaction or action. Thus, the purpose is to develop or allow a theory to emerge based on the views of the participants. This theory is not preconceived or used from prior studies and research. Rather it is generated or "grounded" in the data collected from the study (Creswell, 2007). Participants have all experienced the same process or situation, and the development of a theory might help provide a framework for further research (Creswell, 2007). This design requires saturation of data, thus long periods of time are spent in the field.

Ethnographies focus on an entire cultural group that lives in the same place or interacts on such a frequent basis that they have developed shared beliefs, patterns of behavior, and language. This design uses large groups and studies how members of that group interact over time in order to describe the shared patterns of the group's culture (Creswell, 2007). The report provides descriptions of the shared beliefs, behaviors, practices, artifacts, and knowledge of a group of people. Ethnographies use participant observation as the researcher is immersed in the daily lives of the people. This design also requires prolonged time in the field, and the researcher has to develop and exhibit a keen sensitivity to the cultural group or system (Creswell, 2007).

Conclusion

Qualitative research is becoming increasingly popular. While it has definite advantages, there are also some drawbacks. The qualitative research must be flexible and able to tolerate ambiguity. They must also be willing to spend extensive time in the field, interacting with participants. The process is very time-consuming and data analysis can be tedious. The report or final product consists of writing long passages and substantiating conclusions and claims made. Finally, it is a form of research that does not have firm guidelines and specific procedures (Creswell, 2007). These are all considerations that the GCU doctoral learner should take into account when selecting the methodology for a dissertation study.

References

Creswell, J. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. London, UK: Sage Publications.