Warm-Up Activity Assignment: Selecting and Reviewing Qualitative Journal Articles

Find qualitative research articles in your topic of interest. A helpful strategy to use in searching for qualitative research studies includes using key words that relate to qualitative research strategies. Some keywords that you may use include:

• Qualitative

• Ethnography

• Phenomenology

• Grounded theory

• Lived experience

• Narrative

• Life experiences

• Observational method

• Focus group

• Thematic analysis

You can combine these keywords with terms you found useful in searching for articles in your topic. Review at least one or two qualitative research articles in your topic area.

Task

Your task is to prepare a chart in which you will compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative research methods. Specifically, you will need to address the differences in:

• Understanding or defining constructs of interest

• Data collection procedures

• Data analysis approaches

• Criteria for judging validity

• Role of researcher

Here is an example of how you may set up your chart:

chart

After you have completed your chart, reflect upon the topic you selected that is of most interest to you in presenting as your capstone for your degree program. Then, prepare an essay in which you:

• Propose a qualitative research question for the topic that you used.

• Explain the type data/information you could collect to answer this research question.

• Conclude with your assessment of which sampling method would be most appropriate to use based on your topic area.

Length: 1 page chart; 2-3 page essay.