Types of Qualitative Research Designs ~GM Lectures
Short Summary:
This video lecture introduces qualitative research designs, explaining that qualitative research focuses on understanding the world through participants' perspectives. Key qualitative research designs discussed include case studies (e.g., comparing vocabulary development in different high school strands), ethnography (e.g., studying a remote community's culture), phenomenology (e.g., exploring foreign students' language adaptation strategies), historical analysis (e.g., examining the development of the Philippine education system), content/discourse analysis (e.g., analyzing journalistic language), and grounded theory (discovering new theories through data analysis). The lecture details the objectives, data gathering methods (interviews, observations, document analysis), sampling techniques (purposive sampling), and context-specific nature of findings for each design. The implications are that researchers must carefully select the most appropriate design to achieve their research goals, understanding the strengths and limitations of each approach.
Detailed Summary:
The lecture is divided into several sections:
1. Introduction to Qualitative Research: The lecture begins by defining qualitative research as a method focusing on understanding reality from participants' perspectives, emphasizing researcher involvement in data collection within natural settings, and acknowledging the subjective nature of results.
2. Types of Qualitative Research Designs: The lecture outlines six main types of qualitative research designs: case studies, ethnography, phenomenology, historical analysis, content/discourse analysis, and grounded theory.
3. Case Studies: Case studies are described as in-depth investigations of a person, group, organization, or phenomenon. An example provided is a study comparing vocabulary development in humanities and STEM high school students over time. The lecturer highlights their use in testing theories in real-world settings.
4. Ethnography: Ethnography is explained as the study of a cultural group's beliefs and practices, often involving direct interaction, interviews, and immersion. An example given is studying the culture of people in remote areas. The context-specific nature of ethnographic findings is emphasized.
5. Phenomenology: Phenomenology aims to understand the human experience of a phenomenon, recognizing the uniqueness of individual experiences. An example is a study of foreign students' strategies for adapting to new language learning environments. The focus is on detailed descriptions of participants' lived experiences.
6. Historical Analysis: Historical analysis involves examining primary sources (documents, records, eyewitness accounts) to understand the connection between past and present events. An example is studying the development of the Philippine education system.
7. Content/Discourse Analysis: This design analyzes text or communication content to identify intentions, trends, attitudes, and patterns. An example is analyzing journalistic language. The lecture lists several reasons for conducting this type of analysis, including identifying communication trends and revealing attitudinal responses.
8. Grounded Theory: Grounded theory is presented as a method where a new theory emerges from data collection and analysis. It aims to explain the "how" and "why" behind a phenomenon. Multiple data collection methods are mentioned, including interviews, observations, and document analysis.
9. Summary and Comparison of Designs: The lecture summarizes the objectives, data gathering methods, and sampling techniques for each design. It emphasizes that all use relatively small, purposive samples, carefully selected based on relevance to the research question. The context-specific nature of findings is reiterated.
10. Conclusion: The lecture concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the differences between qualitative research designs to select the most suitable approach for a given research goal. The subjective nature of qualitative research, driven by participants' perspectives and experiences, is highlighted as a key characteristic.