This document provides an overview of qualitative data gathering methods. It discusses that qualitative research aims to collect descriptive information about programs, products, and the people involved through in-depth interviews, observations, and document reviews. The data is organized into themes and categories. Key aspects of qualitative research covered include naturalistic inquiry, inductive approaches, being in the field to directly observe contexts, and taking a holistic view. The document also provides guidance on when qualitative methods are appropriate and discusses sampling techniques.
This document provides an overview of qualitative data gathering methods. It discusses that qualitative research aims to collect descriptive information about programs, products, and the people involved through in-depth interviews, observations, and document reviews. The data is organized into themes and categories. Key aspects of qualitative research covered include naturalistic inquiry, inductive approaches, being in the field to directly observe contexts, and taking a holistic view. The document also provides guidance on when qualitative methods are appropriate and discusses sampling techniques.
This document provides an overview of qualitative data gathering methods. It discusses that qualitative research aims to collect descriptive information about programs, products, and the people involved through in-depth interviews, observations, and document reviews. The data is organized into themes and categories. Key aspects of qualitative research covered include naturalistic inquiry, inductive approaches, being in the field to directly observe contexts, and taking a holistic view. The document also provides guidance on when qualitative methods are appropriate and discusses sampling techniques.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3
rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Pub!"at!ons. O#er#!e$ %hen $e use the &hrase qualitative research and evaluation data !n our field, $e 'enera( )ean ra$, des"r!&t!#e !n*or)at!on about: &ro'ra)s+&rodu"ts and the &eo&e $ho &art!"!&ate !n+use the) or are a**e"ted b( the). &ro'ra)s+&rodu"ts and the &eo&e $ho de#eo& or use the). Three data 'ather!n' strate'!es t(&!"a( "hara"ter!,e -ua!tat!#e )ethodoo'(: !n.de&th, o&en.ended !nter#!e$s/ d!re"t obser#at!on/ and $r!tten do"u)ents (!n"ud!n' &ro'ra) re"ords, &ersona d!ar!es, o's, et".). 0ata *ro) !nter#!e$s, obser#at!ons and do"u)ent re#!e$s are or'an!,ed !nto )a1or the)es, "ate'or!es, and "ase e2a)&es. The )ost "o))on strate'( *or ana(,!n' -ua!tat!#e data !s constant- comparison, but there are )an( other te"hn!-ues *ro) $h!"h to "hoose. There are a #ar!et( o* $a(s to re&ort the resuts o* -ua!tat!#e resear"h+e#auat!on/ "o))on a)on' the) !s the sense o* stor( 3 $h!"h !n"udes: attent!on to deta!, des"r!&t!#e #o"abuar(, d!re"t -uotes *ro) those obser#ed or !nter#!e$ed, and the)at!" or'an!,at!on. Qua!tat!#e )ethods &er)!t the e#auator to stud( see"ted !ssues, "ases, or e#ents !n de&th and deta!. 0ata "oe"t!on !s not "onstra!ned b( &redeter)!ned "ate'or!es o* ana(s!s, ao$!n' *or a e#e o* de&th and deta! that -uant!tat!#e strate'!es "an4t &ro#!de. Quant!tat!#e a&&roa"hes ao$ *or ar'e.s"ae )easure)ent o* !deas, be!e*s, and att!tudes. 5ut 'enera(, the set o* -uest!ons !s !)!ted6 *a"!!tat!n' "o)&ar!son and stat!st!"a a''re'at!on o* the data. Th!s ao$s *or de#eo&)ent o* a 'enera!,abe set o* *!nd!n's. 5( "ontrast, -ua!tat!#e )ethods t(&!"a( &rodu"e a $eath o* deta!ed data about a de*!ned nu)ber o* &eo&e and "ases6data that need not *!t !nto &redeter)!ned res&onse "ho!"es that "hara"ter!,e )ost sur#e(s, -uest!onna!res, or tests. A )!2 o* -ua!tat!#e and -uant!tat!#e data 'ather!n' enr!"hes e#auat!on/ the o&en.ended "o))ents &ro#!de a $a( to eaborate and "onte2tua!,e stat!st!"a 7*a"ts.7 8 5ober, S400 (ast u&dated 9:0;) < Qualitative Data Gathering: A Summary The)es !n -ua!tat!#e )ethods =atura!st!" !n-u!r( Qua!tat!#e des!'ns are naturalistic to the e2tent that the e#auator does not atte)&t to )an!&uate the &ro'ra) or !ts &art!"!&ants *or &ur&oses o* the e#auat!on. Naturalistic inquiry is particularly useful for studying variations in program implementation be"ause $hat ha&&ens !n a &ro'ra) o*ten #ar!es o#er t!)e as &art!"!&ants and "ond!t!ons "han'e. As !)&ortant, &ro'ra)s or &rodu"ts !)&e)ented !n )an( d!**erent o"at!ons $! )an!*est !)&ortant d!**eren"es. =atura!st!" !n-u!r( !s $e su!ted to the resear"her !nterested !n *o"us!n' on unanticipated or unintended outcomes s!n"e the resear"her !s not o"ked !nto e2a)!nat!on o* &redeter)!ned #ar!abes. The de"!s!on to use natura!st!" !n-u!r(6or an( other a&&roa"h *or that )atter6!s a design !ssue. 0es!'n -uest!ons are, o* "ourse, se&arate *ro) an( !ssues a resear"her *a"es !n ter)s o* $hat k!nd o* data to "oe"t (-ua!tat!#e, -uant!tat!#e) and ho$ to "oe"t !t (!nter#!e$s, sur#e(s, obser#at!ons). >ndu"t!#e !n-u!r( Qua!tat!#e )ethods are &art!"uar( $e.su!ted to e2&orat!on, d!s"o#er( and inductive logic. An e#auat!on a&&roa"h !s !ndu"t!#e to the e2tent that the e#auator atte)&ts to )ake sense o* the s!tuat!on $!thout !)&os!n' &re.e2!st!n' e2&e"tat!ons on the sett!n'. >ndu"t!#e des!'ns be'!n $!th s&e"!*!" obser#at!ons and bu!d to$ard 'enera &atterns. How does this approach differ from the traditional hypothetical- deductive approach of experimental research? 0edu"t!#e reason!n' eads resear"hers to )easure reat!#e atta!n)ent o* &redeter)!ned, "ear and s&e"!*!" 'oas. >ndu"t!#e reason!n' eads resear"hers to *o"us )ore on &ro'ra) or &rodu"t !)&a"ts and e**e"ts. On a &ra"t!"a e#e, ho$e#er, )ost e#auators *oo$ a s"he)e !n $h!"h dedu"t!#e and !ndu"t!#e reason!n' are "o)b!ned. 9!ed$ork 9!ed$ork !s the "entra a"t!#!t( o* -ua!tat!#e data 'ather!n'. To be !n the *!ed )eans to ha#e d!re"t, &ersona "onta"t $!th &eo&e !n the!r o$n en#!ron)ents. >t !s the resear"her4s des!re to "onte2tua!,e &ro'ra) or &rodu"t !)&e)entat!on that ao$s h!)+her to "a&ture !)&ortant 7resuts7 (e**e"ts, out"o)es) that standard!,ed )easures "annot. 8 5ober, S400 (ast u&dated 9:0;) 2 Qualitative Data Gathering: A Summary The ho!st!" #!e$ Most -ua!tat!#e e#auators str!#e to understand &ro'ra)s and s!tuat!ons as a $hoe/ there !s an on'o!n' sear"h *or tota!t( .. 7the un!*(!n' nature o* &art!"uar sett!n's.7 A ho!st!" stan"e assu)es that understand!n' o* a &ro'ra) or &rodu"t de&ends on a$areness o* !ts &o!t!"a and so"!a "onte2ts. A ho!st!" outook ao$s the e#auator to be attent!#e to nuan"e, sett!n', and !d!os(n"ras!es. %hen to use -ua!tat!#e )ethods Process studies ($h!"h are a!)ed at understand!n' the !nterna d(na)!"s o* &ro'ra) o&erat!ons). A &ro"ess *o"us !)&!es e)&has!,!n' how a &rodu"t or out"o)e !s &rodu"ed (rather than the &rodu"t or out"o)e !tse*). Assessing individualized outcomes (ho$ $e a &ro'ra) or &rodu"t )eets !nd!#!dua needs). Implementation (earn!n' ho$ and the e2tent to $h!"h a &rodu"t or &ro'ra) $as a"tua( o&erat!ona!,ed+!)&e)ented). escri!ing diversity a"ross s!tes $here a &ro'ra) or &rodu"t !s 7used.7 Quality issues (reat!#e -ua!t(/ -ua!t( assuran"e) "egislative monitoring 8 5ober, S400 (ast u&dated 9:0;) 3 Qualitative Data Gathering: A Summary %e!ss, C. ?. (<@@A). #valuation methods for studying programs and policies (2 nd ed.). B&&er Sadde C!#er, =D: Prent!"e ?a. Ad#anta'es o* -ua!tat!#e data ana(s!s: Greater a$areness o* the &ers&e"t!#es o* &ro'ra) &art!"!&ants (or &rodu"t users) Ca&ab!!t( *or understand!n' d(na)!" de#eo&)ents !n a &ro'ra) (&ro"ess) as !t e#o#es A$areness o* t!)e and h!stor( Sens!t!#!t( to the !n*uen"e o* "onte2t Ab!!t( to Eenter the &ro'ra) s"eneF $!thout "ontr!#ed &re"on"e&t!ons G a )ore *u!d a&&roa"h to *!nd!n' out E$hat:s ha&&en!n'F Aertness to unant!"!&ated and un&anned e#ents %e!ss re&orts on the $ork o* M!es and ?uber)an < $ho note se#era t(&es o* sa)&!n' )ethods that )a( be a&&ro&r!ate: O&&ortun!st!" sa)&!n' Tak!n' ad#anta'e o* o&&ortun!t!es that o&en u&. Con#en!en"e sa)&!n' Go!n' to s!tes or $!tness!n' e#ents that are eas!er to 'et to (or arran'e) G and $here &eo&e are )ost "oo&erat!#e. Sno$ba sa)&!n' Start!n' $!th one s!te or e#ent, earn!n' *ro) &eo&e there $h!"h other s!tes (or e#ents) )!'ht be ree#ant to the stud(, and then a"t!n' on th!s !n*or)at!on to see"t other e#ents+s!tes throu'hout the !*e o* the &ro1e"t (an a&&roa"h $e used $!th the BS> &ro*ess!ona de#eo&)ent e#auat!on). E2e)&ar( "ases (an a&&roa"h $e4#e taken o#er t!)e $!th the Tr!ton+Patterns e#auat!ons) Other !ssues: 0e"!d!n' $!th $ho) to s&eak and $ho to obser#e < M!es, M.5., H ?uber)an, A. M. (<@@;). Qualitative data analysis$ An expanded source!oo% (2 nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Pub!"at!ons. 8 5ober, S400 (ast u&dated 9:0;) ; Qualitative Data Gathering: A Summary 0eter)!n!n' t!)e *ra)es *or obser#at!on and !nter#!e$!n' (ho$ on', ho$ o*ten, $hat to e2"ude6ho!da(s &er!ods, *or e2a)&e) 0ata t(&es: Ethno'ra&h(: The a&&roa"h anthro&oo'!sts use !n stud(!n' a "uture. Ethno'ra&h( "as *or tota !))ers!on and !))ense "o))!t)ent. Part!"!&ant.obser#er: Obser#at!on o* a Es"eneF b( a resear"her $ho takes &art !n &ro'ra) a"t!#!t!es and e#ents. (The durat!on )a( be on'. or short.ter), but de*!n!te( CA==OT be h!t.and.run). Obser#er on(: =on&art!"!&at!on on the &art o* the resear"hers. ?e or she has no !ntent!on o* tak!n' &art !n &ro'ra) a"t!#!t!es or e#ents. A'a!n, obser#at!on )a( be short or on'.ter) (de&end!n' on the s!tuat!on+sett!n' and the t(&e o* data des!red), but !t !s not ha&ha,ard. >n*or)a !nter#!e$!n' 0o"u)ent 'ather!n' and re#!e$ Ph(s!"a e#!den"e Case stud(: Part!"uar( use*u $hen one needs to understand so)e &art!"uar &ro'ra) or s!tuat!on !n 'reat de&th. Cases that are $e. see"ted are !n*or)at!on.r!"h .. !n essen"e )a1or !)&a"ts+e**e"ts )a( be 'eaned *ro) 1ust a *e$ e2e)&ars o* a &heno)ena. Fraenkel and Wallen (see course website for citation The authors o* th!s resear"h te2t s&eak to *!#e )a1or *eatures o* -ua!tat!#e resear"h: The natura sett!n' !s the d!re"t sour"e o* data, and the resear"her !s the ke( !nstru)ent Qua!tat!#e data are "oe"ted !n the *or) o* $ords or &!"tures rather than nu)bers Qua!tat!#e resear"hers are "on"erned $!th &ro"ess as $e as &rodu"t Qua!tat!#e resear"hers tend to ana(,e the!r data !ndu"t!#e( 3 "onstru"t!n' a &!"ture that takes sha&e as the( "oe"t and e2a)!ne the &arts ?o$ &eo&e )ake sense o* the!r !#es !s a )a1or resear"h "on"ern Take the t!)e needed to "are*u( re#!e$ the resour"es $e:#e &ro#!ded on -ua!tat!#e resear"h+e#auat!on. Athou'h -ua!tat!#e te"hn!-ues )a( not 8 5ober, S400 (ast u&dated 9:0;) I Qualitative Data Gathering: A Summary str!ke (ou as *eas!be+&ra"t!"a r!'ht no$, the )ater!a !tse* !s #er( use*u and -u!te readabe. Data gathering strategies 9o"us 'rou& *ro) Patton4s &ers&e"t!#e The *o"us 'rou& !nter#!e$ !s an !nter#!e$ $!th a s)a 'rou& o* &eo&e on a s&e"!*!" to&!". A 'rou& !s t(&!"a( "o)&osed o* J to A &eo&e $ho &art!"!&ate !n the !nter#!e$ *or one.ha* to t$o hours. The *o"us 'rou& !nter#!e$ !s !ndeed an interview. >t !s not a d!s"uss!on. >t !s not a &robe).so#!n' sess!on. >t !s not a de"!s!on.)ak!n' 'rou&. T(&!"a(, &art!"!&ants are a reat!#e( ho)o'eneous 'rou& o* &eo&e $ho are asked to re*e"t on the -uest!ons that the !nter#!e$er &oses. Part!"!&ants 'et to hear ea"h other:s res&onses and to )ake add!t!ona "o))ents be(ond the!r o$n or!'!na res&onses as the( hear $hat other &eo&e ha#e to sa(. KTe"hn!-ues $!th $h!"h the *o"us 'rou& )a( be "o)&ared are the 0e&h! or the no)!na 'rou&.L >t !s not ne"essar( *or the 'rou& to rea"h "onsensus, nor !s !t ne"essar( *or &eo&e to d!sa'ree. &he o!'ective is to get high-quality data in a social context where people can consider their own views in light of the views of others( Case stud( %e!ss: A "ase stud( !s a $a( o* or'an!,!n' data so as to kee& the *o"us on totality. One $ho "ondu"ts "ase stud!es tr!es to "ons!der the !nterreat!onsh!&s a)on' &eo&e, !nst!tut!ons, e#ents, and be!e*s. Cather than break!n' the) do$n !nto se&arate !te)s *or ana(s!s, the resear"her seeks to kee& a ee)ents o* the s!tuat!on !n s!'ht at on"e. The $at"h$ord !s holistic. M!n (<@@;) de*!nes the "ase stud( as e)&!r!"a !n-u!r( 2 that !n#est!'ates a &heno)enon !n a natura sett!n' $hen the boundar!es bet$een the &heno)enon and !ts "onte2t are not "ear, us!n' )ut!&e sour"es o* e#!den"e. The de*!n!n' *eature !s the e2&orat!on o* "o)&e2 rea.!*e !ntera"t!ons as a "o)&os!te $hoe. Cohen and Man!on 3 : Bn!ke the e2&er!)enter $ho )an!&uates #ar!abes to deter)!ne the!r "ausa s!'n!*!"an"e or the sur#e(or $ho asks standard!,ed -uest!ons o* ar'e, re&resentat!#e sa)&es o* !nd!#!duas, the "ase stud( resear"her t(&!"a( obser#es the "hara"ter!st!"s o* an !nd!#!dua un!t..a "h!d, a "ass, a s"hoo, a "o))un!t( G 2 5ased on obser#abe e#!den"e 3 Cohen, N., Man!on, N., H Morr!son, O. (2000). )esearch methods in education( (I th ed.). =e$ Mork: 9a)!n'o Press. 8 5ober, S400 (ast u&dated 9:0;) J Qualitative Data Gathering: A Summary The &ur&ose o* su"h obser#at!on !s to &robe dee&( and to ana(,e !ntens!#e( the E)ut!*ar!ous &heno)enaF that "onst!tute the !*e "("e o* the un!t $!th a #!e$ to estab!sh!n' 'enera!,at!ons about the $!der &o&uat!on to $h!"h that un!t beon's. The "ase stud( 'enera( e)&o(s both participant and nonparticipant o!servation. Case stud!es ao$ #ar!at!on+!nd!#!dua d!**eren"es to be *u( re"o'n!,ed and "hara"ter!,ed. The unit of analysis )a( be a &erson, an e#ent, a &ro'ra), a t!)e &er!od, a "assroo), a "r!t!"a !n"!dent, a "o))un!t( 3 the &oss!b!!t!es are endess. Ce'ardess o* the un!t o* ana(s!s, a "ase stud( seeks to des"r!be that un!t !n de&th 3 !n deta! 3 !n "onte2t 3 ho!st!"a(. The )ore a &ro'ra) or &rodu"t a!)s *or !nd!#!dua!,ed out"o)es, the 'reater the a&&ro&r!ateness o* -ua!tat!#e "ase )ethods. Tr!an'uat!on 3 VERY critical to understand Patton: There are se#era t(&es o* tr!an'uat!on. The *our )ost "o))on( re"o'n!,ed !n"ude: ata triangulation 3 the use o* a #ar!et( o* data sour"es !n a stud(, *or e2a)&e, !nter#!e$!n' &eo&e !n d!**erent status &os!t!ons or $!th d!**erent &o!nts o* #!e$ Investigator triangulation 3 the use o* se#era d!**erent e#auators or so"!a s"!ent!sts &heory triangulation 3 the use o* )ut!&e &ers&e"t!#es to !nter&ret a s!n'e set o* data *ethodological triangulation 3 the use o* )ut!&e )ethods to stud( a s!n'e &robe) or &ro'ra) (e.'., !nter#!e$s, obser#at!ons, -uest!onna!res, do"u)ents). 8 5ober, S400 (ast u&dated 9:0;) P