Chapter 7 Flashcards - Qualitative Study Designs (Role of Theory, Sampling & Data Generation)

Question 1

Theory can be used to?

Answer 1

• Inform the research problem and purpose
  OR
• the theory may be an outcome of the research

Question 2

In what ways can theory be used?

Answer 2

1. Theoretical Lens (perspective to guide)
   * Helps shape research question, participant selection, data generation & analysis
2. Interpretative framework
   * Specific theory drawn upon to make sense of research findings

Question 3

Why do researchers need sampling for qualitative studies

Answer 3

Need to recruit samples of participants that best enables them to answer their RQ (research question)

Question 4

What is purposeful sampling

Answer 4

Often is seen as a central feature of qualitative research
* Intent is to recruit sample of info rich-participants who will purposefully inform an understanding of the topic being studied

Recruting people for a study that match the characteristics of the phenomenon being explored

Question 5

Specific forms of purposeful sampling include?

Answer 5

1. Extreme case sampling
   * Sampling participants deemed as outliers to the topic
   * Unique or special characteristics => vary in insight and perspective
2. Maximum variation sampling
   * Getting people who have a wide range of experience
   * Selecting participants different in the first place to get varoius
3. Snowball sampling
   * Locate key participants and ask them to identify others they would know that fit the researchers criteria for their phenomenon of interest

Question 6

Example used for extreme case sampling?

Answer 6

HIV; when people who got HIV but didn’t get aids were extreme case sampled since they were the rare few who could provide insight into path researchers can take

Question 7

Advantages and Disadvantages of Snowball Sampling?

Answer 7

Advantages:
* Referrals allow quick sampling
* Fast and cost efficient
* Obtain data from secretive individuals

Disadvantages:
* Initial participants may shape entire sample
* Oversampling network of peers leads to bias
* Hard to develop trust

Question 8

How is sample size in qualitative and quantitative different?

Answer 8

• Quantitative looks to generalize findings for a bigger range of n
• Qualitative looks to go into in-depth findings for a smaller range of people => small n

Question 9

Janice Moorse and her considerations of determining data saturation include…?

Answer 9

1. Scope of the study
2. Nature of the topic
3. Quality of the data
4. Number of interviews per participant
5. Study Designs

Question 10

What is scope of study when it comes to determining data saturation?

Answer 10

Broader the scope of the research question, longer it takes to reach saturation
* Much more data needed = more participants, interviews, data sources and more work without developing a better study

Study is larger but not necessarily rich

Question 11

What is nature of topic when it comes to data saturation?

Answer 11

The topic can determine how many people will willingly participate in the study

• If topic being studied is obvious and clear and less info is required then less sampling is doable
• If the topic is not so obvious it might require more participants

Question 12

How does quality of data affect data saturation

Answer 12

If the data lack depth it may be necessary to include more participants
* Not every participant shares information in the same way which causes data to sometimes lack depth

Question 13

How does number of interviews per participant affect data saturation?

Answer 13

Multiple interviews per person rather than 1 => More data production
* Inverse relationship between amount of useable data obtained and number of participants

Question 14

How do study designs affect data saturation

Answer 14

Study designs for example that “focus on multiple people in an organization” leads to more data collected = data saturation to be reached (no new data need be collected)

Question 15

General guidelines for sample sizing for each strategy of inquiry

Answer 15

Narrative: 1-2 participants
Phenomenology: 5-8 participants
Grounded theory: 30-50 participants
Ethnography: single group of people that share same culture
Case Study: Single case or 4-5
Qualitative Description: Often takes “tone” of another strategy of inquiry and uses sample sizes consistent with that SOI

Question 16

What is the most common method of data generation in qualitative studies?

Answer 16

Interviews

Question 17

Common methods of data generation in qualitative studies include…?

Answer 17

• Interviews
• Observations
• Written Documents
• Visual and Audio Sources

Question 18

Interviews take the form of what?

Answer 18

One-on-one interviews
Group interviews

Question 19

Relational nature of interviews?

Answer 19

Important to build and maintain rapport

Question 20

What are the three main phases of an interview? Explain each phase

Answer 20

1. Introduction
   * Participants introduced to researcher and focus on building rapport (if unfamiliar faces) to create discussion
2. Questioning
   * Main phase of interview process shaped by an interview guide for semi-structured and structured interviews
3. Closing
   * Regulating emotions to end on a positive note; researcher offers participants the opportunity to share final thoughts on the questions or general research topic

Question 21

What are structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews?

Answer 21

Structured: Specific set of interview questions to follow but people believe it directs the answers of the participants
Semi-structured: Short interview guide with room to discuss questions not on the guide
Unstructured: No interview guide and just a guiding topic for conversational discussion

Unstructed allows flexibility and can ask questions in any order or depending on response to earlier questions

Question 22

How are group interviews led and when are they useful?

Answer 22

Lead by trained moderator
* Useful for: range of ideas from group, understand differences between groups or categories of people

Question 23

Advantages and Challenges of Group Interviews

Answer 23

Advantages:
* Group dynamic
* Utilizing non-verbal communication in research
* Flexibility
* Client involvment

Disadvantages:
* Need trained focus group moderator
* Dominating personality in group causes others to not share
* Not generalizable

Question 24

How do researchers use observation as data generation?

Answer 24

Going into natural setting to try and better understand the topic of study
* Researchers need to immerse themselves in setting for a prolonged time
* Observations begin broad => develop in-depth understanding of context then more specific

Question 25

Gold identified four types of observations. What are they?

Answer 25

1. Complete Participant 2. Participant as observer 3. Observer as participant 4. Complete observer

Question 26

What is complete participant

Answer 26

Type of observation where the researcher takes part in the activity, event or phenomenon under study * Helps build rapport and participants likely unaware being watched and researched on by the researcher

Question 27

What is Participant as observer?

Answer 27

Type of observation where researcher is participant and researcher but more obvious to other participants that they are being recorded * Rapport can be made easily but harder to take data when fully immersed in activity

Question 28

What is observer as participant?

Answer 28

Observation where researcher participates from a distance but participants are aware. * Allows for participation to be of secondary importance to researcher * Understanding of what is happening may be difficult to obtain since an outsider ## Footnote **Most ethical one**

Question 29

What is Complete Observer

Answer 29

Researcher is completely hidden and group participating is unaware entirely * Unaware means participants act normal in environment but lack of insiders POV when info is obtained

Question 30

Field notes and observations

Answer 30

Field notes should be recorded in field (i.e. observer as participant); observations that the researcher makes and writes down as evidence which overall helps in guiding their understanding of the phenomenon they're researching

Question 31

What is an observational protocol?

Answer 31

Template that guides the field notes for observation (the data generation method) Includes: * Header * Descriptive Notes * Reflective Notes * Visual Sketch

Question 32

Explain each section of the observational protocol

Answer 32

**Header**: Brief descriptive title about observation session **Descriptive Notes**: Summarize and describe activities or phenomenon **Reflective Notes**: Researcher describes feelings, reflections or interpretations of the activities or phenomenon **Visual Sketch**: Depiction of setting where observation took place

Question 33

What are "written documents" as data generation methods?

Answer 33

Typically addition to other forms of data generation - sometimes primary data generation method * Public documents: policies, news articles, historical archives * Written documents from participants: logbooks, personal diaries or letters

Question 34

How is written documents explained in the example given in the textbook?

Answer 34

Hockey news articles saying violence is important to hockey but also condemns violence and recognizes injuries to brain due to hockey. ## Footnote Written documents can provide rich insight into study topics

Question 35

What is visual data (data generation method)?

Answer 35

Photographs, mappings, diagrams or even videos can be useful forms of data generation as not everyone is good as expressing themselves with words

Question 36

What is digital data (data generation method)

Answer 36

Technology provides opportunities to generate data in research - smartphones, digital cameras, tablet computers