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Qualitative research

1. Qualitative Research Method (BSW) Aug, 2021 Understanding the characteristics of research Identification of a research problem

2. The four dimensions of research The dimension of research can be divided into four(based on the following conditions) The purpose of doing it Its intended use How it treats time The research techniques used in it

3. The purpose of a study Exploration : looking for a new topic or issue to learn about it . The researcher’s goal is to formulate more precise questions that future research can answer. Exploratory research rarely yields definitive answers. It addresses the “what” question : “what is this social activity really about?” Exploratory researchers are creative, open minded, and flexible: adopt an investigative stance; and explore all sources of information. Exploratory researchers frequently use qualitative data.

4. The purpose of a study Description : you may have a more highly developed open idea about a social phenomenon and want to describe it. In descriptive research the researcher begins with a well-defined subject and conducts research to describe it accurately. The outcome of a descriptive study is a detailed picture of the subject. Descriptive research focuses on “how” and “who” questions (“How did it happen?” “who is involved?”) Descriptive researchers use most data-gathering techniques.

5. The purpose of a study Explanation : when you encounter an issue that is already known and have a description of it, you might begin to wonder why things are the way they are . The desire to know “ why ,” to explain, is the purpose of explanatory research. It builds on exploratory and descriptive research and goes on to identify the reason something occurs. Explanatory research looks for causes and reasons .

6. The use of research Basic research : it advances fundamental knowledge about the social world. It focuses on refuting or supporting theories that explain how the social world operates. Applied research : it try to solve specific policy problems or help practitioners accomplish tasks. Applied research is frequently descriptive research, and its main strength is its immediate practical use. The consumers of applied research findings are practitioners such as boards of directors, teachers, counselors, and case workers, or decision makers such as managers, committees, and officials.

7. The time dimension in research An awareness of the time dimension will help you read or conduct research because different research questions or issues incorporate time in different ways. Cross-sectional research : researchers observe/conduct at one point in time. Longitudinal research : researchers examine features of people or other units at more than one time.

8. Data collection techniques used Quantitative Data Use numbers, counts, and measures of things. Provides us with much more precise statements about human behavior. Qualitative Data Involves data in the form of words, pictures, descriptions, or narratives. The personal meanings and feelings that people have about themselves and what they do. These meanings or feelings cannot be captured very well through numbers or measures. Mixed The line between qualitative and quantitative approaches is not always completely clear, and the choice between the two can be difficult. Many research projects incorporate both approaches in order to gain the most benefit.

9. Theoretical lens Theoretical lens: Qualitative research use with philosophical assumptions and lens/ es to view their studies such as gender, culture, race, etc. What are philosophical assumptions? Different terms interchangeably used are: Philosophical underpinnings or Philosophical stances are assumptions/views/paradigms about The nature of reality/knowledge, how reality/knowledge can be constructed and other pertinent issues A paradigm is a “worldview” or a set of assumptions about how things work. Paradigm is a “shared understandings of reality.” They are a set of beliefs that guide action. Quantitative and qualitative research methods involve very different assumptions about how research should be conducted and the role of the researcher. Philosophical underpinnings influence the research process form design to conclusion-form beginning to end.

10. Researchers may use multiple paradigms for one research. Paradigms might be explicit and implicit . It is better to make explicit philosophical underpinnings particularly for qualitative researchers Qualitative research is reflective by nature. What is the need to be reflective in qualitative research?

11. Components of Philosophical Underpinnings of Research 1. Ontological Questions Concerns about the nature of social reality Asks about what is reality? Does reality exist? Or Does reality exist independent of the knower? Is there any objective/absolute truth/reality/ knowledge? Or Is subjective/created in our mind/ influenced by our experiences, values etc ? 2 . Epistemological Questions It asks how /reality/truth/knowledge can be constructed, acquired, or communicated? What is the nature of the relationship between the researcher and the researched? How and what is possible to know?

12. Components of Philosophical Underpinnings of Research 3. Axiological Questions Concerns about the role of values in research. It asks is the researcher value-free or value-laden in his/her research. Is it possible to be value-free, impartial absolutely for human beings? Example: Can Ethiopia or Egyptian researchers/scholars be unbiased absolutely about the Ethiopian renaissance dam? 4. Rhetorical Concerns about the language of research Asks whether researchers use literary, local, personal voices, informal style or formal and abstract languages . 5. Methodological Questions Concerns about the whole processes of research Whether the research process uses inductive logic, studies the topic within real life contexts, using emergent designs or using deductive processes

13. Major Paradigms of Research 1. Positivism Derived from natural sciences Its ontological assumption is based on realism- Realism is a view that reality exists independent of the knower. It views that social reality is ordered and governed by natural laws. The task of the researcher is to discover reality using objective methods Reality is not mediated by our senses, experiences or any situation. . It uses quantitative methods and statistical analysis. The purpose of research is to measure, quantify, test, explain, predict and prove or disprove

14. Major Philosophical Paradigms of Research Post positivism- Karl Popper Made some adjustments on positivism thoughts. Example; there is no absolute truth but approximate/closer truth. Claim probability rather than certainty on of reality or research findings Theories cannot be proved or disproved but falsified b/c reality or truth tentative and it remains as truth until new evidence comes.

15. Major Philosophical Paradigms of Research 2. Interpretivism /social constructivism Reality is socially constructed and subjective, co-created with interactions. There are multiple realities depending on the practical situations of participants. The goal of research is capture the participants’ realties, views, or perspectives of the situation. These realities are formed through interactions with many contexts-political, cultural, social etc There is interactive link between researcher and participants The purpose of research is to understand, describe, interpret or construct meaning, explain and understand from participants’ perspectives. Dominantly use qualitative methods of research

16. Major Philosophical Paradigms of Research 3. Critical/participatory/ advocacy/ emancipatory/ feminist/ post modern There are multiple realities including social, political, and cultural, class, gender etc. Knowledge is socially, historically, politically and culturally situated. Knowledge or reality is highly affected by the power-relationships. There is interactive/activist link between researcher and participant/context. The focus of research is on marginalized groups to make their voices heard. The purpose of research is to: Promote social change, Liberate or emancipate, Critique or take political actions. Dominantly use action research and qualitative methods of research

17. Major Philosophical Paradigms of Research 4. Pragmatism Is not committed to any philosophy of reality Use multiple methods both qualitative and quantitative methods It focuses on the practical implications of research Emphasizes conducting research that best addresses the research problem What is best or what is reality is something that works for the participants.

18. Shaping and refining the proposal Novice researchers often choose a broad topic Broad topics offers little guidance in terms of how to procedure After having broad topic the next step in the research process is to begin translating a general topic interest into a precise researchable problem by narrowing the scope of the problem to manageable proportions Refining, narrowing, and focusing a research problem don’t occur at once but rather form a continuous process involving a number of procedures.

19. Conceptual Development In the refining of a research problem, one of the key steps is conceptual development: identifying and properly defining the concepts that the study will focus on. If theory and research already exist to rely on some conceptual development occurs as a part of formulating a research problem. The meaning of the concept has to clearly defined. The other process is to narrow the focus of the concept so that it encompasses a topic that is feasible to research in a single study.

20. Conceptual Development Once key concepts clearly defined, the next consideration is their measurability . Only concepts that are in some way measurable can be used in the research process. Concepts need to be operationalized If concepts in a proposed study cannot be measured, then some modification in the project and possibly in the theory is necessary. Theories provide concepts and hypotheses for research, whereas research modifies theories through conceptual development.

21. Review literature Review of the literature is a necessary and important part of the research process This is important to familiarize ourselves with the current state of knowledge regarding the research problem and to learn how others have delineated similar problems . In this process we will pick up ideas from several that we can integrate to improve our own. It will help us to narrow the focus of the research project and ensure that we do not unnecessarily duplicate what others have already done.

22. Review literature In a literature review it is very important to look the findings and conclusions of the study : which hypotheses were confirmed, and what guidelines for future research were presented. A thorough literature review involves evaluating and comparing many research reports, identifying where they used similar procedures and reached similar outcomes, and where there were discrepancies between studies.

23. Research Question Once a concise problem statement has been articulated, researchers generally select several potential broad research questions that relates to it. In more quantitative studies, one or more of them may get answered during the extensive literature review that generally follows. Others will be revised, usually made more specific, by what is learned from the literature review process. After that, the questions (and the plan for answering them) are essentially “set.” In more qualitative studies , the process of data collection often begins quite early, following a less extensive literature review. Very few research problems can be studied in their entirety in a single research effort.

24. Research Question There are many different gaps in knowledge related to any research problem that could serve as the focus for the research. Each can produce one or more research questions. But they cannot all be studied. Obviously, some selection must occur before the research process can proceed. As a general rule, it is better to do a good thorough job of studying just a few research questions than it is to do a more superficial job of inquiring into the answers to many different ones.

25. Research Design Having successfully established a researchable problem, we must develop a research design. A detailed plan outlining how observations/investigation will be made. Research designs always address certain key issues, such as who will be studied, how these people will be selected, and what information will be gathered from or about them. The research design spells out in considerable detail what will occur in the following stages of the research process.

26. Components of a research proposal Title page It is a definite and concise indication of what is to come. The title of your research proposal should state your topic exactly in the smallest possible number of words . Put your name, the name of your department/faculty/college , the name of your advisor(s) and date of delivery under the title .

27. Components of a research proposal 2. Abstract The abstract is a brief summary of the thesis proposal . In most cases it isn’t more than 500 words. It needs to show how your work fits into what is already known about the topic and what new contribution your work will make . Though it appears at the front of the proposal, it is written last.

28. Components of a research proposal 3. Introduction/Background The introduction should be focused on the research question. It provides background information for the research proposal . It is important to establish a framework for the research. It is also very important to motivate your reader to read the rest of the proposal. You need to cite those who have done the most relevant work. All cited work should be directly relevant to the goals of the research .

29. Components of a research proposal 4. Statement of the problem The research problem has to be clearly identified. You need to look for questions about your problem to which answers have not been found up to the present (gap in the literature). Why your research need to be conducted has to be clearly spelled out to the readers.

30. Components of a research proposal 5. Literature review the researcher has to obtained sound knowledge with regard to the research topic . It is a description of the literature relevant to a particular research problem. It will narrow the scope of what you need to look out for when you read . It will help you to synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known. It will also helps to identify areas of controversy in the literature. It is the pillar to formulate questions that need further research.

31. Components of a research proposal 6. Hypotheses /Questions It can be inferred from the overall problem formulation of the study. Questions are most often used in qualitative inquiry. Hypotheses are relevant to theoretical research and are typically used only in quantitative inquiry . Questions or hypotheses could be used depends on factors such as the purpose of the study , the nature of the design and methodology of the research.

32. Components of a research proposal 7. Conceptual framework A conceptual framework is described as a set of broad ideas and principles taken from relevant fields of enquiry and used to structure a subsequent presentation . The framework is a research tool intended to assist a researcher to develop awareness and understanding of the situation under scrutiny and to communicate this . Selecting and specifying what we believe to be the most important or relevant variables to measure. Stating the value categories or values that each variable can assume. Specifying as precisely as possible exactly what we will mean by those variables.

33. Components of a research proposal 8. Objective/Aim of the study Vague and overly broad objectives must be clarified or reduced in scope so that they are amenable to measurement. The objectives of a research delineate the ends or aim which the inquirer seeks to bring about as a result of completing the research undertaken . The objectives of a research project summarize what is to be achieved by the study . After the primary objective, secondary objectives may be mentioned . Properly formulated objectives will facilitate the development of your research methodology and will help to orient the collection, analysis , interpretation and utilization of data.

34. Components of a research proposal 9. Ethical considerations The person researching the issue has to be described with his/her role. The power relations between the researcher and the participants need to be explained. If any children involved under the age of 18 years how they are going to be treated? If there is any potential physical or psychological risk to the participants it has to be clearly mentioned. How will confidentiality or anonymity be maintained ? Provide the details of any monetary or other compensation that will be offered to participants, if applicable.

35. Components of a research proposal 10. Research methods Study design Study subjects Eligibility Criteria (if any) Sample size Sampling methods Method of data collection Description of variables Data quality assurance Operational definitions Plan of data analysis

36. Components of a research proposal 11. Work plan Work plan is a schedule, chart or graph that summarizes the different components of a research proposal and how they will be implemented in a coherent way within a specific time-span . Different components/phases/stages of the study should be stated. Description of activities in each phase has to be explained. Time required to accomplish the various aspects of the study should also be indicated.

37. Components of a research proposal 12. Budget Cost for every budget item should be quantitatively shown. A proposal budget reflects direct and indirect costs : Personnel Consumable supplies Equipments Travel Communications Publication Overhead costs for institutions or associations General administrative cost Operational and maintenance Depreciation and use allowance

38. Components of a research proposal 13. References You must give references to all the information that you obtain from books , papers in journals, and other sources . The information you give in the reference list must be enough for readers to find the books and papers in a library or a database.

39. Components of a research proposal 14. Appendices/Annexes Include in the appendices of your proposal any additional information you think might be helpful to a proposal reviewer. For example , include: Questionnaire & other collection forms replica tables Biographical data on the principal investigator The consent form (if any)