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Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research focuses on the collection and analysis of narrative data to gain insights into phenomena, emphasizing a holistic understanding of participants and contexts. It is characterized by themes such as naturalistic inquiry, inductive analysis, and context sensitivity, with various methods including interviews, case studies, and ethnography. The importance of qualitative research lies in its ability to explore relationships, develop hypotheses, and understand underlying feelings and perceptions that influence behavior.

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11 views4 pages

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research focuses on the collection and analysis of narrative data to gain insights into phenomena, emphasizing a holistic understanding of participants and contexts. It is characterized by themes such as naturalistic inquiry, inductive analysis, and context sensitivity, with various methods including interviews, case studies, and ethnography. The importance of qualitative research lies in its ability to explore relationships, develop hypotheses, and understand underlying feelings and perceptions that influence behavior.

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Pauljairus Curman
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Qualitative research is the collection, analysis, and interpretation of

comprehensive narrative data to gain insights into a phenomenon of


interest (Bueno, 2017). It is very useful for describing and answering
questions about participants and contexts.

The purpose of qualitative research is to promote a deep, holistic


understanding of a phenomenon. It provides insight into the complexity of
common occurrences. It also provides specific concrete details to guide
understanding in a setting (Bueno, 2017).
Characteristics of Qualitative Research
Qualitative research can be characterized by at least ten overlapping
themes that researchers should be aware of when collecting and analyzing
data. In qualitative study, Patton (1980) discussed these characteristics to
help researchers design studies. These characteristics are explained below
based on Balester's (1993) text, as cited by Constable and his colleagues
(2012).

Naturalistic Inquiry
Qualitative observational research is naturalistic because it studies a
group in its natural setting. Patton explained that “Naturalistic inquiry is
thus contrasted to experimental research where the investigator attempts to
completely control the condition of the study”

Inductive analysis
This characteristic is prevalent in qualitative research because it
allows the observer to become immersed in a group. The researcher starts
with answers but forms questions throughout the research process.
Hypotheses and theories can continuously change depending on what the
observer wants to know.

Holistic perspective
Patton stated, “a holistic approach assumes that the whole is greater
than the sum of its parts”. In other words, almost every action or
communication must be taken as a part of the whole phenomenon of a
certain community or culture. However, this characteristic of qualitative
observational research can be bothersome because it can lead researchers
into taking every little action into consideration when writing a narrative.

Personal contact and insight


The researcher is responsible for becoming a part of a group to get a
more in-depth study. However, the researcher also has to be aware of biases
(both good and bad).

Dynamic systems
Qualitative observational research is not concerned with having
straightforward, right or wrong answers. In addition, change in a study is
common because the researcher is not concerned with finding only one
answer.

Unique case orientation


Researchers must remember that every study is special and deserves
in-depth attention. This is especially necessary for doing cultural
comparisons.

Context sensitivity
Researchers must realize the different variables, such as values and
beliefs, that influence cultural behaviors.

Empathic neutrality
Ideally, researchers should be non-judgmental when compiling
findings. Because complete neutrality is impossible, this characteristic is a
controversial aspect of qualitative research.

Design flexibility
Researchers can continue to do research on other topics or questions
that emerge from the initial research.

Qualitative data
This is a detailed description of why a culture is the way it is.
Triangulation or the use of many data-gathering methods, such as field
notes, interviews, writing samples, and other data, helps determine the
cultural phenomenon of a group
Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is primarily interpretative and ethnographic in
nature. This kind of research approach requires explanation and detailed
observation, and it assumes that it is impossible to define precisely what
elements are essential and crucial and should be considered to the
exclusion of others (Atieno, 2009).

Types of Qualitative Research


Qualitative research methods typically include interviews and
observations, but may also include case studies, surveys, and historical and
document analyses. Qualitative research is an umbrella term used to refer
to the theoretical perspective designs, such as: narrative, phenomenology,
grounded theory, action research, case study, ethnography, historical
research, and content analysis (Creswell, 2009).
Narrative Research. It is a method that includes the analysis of the
characteristics of the narrative text, and recently of the meaning of inter
human relations in social, historical, and cultural contexts (Felton &
Stickley, 2018).

It focuses on people’s narratives either about themselves or


a set of events. Instead of looking for themes that emerge from an account, it
concentrates on the sequential unfolding of someone’s story, so there is an
emphasis on characters. It is time consuming and usually includes a very
small number of cases (Hancock et al., 2009).

Phenomenological Research. The meaning of the phenomenon is


conceptualized in the interior of the individual’s awareness. Phenomenology
is an approach to explore people’s everyday life experience. It is used when
the study is about the life experiences of a concept or phenomenon
experienced by one or more individuals.

A phenomenological researcher investigates subjective phenomena (Creswell,


2009).Grounded Theory. This is an approach to theory development
grounded/rooted in the data rather than empirical testing of the theory, that
is, data are collected and analyzed, and then a theory is developed
which is grounded in the data (Glaser & Strauss, 1967).

Action Research. Action research is an emergent inquiry process that


integrates theory and action to couple scientific knowledge with existing
organizational knowledge and to address real organizational problems
together with the people of the system under inquiry (Coghlan, 2011).

Case Study. Creswell (2009) defined it as a study where “Researcher


makes an in-depth exploration of a program, an event, an activity, a
process, or one or more individuals”. The structure of a case study should
be the problem, the context, the issues, and the lessons learned (Creswell,
2014). Hence, it is a comprehensive description of an individual case and its
analysis.

Ethnographical Research. Ethnographic observation is the most


intensive and in-depth observational qualitative approach. The word
ethnography comes from Greek ethnos which means ‘folk, people, and
nation’, and grapho means ‘I write’.

Therefore, ethnography has a setting in anthropology, which means ‘portrait of


a people’. It represents an approach in which the researcher engages in
prolonged observations from the group’s everyday life. In this type of research,
behaviors, values, and interactions among the members of the group are deeply
studied, described, and interpreted by the researcher (Creswell, 2014).
Historical Research. Historical research is one of the methods to
describe how and where the study started, how it is developed during time,
and where it stands at present. Kerlinger (1972) defined historical research
as “Critical investigation of events, development, and experiences of the
past, careful consideration of past testimonies from the perspective of
information sources validity, and subsequent interpretation of the
concerned testimonies.” Historical research seeks not only to discover the
events of the past but also to relate these past happenings to the present
and to the future.

Content Analysis. Content analysis is “a detailed and systematic


examination of the contents of a particular body of materials for the purpose
of identifying patterns, themes, or biases.” It was first used as a method for
analyzing hymns, newspapers and magazines, articles, advertisements, and
political speeches in the 19th century (Harwood & Garry, 2003).

Importance of Qualitative Research


Qualitative research mainly investigates the relationships between
individuals and the institutions and society in which they live using a
diverse range of approaches (Islam & Faruque, 2016). It allows the
researcher the flexibility to probe initial participant responses.

The Qualitative Research Consultants Association (2015) explained the


importance of qualitative research in terms of how and what situations it
can be used and when we do not expect from qualitative research.

− It helps develop hypotheses for further testing and for qualitative


questionnaire development.
− It helps understand the feelings, values, and perceptions that underlie
and influence behavior.
− It helps identify customer needs.
− It helps capture the language and imagery that customers use to
describe and relate to a product, service, brand, etc.
− It helps to perceive marketing/communication messages.
− It helps to obtain information in quantitative study and to better
understand the context/meaning of the data.
− It helps generate ideas for improvements and/or extensions of a
product, line, or brand.
− It helps uncover potential strategic directions for branding or
communications programs.

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