QUALITATIVE METHODS IN M&E

11/27/2024
 JARIM OMOGI
BSc Biochemistry (KU), Cert M&E
(Amref), Mph(MOI).
E-mail : oduoromogi@gmail.com
Cell phone: 0727239519

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 Definitions

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 Data Analysis During
Collection

• Analysis not left until the end

• To avoid collecting data that are not important
the researcher must ask:
– How am I going to make sense of this data?
• As they collect data the researcher must ask
– Why do the participants act as they do?
– What does this focus mean?
– What else do I want to know?
– What new ideas have emerged?
– Is this new information?
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 Data Analysis After Collection
• One way is to follow three iterative
steps
1. Become familiar with the data through
1. Reading
2. Memoing
2. Exam the data in depth to provide
detailed descriptions of the setting,
participants, and activities.
3. Categorizing and coding pieces of data
and grouping them into themes.
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 Data Analysis After Collection
Summarizing
• “the first time you sit down with your data is
the only time you come to that particular set
fresh”-Kratowohl.
– Reading and memoing
• Read write memos about field notes.
– Describing
• Develop comprehensive descriptions of setting,
participants, etc.
– Classifying
• Breaking data into analytic units.
• Categories
• Themes

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 Data Analysis Strategies
• Identifying themes
– Begin with big picture and list “themes” that
emerge.
• Events that keep repeating themselves
• Coding qualitative data
– Reduce data to a manageable form
– Often done by writing notes on note cards
and sorting into themes.
• Predetermined categories vs. emerging
categories
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How to make coding manageable
• Make photocopies of original data
– Why?
• Read through all of the data.
– Attach working labels to blocks of text
• Cut and paste blocks of text onto index cards.
• Group cards that have similar labels together
• Revisit piles of cards to see if clusters still
hold together.

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 Other Strategies

• Concept Mapping
– Analyzing Antecedents and Consequences
– Displaying Findings
– Stating what’s missing
Illness

Social Skills
Absenteeism
School Safety

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 Data Interpretation

• Answer these four questions

– What is important in the data?
– Why is it important?
– What can be learned from it?
– So what?
• Remember
– Interpretation depends on the perspective
of the researcher.
• Why?
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 Interpretation

• One technique for data interpretation

(Wolcott)
– Extend the analysis by raising questions
– Connect findings to personal experiences
– Seek the advice of “critical” friends.
– Contextualize findings in the research
• Converging evidence?
– Turn to theory
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 Ensuring Credibility

• Are the data based on one’s own observation,

or is it hearsay?
• Is there corroboration by other’s of the
observation?
• In what circumstances was an observation
made or reported?
• How reliable are those providing the data?
• What motivations might have influenced a
participant’s report?
• What biases might have influenced how an
observation was made or reported?
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 Mixed Methods?

• A combination of quantitative and

qualitative techniques.
– Under what circumstances might mixed
methods work?
– Under what circumstances might mixed
methods not work?
• Think epistemological perspectives.

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 Quantitative vs. Qualitative

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 Definition and Purpose

• Mixed methods research

– A style of research that uses procedures for
conducting research that are typically applied in
both quantitative and qualitative studies
– The purpose of these designs is to build upon the
synergy and strength that exists between
quantitative and qualitative methods in order to
more fully understand a given phenomenon than is
possible using either quantitative or qualitative
methods alone

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 Definition and Purpose

• Mixed methods research

– The research problem itself determines the
choice of a design
– Examples:
• Using surveys to identify specific groups of
students and conducting focus groups with
them to understand their views
• A series of interviews are conducted to
ascertain the critical issues bothering students,
and a survey of the student body is conducted
using these issues as variables
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 Three Types of Designs

• Three characteristics that differentiate

types of mixed methods designs
– The priority given to either the quantitative
or qualitative data collection
– The sequence of collecting quantitative or
qualitative data
– The data analysis techniques used to
either combine the analysis of data or keep
the two types of data separate

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 Three Types of Designs

• Three common designs

– QUAL-Quan Model
• The exploratory mixed methods design
• Qualitative data are collected first and are more
heavily weighted
– QUAN-Qual Model
• The explanatory mixed methods design
• Quantitative data are collected first and are
more heavily weighted
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 Three Types of Designs

• Three common designs (continued)

– QUAN-QUAL Model
• The triangulation mixed methods design
• Quantitative and qualitative data are collected
concurrently and both are weighted equally
• Notation
– Abbreviations QUAN and QUAL are obvious
– Order and capitalization
• The first to be read or the capitalized abbreviation is the
dominant perspective and is weighted more heavily
• If both are capitalized, it means both are weighted
equally
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 Ten Characteristics of Mixed
Methods Designs

• The title of the research includes terms that

suggest more than one method is being used
– Mixed methods
– Integrated
– Triangular
– Quantitative – qualitative
• Both quantitative and qualitative methods are
used in the study

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 Ten Characteristics of Mixed
Methods Designs
• The researcher describes the kinds of mixed
methods being used
• The data collection section indicates
narrative, numerical, or both types of data are
being collected
• The purpose statement or the research
questions indicate the types of methods being
used
• Questions are stated and described for both
quantitative and qualitative approaches
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 Ten Characteristics of Mixed
Methods Designs

• The researcher indicates the sequencing of

collecting qualitative and/or quantitative data
(i.e., QUAN-Qual, QUAL-Quan, or QUAN-
QUAL)
• The researcher describes both quantitative
and qualitative data analysis strategies
• The writing is balanced in terms of
quantitative and qualitative approaches

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 Evaluating a Mixed Methods Design

• Eight questions
– Does the study use at least one quantitative and
one qualitative research strategy?
– Does the study include a rationale for using a
mixed methods design?
– Does the study include a classification of the type
of mixed methods design?
– Does the study describe the priority given to
quantitative and qualitative data collection and the
sequence of their use?
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 Evaluating a Mixed Methods Design

• Eight questions (continued)

– Was the study feasible given the amount of data to
be collected and concomitant issues of resources,
time, and expertise?
– Does the study include both quantitative and
qualitative research questions?
– Does the study clearly identify qualitative and
quantitative data collection techniques?
– Does the study use appropriate data analysis
techniques for the type of mixed methods design?

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 Karibu Sana! Welcome!
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