Qualitative Research Methods

On psychology and embodiment: some methodological experiments

by john cromby

Michael Polanyi’s theory of knowledge, Habermas and interdisciplinary research

by Nigel Newton

Review and consideration of Michael Polanyi's theory of knowledge. His relevance to contemporary research in the... more Review and consideration of Michael Polanyi's theory of knowledge. His relevance to contemporary research in the social sciences is discussed. The article also re-evaluates the importance of fiduciary commitment.

Utiliser la photo et la vidéo : les apports de l’anthropologie visuelle

by Delphine Dion

Book chapter dans Etudes marketing : de nouvelles techniques pour mieux comprendre les consommateurs, D. Dion (ed.), Dunod.

Reporting of transcription practices in ESRC funded research projects

by Juup Stelma

Stelma, J. (2009). Reporting of transcription practices in ESRC funded research projects. British Educational Research Association, Annual Conference, Manchester, 2-5 September 2009.

Available from Education Online: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/188275.pdf

This paper explores how transcription practices are reported, or not reported, in ESRC End of Award Reports. The two... more This paper explores how transcription practices are reported, or not reported, in ESRC End of Award Reports. The two research questions that guide the exploration are:

1. How are transcription practices reported in End of Award reports submitted to the ESRC?

2. Based on this reporting, what we can learn about transcription practices across disciplines?

The use of semi-structured interviews in qualitative research: strengths and weaknesses

by Nigel Newton

Short essay exploring the nature and value of semi-structured interviews in educational research

What needs to be considered before collecting data through semi-structured interviews? How does thinking about... more What needs to be considered before collecting data through semi-structured interviews? How does thinking about analysis before questioning help or hinder interviewing practice? How should the strengths and weaknesses of the method be evaluated?

Film-based creative arts enquiry: qualitative researchers as auteurs

by Sally Brown

Co-authored with Martin Wood

Purpose – Inspired by an exciting revival of interest in the working methods and processes of the creative arts, the... more Purpose – Inspired by an exciting revival of interest in the working methods and processes of the creative arts, the purpose of this paper is to make use of the auteur approach to film production, to further develop knowledge about sensuous methodologies in qualitative research.

Design/methodology/approach – An exegesis of the authors’ particular experiences in producing and disseminating a short documentary film is used to construct a framework from which to analyse affective modes of engagement within the parameters of qualitative research.

Findings – Qualitative researchers are characterised as creative artists who bring their precise aesthetic choice to bear on an audience through a mix of technical competence, distinguishable personality and interior meaning.

Practical implications – One way for qualitative research to have affective impact is to use the working methods and procedures of the creative arts.

Social implications – A research culture is required where risk is permissible and engagement with the creative arts is given greater recognition in future qualitative projects.

Originality/value – As a mode of creative arts enquiry, film making can allow a degree of the emotional meaning and feeling within a study to come through into the analysis and the viewer's/reader's affective experience. This is often difficult to come by in more scientifically-driven research approaches.

Social Semiotics and Fieldwork: Method and Analytics

by Phillip Vannini

Published in Qualitative Inquiry, 2007

Drawing from recent analytical developments in semiotics and postmodern
ethnography, this article exposes and... more Drawing from recent analytical developments in semiotics and postmodern
ethnography, this article exposes and assesses the combination of social
semiotics and fieldwork as a form of qualitative inquiry. Approaches to semiotics
and fieldwork are not new—structural ethnographers in cultural anthropology
and structural interactionists in sociology and communication studies
have previously laid the foundations for the integration of formal methods of
analysis and inductive approaches to data collection—yet, as this article
argues, structuralism’s limitations have hampered the growth of semiotics
within qualitative inquiry. By presenting social semiotics as a viable alternative
to structural semiotics, by describing in clear pedagogical fashion how
social semiotics can be used as a research strategy, and by exposing its potential
for applicability, this article attempts to bring sociosemiotic ethnography
to the forefront of contemporary qualitative inquiry.

The Qualitative, the Quantitative, and the Creative

by Allison Mickel

Mickel, Allison. 2012. "The Qualitative, the Quantitative, and the Creative." Anthropology News 53(5): 11.

Contribution to the Anthropology News issue on Methods. Contribution to the Anthropology News issue on Methods.

Performance management in primary healthcare services: evidence from a field study

by Paulino Silva

Co-authored with Aldónio Ferreira published in Qualitative Research in Accounting and Management

Purpose – There is a growing interest in research focusing on performance management practices in the public sector,... more Purpose – There is a growing interest in research focusing on performance management practices in the public sector, but research is still limited with regards to public primary healthcare services (PHSs), which play an important role in national healthcare systems. These organisations are frequently criticised for alleged poor performance management practices and misuse of resources, though such claims are not always substantiated. The purpose of this study is to examine performance management practices in public PHSs.

Design/methodology/approach – Three case studies of PHSs organisations were conducted resulting in interview material and archival data. Otley's performance management framework was used to examine the data.

Findings – It is found that the performance management systems of the studied PHSs were disjoint and lacked consistency and coherence. Lack of direction and motivational were key issues in PHSs. Furthermore, the observations indicate that vertical controls between PHSs and parent organisation were weak and accountability poor.

Research limitations/implications – Generalisability of findings and social desirability bias are the important limitations. A key research implication is that the conceptual framework adopted can be meaningfully used to generate insights into performance management issues in public sector healthcare organisations.

Practical implications – The study highlights the implications of the poor design and use of performance management systems and highlights areas for improvement in the organisations studied, and potentially across the sector.

Originality/value – This study is the first to draw upon Otley's performance management framework to examine performance management practices in PHSs and to demonstrate its usefulness in this context.

Exploring culture and collective identity with the Radio Ballads

by Stephen Linstead

Ch. 14 In Pullen, A. Beech, N. And Sims, D. (2007) Exploring Identity: Concepts and Methods London: Palgrave Macmillan pp 251-73.

The understanding of culture depends on the dynamic understanding of cultural processes, not on their abstraction and... more The understanding of culture depends on the dynamic understanding of cultural processes, not on their abstraction and rationalization – on those things that, precisely because they are intuitive, unconscious and taken for granted, respondents cannot always readily make available for discussion. In this chapter I explore how one form of performance ethnography – and the methods it used - can be applied to hold up a mirror to organization as a means of facilitating more sensitive understandings of culture, identity and change. I introduce the Radio-Ballads as a dramatic form that draws upon ethnographic research and presents ethnographic data in a powerful and compelling way. Drawing on writings by Ewan MacColl and Charles Parker that discuss their methods, and on some transcriptions from the programmes, I will discuss five of the most salient aspects of this work for the study of collective identity – recording the background culture; listening to language (rather than discourse); intermittent interrogative methods; collective identity and narrative myth; collective self-discovery and catalytic interviewing. I will conclude by addressing some potential criticisms of the approach.

Chamberlain, K., Cain, T., Sheridan, J., Dupuis, C. (2011). Pluralisms in qualitative research: From multiple methods to integrated methods. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 8(2), 151-169.

by Kerry Chamberlain

doi: 10.1080/14780887.2011.572730

Pluralism offers promising ways forward for qualitative research, invoking the use of multiple methods to investigate... more Pluralism offers promising ways forward for qualitative research, invoking the use of multiple methods to investigate complex social questions. Drawing on two different research projects, we reflexively demonstrate, discuss and illustrate our processes of working pluralistically. In various ways, we argue that multiple methods function smoothly if they are closely aligned with the broad assumptions underpinning the research, resulting in their fusion into an integrated research process. The incorporation of multiple methods encourages creativity and innovation, extends the scope and depth of data, demands time, forces reflexivity, deepens and intensifies relationships between researchers and participants, and raises issues for analysis and interpretation. Although a pluralistic approach to research is demanding, substantial benefits can be obtained through working this way.

Sheridan, J., Chamberlain, K., & Dupuis, A. (2011). Timelining: Visualising experience. Qualitative Research, 11(5), 552-569.

by Kerry Chamberlain

doi: 10.1177/1468794111413235

This paper discusses the uses and benefits of an innovative method of graphic elicitation; timelining. The method was... more This paper discusses the uses and benefits of an innovative method of graphic elicitation; timelining. The method was developed in the context of a narrative-based research project on fatness and weight loss. Participants’ weight over time was plotted on a graph, informed and elaborated by a variety of material objects such as photographs, diaries, and medical records. The timeline provided a focus for participants and prompted their stories of weight loss experiences over time. While initially intended as a simple heuristic tool for eliciting talk, over the course of the research the process of timelining became a central feature of the project. Timelining is a subtle and malleable research method. While keeping time in view, timelining documents, records, extends and deepens understandings of participants’ past experiences. It encourages the construction of rich temporal narratives. It also provides opportunity for deeper researcher-participant relationship to develop. This form of graphic elicitation has particular value for narrative forms of research.

Sheridan, J., & Chamberlain, K. (2011). The power of things. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 8, 315-332

by Kerry Chamberlain

DOI:10.1080/14780880903490821

Qualitative research extensively utilises interviews to gain insight into the intricacy and texture of lived... more Qualitative research extensively utilises interviews to gain insight into the intricacy and texture of lived experience. However, there is growing recognition of the limitations of interviewing as a data-gathering method. Popular alternatives include a move to visual methods, such as photo-production, to enhance the interviewing process. In this paper we argue for the power of materiality in this process. We propose that material objects, such as photographs, items of clothing, personal journals, and such like, have power to simultaneously provide proof of the past, produce increased narrative depth, force change in narratives, and also change the interview process and the relationships caught up within it. We illustrate these issues by drawing on data from a research project about weight loss, We conclude by considering the implications and value of using material things in research.

How to make qualitative research more popular and public

by Phillip Vannini

Introductory chapter for the book published in 2012 by Peter Lang

See the book's website at: See the book's website at: http://www.popularizingresearch.net/

Translation in excess: engaging semiotics and the untranslatable

by Jan Simon Hutta

published in 'GJSS', 2009

"The royal we": Gender ideology, display, and assessment in wedding work

by Áine Humble

Humble, A. M., Zvonkovic, A. M., & Walker, A. J. (2008). "The royal we": Gender ideology, display, and assessment in wedding work (PDF- 109 KB). Journal of Family Issues, 29(1), 3-25. doi:10.1177/0192513X07305900

Family rituals provide a rich context in which to study the relation between ideology and action. Guided by the gender... more Family rituals provide a rich context in which to study the relation between ideology and action. Guided by the gender perspective, we analyzed the experiences of wives and husbands from 21 newly married heterosexual couples who described how they planned their weddings. The interplay among gender ideology, gender display, and gender assessment differed across three types of couples: traditional (n = 6), transitional (n = 10), and egalitarian (n = 5). An examination of gender assessment in transitional couples illustrates how holding competing ideologies contributes to the reproduction of hegemonic gendered work patterns within wedding planning.

Wedding work

by Áine Humble

Humble, A. M. (2009). Wedding work (Method in Practice Report #9). [On-line supplement to Sage Publications' Companion Website to L. Richards' Handling qualitative data (2nd ed.).

In this paper, I describe in detail the method behind a study I did on remarrying couples' wedding planning. Topics... more In this paper, I describe in detail the method behind a study I did on remarrying couples' wedding planning. Topics are (a) setting up the project, (b) creating data, (c) working with the data, (d) analysis, and (e) reporting the data.

This is one of 10 on-line "Method in Practice" reports associated with Lyn Richards' "Handling Qualitative Data" (2nd ed.) book, and it was posted in 2009.

Technique triangulation for validation in directed content analysis

by Áine Humble

Humble, A. M. (2009). Technique triangulation for validation in directed content analysis (PDF- 208 KB). International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 8(3), 34-51.

Division of labor in wedding planning varies for first-time marriages, with three types of couples—traditional,... more Division of labor in wedding planning varies for first-time marriages, with three types of couples—traditional, transitional, and egalitarian—identified, but nothing is known about wedding planning for remarrying individuals. Using semistructured interviews, the author interviewed 14 couples in which at least one person had remarried and used directed content analysis to investigate the extent to which the aforementioned typology could be transferred to this different context. In this paper she describes how a triangulation of analytic techniques provided validation for couple classifications and also helped with moving beyond “blind spots” in data analysis. Analytic approaches were the constant comparative technique, rank order comparison, and visual representation of coding, using MAXQDA 2007’s tool called TextPortraits.

Qualitative data analysis software: A call for understanding, detail, intentionality, and thoughtfulness

by Áine Humble

Humble, A. M. (2012). Qualitative data analysis software: A call for understanding, detail, intentionality, and thoughtfulness. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 4(2), 122-137. doi:10. 1111/j.1756-2589.2012.00125.x

Qualitative data analysis software (QDAS) programs have gained in popularity, but family researchers may have little... more Qualitative data analysis software (QDAS) programs have gained in popularity, but family researchers may have little training in using them and a limited understanding of important issues related to their use. This article urges increased understanding, detail, intentionality, and thoughtfulness with regard to QDAS. A brief history of QDAS is provided. Family-focused research trends in qualitative research and QDAS use are presented. Factors to be considered when choosing a qualitative software program are described, and current debates in the field noted. Suggestions for increasing dialogue about QDAS in the field of family studies are included.

Participation of Primary School Pupils who Stay at Institution of Social Services and Child Protection Dormitories in Social Science Lessons

by Halil Eksi

Sibel GÜVEN, Çiğdem ŞAHİN TAŞKIN
Educational Sciences: Th eory & Practice
8 (3) • September 2008 • 953-961

Th is research aims to understand to what extent primary school pupils stay at the Institution
of Social Services... more Th is research aims to understand to what extent primary school pupils stay at the Institution
of Social Services and Child Protection dormitories participate social science lessons.
Data were obtained from pupils stay at the Institution of Social Services and Child Protection
dormitories and attend primary schools in Istanbul and Çanakkale. Th irty pupils
in Istanbul and fifteen pupils in Çanakkale were interviewed and observed. Qualitative
research methods are used in this research. In order to analyse the data grounded theory
methodology was used. Th e analysis involves open, axial and selective coding processes.
Th e research findings indicated that pupils participate social science lessons at diff erent
levels. Pupils stated that history takes an important place in social science lessons. Th erefore,
using child-centred tasks will enable them to be more active in classrooms.