Theory in Qualitative

Reasearch
By: Ramilyn A. Somollo
 That which seeks to qualify
Uses verbal descriptions and explanations
Focuses on human behaviours and practices
Attempts to understand how units experience
Gathering of information is not numerically
sensitive
1. Ethnographic Method
Characteristics:
Peoples behaviour is studied in their normal
environment, not under experimental conditions.
Data is collected from different sources, with
observation and relatively informal conversations
the primary ones.
Focus is generally a single setting or group.
Analysis involves interpretation of meaning.
 Urban Ethography- studying the culture of a
group within one's own country or a sub-
group within one's own group
Classical Ethnography- studying a completely
foreign culture, the researcher is removed
from her culture and placed in the culture she
is studying
Ethnography is primarily about describing
cultures.
The aim of the ethnographer is paramount in
determining the direction
the ethnographic study is going to take purely
descriptive or also seekingto offer explanation
for why a particular culture is how it is.
2. Phenomenology
Characteristics:
emphasizes a focus on people's subjective
experiences and interpretations of the world
depending on the aim or the researcher he may
utilize a small or a large number of participants
usually seen in focus-group discussions and key
informant interview
3. Field Research/Participant observation
Characteristics:
the essential idea is that the researcher goes "into
the field" to observe the phenomenon in its
natural state or in situ
the researcher must be removed from the one
being observed
copious notes are taken
time and motion studies are a kind of participant
observation
4. Grounded Theory
Origins and Purpose:
developed by Glaser and Strauss in the 1960s
The self-defined purpose of grounded theory is to
develop theory about phenomena of interest.
How does the process begin?
The research begins with the raising of generative
questions which help to guide the research but
are not intended to be either static or confining.
As the researcher begins to gather data, core
theoretical concept(s) are identified.
Tentative linkages are developed between the
theoretical core concepts and the data.
Stages in the Grounded Theory
Coding-process for both categorizing qualitative
data and for describing the implications and
details of these categories.
General coding- Everything is coded
Selective coding- Once a pattern has been established
Memoing-process for recording the thoughts and
ideas of the researcher as they evolve throughout
the study
Integrative diagrams and sessions-used to pull all
the data together