This document provides an introduction to qualitative research methodology. It discusses key aspects of qualitative research such as what qualitative research refers to, common qualitative research paradigms, and differences between qualitative and quantitative research. The document also outlines the qualitative research process from developing research topics and questions to data collection and analysis. It provides examples of common qualitative research designs including field research, case studies, and action research. Data collection techniques in qualitative research like interviews and observation are also examined.

1. Hangzhou, January 2011
Prof. Dr. Hora Tjitra, Zhejiang University
Qualitative
Research
Methodology
定性 研究 方法 - An Introduction

2. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
2
It can refers to research about:
• persons’ lives,
• lived experiences
• behaviors, emotions and feelings
• organizational functioning
• social movements
• cultural phenomena
• interaction between nations
Qualitative Research Paradigms
… any type of research that produces findings not arrived by statistical procedures
or other means of quantification (Strauss & Corbin, 1998 p.10).

3. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
3
14
years
in
Germany
7
years
in
China
Born
and
grew
up
in
Indonesia
Prof.Dr.Hora Tjitra - Cross-cultural and Business Psychology
Dipl.-Psych.,Technical University of Braunschweig
Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management
Dr.Phil.,University of Regensburg
Intercultural Psychology and Strategic Management
Executive Education,INSEAD
HR Management in Asia

4. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
Outline
1 What is qualitative research? 5
2 Defining Topics and Research Questions 11
3 Qualitative research process 15
4 What is good qualitative research? 21
4

5. What
are
the
most
important
differences
between
qualitative
and
quantitative
research?
?

6. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
Comparisons of Quantitative and Qualitative
Research Paradigms
6
e.g. Survey on Employee Satisfaction: Questionnaires (Statistic) or Interviews (Text)
Graphic
source:
h.p://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?9tle=Researching_M-­‐Libraries_workshop

7. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
7
Construction of Theories
and Hypothesis
Pilot Study
Deep Analysis
Case Study
Process Analysis
Classification
Evaluation of Theories
and Hypothesis
Mayring,
1997
Qualitative Analysis: What for ?

8. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
8
Strong Focus on Description
• Importance of Single Case Study
• Openness
• Control of Method
Strong Focus on Interpretation
• Pre-Understanding
• Introspection
• Researcher-Object Interaction
Subject First
• Wholeness
• History
• Problem Orientation
Natural and Daily Environment
The Results Should be
Understood as a Process
of Generalization
• Argumentative Generalization
• Induction
• Rules Concept
• Quantification
Mayring,
1996
The Foundations and Pillars of Qualitative Thinking

9. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
9
Models of process and theory
Linear model
of the
research
process
Theory Hypotheses Opera-onal-­‐
iza-on
Sampling Collec-on Interpreta-on Valida-on
Circular
model of the
research
process
Preliminary
assump-ons
Theory
Collec-on
Interpreta-on
Case
Collec-on
Interpreta-on
Case
Collec-on
Interpreta-on
Case
Sampling Sampling
Comparing
Comparing
Comparing

10. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
10
Research Design for the integration of qualitative
and quantitative research
Qualitative
Quantitative
(con%nuous
collec%on
of
both
sorts
of
data)
Qualitative Quantitative Qualitative
(Explora%on) (Ques%onnaire) (deepening
and
assessing
results)
Quantitative Qualitative Quantitative
(Survey) (Field
Study) (Experiment)
Adapted
from
Miles
&
Huberman,
1994

11. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
11
Qualita've
Research
Process:
From
Ideas
(Ques'ons)
to
Results
(Theory)
Data
Collection
Preparation
Process
Analyzing
Process
Process of Qualitative Research
Qualitative Research Design
Single Case
Analyses
Document
Analyses
Action Research Field Research
Qualitative
Experiments
Qualitative
Evaluation
Research Topics, Problems and Questions (Hypotheses)
The Foundations and Pillars of Qualitative Thinking

12. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
12
Getting started:
Choosing a problem and stating the research question
• How
do
I
find
a
researchable
problem?
• How
do
I
narrow
it
down
sufficiently
to
make
it
workable?
Sources of research problem
suggested
or assigned
literature experiences
 What do questions look like in qualitative study? How do they differ from those quantitative
studies and why?
 The research question in a qualitative study is a statement that identifies the phenomenon
to be studied. It tells the readers what the researcher specifically wants to know about this
subject.
“What
happens
when
a
pa,ent
complains
of
being
pain
but
the
nurse
does
not
believe
him
or
her?”
In
this
case,
the
focus
of
the
observa,ons,
chart
reviews,
and
interviews,
as
well
as
analysis,
will
be
on
the
interac,on
between
nurse
and
pa,ent.

13. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
13
Research Questions in the Research Process
8. Evaluation and reformulation of the specific research questions
9. Analyzing the data
2. Formulation of specific research
10. Generalization and evaluation of the analyses
3. Formulation of sensitizing concepts
11. Formulation of the findings
4. Selection of research groups with which to study the question
5. Selection of appropriate designs and methods
1. Formulation of the overall question
6. Evaluation and reformulation of the specific research questions
7. Collection of data

14. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
14
RQ Forms and influences in qualitative research process
定性研究过程的形势和影响因素
• The original research question and the manner in which it is
phrased lead the researcher to examine the data from a specific
perspective and to use certain data gathering techniques and
modes of data analysis.
• The question(s) sets the tone for the research project and helps
the researcher to stay focused, even when there are masses of
data.
• The original question in a qualitative study often is broad and
open ended that tends to become more refined and specific as
the research progress and as the issues and problems of the
areas under investigation emerged.
• It is important that the researcher have enthusiasm for the
subject because he / she will have to live with it for some time.

15. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
15
Data
Collection
Preparation
Process
Analyzing
Process
Process of Qualitative Research
Qualitative Research Design
Single Case
Analyses
Document
Analyses
Action Research Field Research
Qualitative
Experiments
Qualitative
Evaluation
Qualitative Research Design and Prozess
Writing Qualitative Research Report
Research Topics, Problems and Questions (Hypotheses)

16. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
16
Document
Analyses
Research
Design
The Qualitative
Experiments
Action Research
Field Research
Single Case
Analyses
Qualitative
Evaluation
Research
The Most Common Qualitative Research Design

17. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
17
Qualitative Field Research
A disciplined inquiry examining the personal meanings of individuals’ experiences
and actions in the context of their social environment
It is appropriate for topics which are:
 Defy simple quantification (not counting
numbers of interactions of the subjects)
 Require the comprehensiveness of the
perspective the researcher can provide
(studying a culture)
 Need the researcher’s presence in their
natural setting to best learn about behavior
(gang, homeless, etc.)
 Investigate social processes over time
(demonstrations, courtroom procedures,
public hearing)

18. An
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to
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Research
Methodology
18
Qualitative
Data
Group
Discussion
InterviewObservation
Qualitative Data Collection
Observation is probably the most basic and oldest method in the whole psychology.
It is a process we all are continuously engaged in, and in the eyes of public, psychologist are
notorious for spending their time „watching“ other people !!
It enables the researcher to find out how something factually works or occurs.

19. An
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Research
Methodology
19
Life world Meaning Qualitative Specificity DeliberateDescriptive
Focused Ambiguity Change Sensitivity Interpersonal
Situation
Positive
Experience
The Purpose of Qualitative Research
Interview treated is to obtain descriptions of
the lived world of the interviewees with respect
to interpretations of the meaning of
the described phenomena.
Aspects of Qualitative Research Interviews

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Research
Methodology
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Qualitative Data Analyzing Approaches
Theory
The Social World
Data
(Gilbert,
N.
(ed.)
(1993)
Researching Social Life,
Sage,
London)
Theory
The Social World
Instance
Explanation
Grounded Theory:
Inductional Approach
Content Analysis:
Deductional Approach

21. How
can
you
“judge”
a
good
research
in
psychology?
?

22. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
Checklist for selecting a qualitative research method
1. What
do
I
know
about
the
issue
of
my
study
or
how
detailed
is
my
knowledge
already?
2. How
developed
is
the
theore-cal
or
empirical
knowledge
in
the
literature
about
the
issue?
3. Am
I
more
interested
in
generally
exploring
the
field
and
the
issue
of
my
study?
4. What
is
the
theore-cal
background
of
my
study
and
which
methods
fit
this
background?
5. What
is
it
that
I
want
to
get
close
to
in
my
study?
Personal
experiences
of
(a
group)
of
certain
people
or
social
processes
in
the
making?
Or
am
I
more
interested
in
reconstruc-ng
the
underlying
structures
of
my
issue?
6. Do
I
started
with
a
very
focused
research
ques-on
right
away
or
do
I
start
from
a
rather
unfocused
approach
in
order
to
develop
the
more
focused
ques-ons
underway
in
the
process
of
my
project?
7. What
is
the
aggregate
I
want
to
study?
Personal
experiences,
interac-ons
or
situa-ons
or
bigger
en--es
like
organiza-ons
or
discourse?
8. Is
it
more
the
single
case
(e.g.
of
a
personal
illness
experience
or
of
a
certain
ins-tu-on)
I
am
interested
in
or
the
comparison
of
various
cases?
9. What
are
resources
(-me,
money,
wo/manpower,
skills…)
available
to
run
my
study?
10. What
are
the
characteris-cs
of
the
field
I
want
to
study
and
of
the
people
in
it?
What
can
you
request
of
them
and
what
not?
11. What
is
the
claim
of
generaliza-on
of
my
study?

23. An
Introduc+on
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Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
23
Quality Factors of Psychological Research
... the best available approximation to the truth or
falsity of propositions, incl. propositions about
cause.
Objectivity
Validity
Reliability
... is the "consistency" or "repeatability" of your
measures. A measure is considered reliable if it
would give us the same result over and over
again.
... is standardized situation as well as analyzing
and interpretation process in performing
psychological research.

24. An
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to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
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Quality Factors of Qualitative Research
Process
Documentation
Argumentative
Interpretation Assurance
Following
Rules
Closeness to the
Research Object
Communicative Validation
Triangulation

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Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
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Triangulation: Three Pillars of Good Qualitative Research
Data
Resources
Interpreter
TheoriesMethods

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Research
Methodology
26
Important Common Features of Qualitative Research
• Appropriateness
of
methods
and
theories
• Perspec%ves
of
the
par%cipants
and
their
diversity
• Reflexivity
of
the
researcher
and
the
research
• Variety
of
approaches
and
methods
in
qualita%ve
research
• “Verstehen”
as
epistemological
principle
• Reconstruc%ng
cases
as
star%ng
point
• Construc%on
of
reality
as
basis
• Text
as
empirical
material

27. An
Introduc+on
to
Qualita+ve
Research
Methodology
27
Principles of Quality Management
in the Qualitative Research Process
• A definition of the goals to be reached and the standards of the
project to be kept, which should be as clear as possible; all
researchers and co-workers have to be integrated in this
definition.
• A definition, how these goals and standards, and more generally
the quality to be obtained, can be reached; and therefore, a
consensus about the way how to apply certain methods,
perhaps through joint interview training, and its analysis are
preconditions for quality in the research process.
• A clear definition of the responsibilities for obtaining quality in
the research process.
• The transparency of the judgment and the assessment and
quality in the process.

28. Thank
You
Contact us via …
Mail: hora_t@mac.com
Follow: twitter@htjitra
Website: http://horatjitra.com
Zhejiang
University,
Hangzhou
(China)