Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing narrative data through methods like interviews and observations to gain a deep understanding of phenomena. It has characteristics like being naturalistic, inductive, and focusing on personal experiences and insights. Qualitative research is useful across many fields for understanding people and contexts.

1. LESSON 2 : QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN DAILY LIFE
PREPARED BY:
MARYFLOR J. VILLAHERMOSA

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1.Describe the characteristics, strengths,
weaknesses, and types of qualitative research;
2.• Make one’s own research title for a specific type
of qualitative research; and
3.• illustrate the importance of qualitative research
across fields.

3. WHAT I KNOW
Directions: Read each item carefully. Write TRUE
if the statement is true and write FALSE if the
statement if false. Write your answers in your
Activity Notebook.
1. Naturalistic inquiry is studying world situation
naturally.
2. Inductive analysis is the qualitative type in
which the immersion of specific type of data is

4. 3. Holistic perspective is possible in the
quantitative type of research.
4. In personal contact and insight, the researcher
has direct contact with and gets close to the
people.
5. In qualitative research, the researcher’s
personal experiences and insights are important
part of the inquiry and critical to understanding the

5. 6. One of the major characteristics of
qualitative research is interview.
7. In the dynamic systems, it is assumed that
change is constant and on-going whether the
focus is on an individual or an entire culture.
8. In qualitative research, the researcher’s
passion understands the world in all its

6. 9. One of the characteristics of qualitative
research is emphatic neutrality where
personal experiences are not included as part
of the study.
10. One of the strengths of qualitative
research is it offers several avenues to
understand phenomena.

7. Qualitative research is the
collection, analysis, and interpretation
of comprehensive narrative data in
order to gain insights into a
phenomenon of interest (Bueno,
2017). It is very useful for describing
and answering questions about
participants and contexts.

8. 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).

9. 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).

10. 1. 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” (p. 42).

11. 2. 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.

12. 3. HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Patton stated, “a holistic approach assumes that
the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” (p.
40). 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

13. 4. 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).

14. 5. 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.

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

16. 7. CONTEXT SENSITIVITY
Researchers must realize the different
variables, such as values and beliefs,
that influence cultural behaviors.

17. 8. 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.

18. 9. DESIGN FLEXIBILITY
Researchers can continue to do
research on other topics or questions
that emerge from the initial research.

19. 10. 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.

20. 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,

22. 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

23. 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).

24. 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).

25.  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).

26.  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).

27.  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).

28.  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.

29. 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’.

30. 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).

31. 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.

32. 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.”

33. 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.

34.  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.”

35. 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).

36. 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.

37. Importance of Qualitative
Research
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.

38. Importance of 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

39. Importance of Qualitative
Research
• 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

40. 1Directions: Answer the following questions in your
Activity Notebook.
1. What is the effect of qualitative research in our
decision-making?
2. Why is qualitative research recommended to be
used in Senior High School students?
3. Is the researcher himself should use the data-
gathering instrument? Defend your answer.

41. Research Instrument
Is a tool used to collect, measure, and
analyze data related to your research
interests.
Tools:
Observation, surveys, interview