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Collecting qual data
This document provides an overview of qualitative data collection methods for research, including observation, interviews, focus groups, diaries, life histories, narratives, and secondary qualitative data. It discusses various sampling techniques, types of interviews, practical considerations for conducting interviews such as location and recording data, and the advantages and disadvantages of different qualitative data collection methods. The document aims to help researchers choose the most appropriate qualitative data collection method based on the purpose of their research, time constraints, access, and ethical factors.
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Collecting qual data
- 1. Slide 1 MANG6129 MANG7001 ResearchMethods 2011-12 Collecting qualitative data
- 2. Slide 2 MANG6129 You familiarwith these terms?? • Population • Sample • Probability and Non-probability sampling • Primary Data & Secondary Data
- 3. Slide 3 MANG6129 Qualitative datacollection methods • Observation • Interviews & Focus Groups • Diaries (Reflexive & Photographic) • Life Histories • Narrative / story telling • Secondary qualitative data • Multiple Methods
- 4. Slide 4 MANG6129 What willbe your data collection method ? • Purpose of your research • How much time you have • Your personal characteristics • Organisational access • Ethical considerations
- 5. Slide 5 MANG6129 Who andhow many?
- 6. Slide 6 MANG6129 Who andhow many? • Non-probability sampling – Purposive sampling – Snowball sampling – Convenience sampling – Quota sampling Saunders et al (2009)
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- 8. Slide 8 MANG6129 Observation • Observationaltechniques are methods by which an individual or individuals gather first hand data on events, processes, or behaviours. • Observer can use senses and technology to recoded events , process or behaviours. • Extended period of time
- 9. Slide 9 MANG6129 Observation Can be •Non-participatory •Semi-participatory •Participatory Canbe Structured and unstructured Can be Covert and overt
- 10. Slide 10 MANG6129 Advantages ofobservation • Explains ‘what is going on here?’ • Heightens researcher awareness • Useful in researcher’s own organisation • Experience emotions ‘for real’ • Lots of useful data
- 11. Slide 11 MANG6129 Disadvantages ofobservation • ‘Observer effect’ • Very time consuming • Ethical dilemmas • Role conflict (researcher vs colleague) • Observer bias (going native) • Very demanding (physically and emotionally) • Access issues • Data recording difficulties
- 12. Slide 12 MANG6129 Interviews &Focus Groups
- 13. Slide 13 MANG6129 Interviews • Definition –A purposeful discussion between two or more people • Use in research: – Preliminary: helps to clarify issues when formulating research proposals – Data gathering: provides rigorous data for subsequent analysis – Validation: helps to explore whether research conclusions are reasonable
- 14. Slide 14 MANG6129 Saunderset al (2006) Forms of interview
- 15. Slide 15 MANG6129 Structured Interviews •All questions (and most responses) are pre-determined • Researcher is administering a questionnaire • Approaches - Face-to-face, telephone, webcam • Gathering structured data: – Higher response rate than postal questionnaires – Researcher has ability to clarify questions, not possible with questionnaire – No unexpected issues can be explored
- 16. Slide 16 MANG6129 Semi-structured Interviews •Based on list of themes & issues – Used to focus discussion • No rigid list is adhered to • Approach - Face-to-face • List of themes may be advised to interviewee • Usually more emergent, less pre-defined, data • Flexibility to explore particular and/or unexpected issues
- 17. Slide 17 MANG6129 Unstructured Interviews •Based on ideas of issues, but no list of questions or themes • Mostly face-to-face • Non-directive: researcher follows issues and themes as they emerge • In-depth: research may concentrate on key emergent issues without feeling need to cover pre-determined list of questions/themes
- 18. Slide 18 MANG6129 Focus Groups •Also called “Group Interview” • Unstructured & Free flowing • Research = Facilitator – Raise questions, let the group discuss • Multiple views • Group evaluation • Identify key themes • Potential problem of ‘group think’
- 19. Slide 19 MANG6129 Types ofquestions… •Closed vs. open – Where do you live? – What time is it? – Are you happy with your current supplier? – Would you like to find a better supplier? http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/open_closed_questions.htm
- 20. Slide 20 MANG6129 Types ofquestions… • Who, why, where, when, how and what • Closed vs. open – What did you do on you holidays? – How do you keep focused on your work? – Why is that so important to you? – How have you been after your operation? http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/open_closed_questions.htm
- 21. Slide 21 MANG6129 Types ofquestions… To Do •Probing… ‘can you tell me more about that?’ •Active listening… ‘so what you’re saying is…’ Avoid •Loaded/biased •Double barrelled Saunders et al (2009)
- 22. Slide 22 MANG6129 Practical Issues •Location • Recording data – Tape/video recording • Gives accurate account • Can concentrate on questioning & listening; • BUT… intrusive? – Note taking • Difficulty of writing, listening, and questioning • Taking notes after the interview may be dangerous, as relying on “accurate” memory • Transcription • Feeding back results
- 23. Slide 25 MANG6129 How shouldyou dress for data collection?… 1. Casual 2. Smart
- 24. Slide 26 MANG6129 Some othertips for interviews • Do a pilot study or interview a ‘critical friend’ • Allow plenty of travel time • Take the respondent’s contact details with you • Remember notes, pens, tape recorder, spare batteries, etc, etc. • Remember… the interview doesn’t finish until you leave the premises • Agree post-interview actions
- 25. Slide 27 MANG6129 Reflexive diaries •Daily record of actions, events, thoughts • Quantitative (logs) or qualitative (diaries) • Alternative to direct observation • Issues of bias, motivation, misreporting • Use as a basis for subsequent in-depth interviews Hussey & Hussey (1997, pp.153-155)
- 26. Slide 28 MANG6129 Photo/video diaries Photos:Emma Lynch via http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/americas_harvest_in_caracas/html/1.stm. Photo journal: Harvest in Caracas Changing the way Venezuelan city dwellers think about food through the creation of organic urban gardens to promote self-sufficiency
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- 28. Slide 30 MANG6129 Life Histories •Unstructured interviews combined with personal documents (diaries, letters, photos) • Look back in detail over an entire life course • Try to make sense of their organisational reality Bryman and Bell (2003)
- 29. Slide 31 MANG6129 Narrative inResearch • Originates in linguistics • Used as research method & tool in various disciplines including: – Information Systems, Accounting, Economics, Organisational Behaviour • At the extreme end of qualitative research
- 30. Slide 32 MANG6129 Aims ofNarrative Research • Gain insight into participant’s experience of an event and how they make sense of it (Organisational Sensemaking – Weick, 1995) – Imposes order on experiences, events, actions, and the relationship between them • Gather different perspectives about the same event • Understanding interdependency between numerous social factors and the change that underpins the complexity • Telling and analysis of stories • Good for uncovering deep understanding of politics or culture • Very subjective, requires understanding of context
- 31. Slide 33 MANG6129 Online NarrativeResources… • The Center for Narrative Studies – http://www.storywise.com/ • Organizational Storytelling – http://www.organizational-storytelling.org.uk/
- 32. Slide 34 MANG6129 Secondary qualitativedata • Data has already been collected – Large surveys – Commercial databases – Qualidata, UK Data Archive, Economic and Social Data Service (www.qualidata.ac.uk) – http://www.esds.ac.uk/search/allSearch.asp? ct=xmlAll&q1=&Submit1=GO&zoom_cat=- 1&zoom_and=1 – http://www.soton.ac.uk/library/catalogues/index.shtmlSee Saunders et al (2009) Chapter 8, esp. pp.267-268.
- 33. Slide 35 MANG6129 Other secondarysources • Personal documents, letters, e-mails • Historical diaries • Autobiographies • In-house publications • Legal records • Minutes of meetings • Blogs / Social networking / Twitter... ???
- 34. Slide 36 MANG6129 Secondary qualitativedata • Advantages – Fewer resource requirements – Allows for comparison over time & geographical locations – Less effort/cost than primary data
- 35. Slide 37 MANG6129 Secondary qualitativedata • Disadvantages – Purpose of original collection may not match research objective – context specific – Access to this data may be restricted – Type of data may not match research purpose exactly – Quality of data (check for authenticity and credibility)
- 36. Slide 38 MANG6129 Other considerations • •Cross-sectional vs longitudinal studies mono method (single data collection and analysis procedure) multiple methods (more than one data collection and analysis procedure) Vs. Saunders et al (2009, pp.151-156)
- 37. Slide 39 MANG6129 Remember! Any onedata collection methods not inherently better than any other method.
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