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Five qualitative approaches to inquiry.pdf
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- 3. By the endof this session, you will be able to: Define each of the five qualitative approaches Explain the main purpose and focus of each method Recognize typical data sources used in each approach Compare similarities and differences among the approaches Identify which approach best fits a given research question GOALS OF LESSON
- 4. BACKGROUND Qualitative research exploreshuman experiences, behaviors, and social phenomena in depth. It focuses on understanding meanings, perceptions, and contexts rather than numbers. Common methods include interviews, observations, and document analysis. This approach helps uncover insights, motivations, and perspectives that enrich understanding of complex social realities
- 5. THE 5 APPROACHES Narrative Inquiry Phenomenology GroundedTheory Ethnography Case Study
- 6. A qualitative approachthat examines the stories people tell about their lives to understand how they construct meaning, identity, and experience. Key Features: Focus on personal narratives, life stories, and significant life events Looks at how stories are structured and interpreted Highlights individual perspectives and voice Common Data Sources: Interviews • Journals • Letters • Personal documents NARRATIVE INQUIRY
- 7. A research approachthat seeks to uncover the essence of a lived experience shared by several individuals who have experienced the same phenomenon. Key Features: Describes common themes across participants’ experiences Brackets or sets aside researcher biases Focuses on deep reflection and meaning Common Data Sources: Long interviews • Reflective writing • First-person descriptions PHENOMENOLOGY
- 8. A systematic qualitativemethod used to generate a theory that explains a process, action, or interaction—based entirely on collected data. Key Features: Theory emerges from data, not from prior assumptions Constant comparison of data during analysis Codes → categories → conceptual theory Common Data Sources: Interviews • Observations • Field notes • Documents GROUNDED THEORY
- 9. A research approachfocused on studying a culture-sharing group through extensive fieldwork to understand their behaviors, beliefs, language, practices, and interactions. Key Features: Long-term immersion in the group’s environment Researcher often participates in daily activities Produces a detailed cultural portrait Common Data Sources: Field notes • Participant observation • Interviews • Cultural artifacts ETHNOGRAPHY
- 10. An in-depth explorationof a bounded case—a person, group, event, program, or situation—examined through multiple data sources. Key Features: Focuses on a specific, clearly defined case Provides holistic, detailed understanding Useful when the case is unique, noteworthy, or complex Common Data Sources: Interviews • Observations • Documents • Records • Artifacts CASE STUDY
- 11. COMPARISON & CHOOSING Narrative:Individual stories and personal meaning Phenomenology: Shared experiences of a phenomenon Grounded Theory: Creation of data-based theory Ethnography: Cultural group immersion and description Case Study: Deep, holistic examination of a single case
- 12. Ask yourself: 1.What isthe core question I want to answer? 2.Am I exploring stories, experiences, a process, a culture, or a case? 3.What type of data is necessary to answer my question? 4.How much time and access can I secure? 5.What role will I take—observer, participant, storyteller, theorist?
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