Qualitative research differs from quantitative research in its goals and methods. Qualitative research aims to understand human experiences holistically rather than test hypotheses. It relies on subjective data like words rather than numbers. Small, non-random samples are used. Data comes from observations, interviews and documents. The researcher interacts closely with participants. Analysis looks for themes rather than statistics. Validity relies on rigorously applying the chosen qualitative method.

1. Qualitative Research
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF NURSING
NURSING 200W

2. How does Qualitative Research differ
from Quantitative?
•A systematic, subjective approach used to describe life experiences
and give them meaning
•Useful in understanding human experiences such as pain, caring,
powerlessness, and comfort
•Focuses on understanding the whole
•Consistent with holistic philosophy of nursing

3. What are the Frameworks for Qualitative
studies?
•The goal of qualitative research is not hypothesis testing.
•Frameworks are used in a different sense in qualitative research.
•Each type of qualitative research is guided by a particular
philosophical stance.

4. How does the Data in Qualitative
research look different?
•Data is subjective, systematic
•Describes life experiences and gives them meaning
•Data in qualitative research are typically words versus numbers in
quantitative research
•Focus on the whole, holistic
•Data incorporate perceptions and beliefs of researcher and
participants

5. Qualitative Research Purpose
Describe Understand Explain
Identify Develop Generate

6. Qualitative Research Methods
•Multiple realities
•Natural setting for data collection
•Researchers and participants interact
•Results are rich descriptions

7. Approaches to Qualitative Research
Phenomenological
Grounded Theory
Ethnography
Exploratory-descriptive-qualitative
Historical

8. Approaches to Qualitative Research
•Based on the philosophical orientation and intended outcome
•The type of qualitative approach taken is often dependent on the
research question(s) asked and the purpose of the research study

9. Phenomenology
•Provides a rich description of the ‘lived experience’

10. Grounded Theory
•Symbolic Interaction Theory
•Meaning is attached to things or actions which form our reality
•Often result in theory development

11. Ethnography
•Based in anthropology
•Focus on understanding the culture

12. Exploratory-Descriptive
•No specific approach described except for naturalistic inquiry,
descriptive, or qualitative
•Addresses the research purpose and question from a qualitative
method

13. Historical
•Examination and description of events or other factors that influence
what you are interested in

14. Qualitative Research Process
•Select topic and problem
•Justify the significance of the study
•Design study
•Identify and gain access to subjects
•Select study subjects and data
•Interpret results

15. Check Your Understanding: Question
Which of the following is true about qualitative research?
A.Categories are established for analysis purposes.
B.Data are usually collected in a laboratory setting.
C.Focus is on studying the “whole.”
D.Intuition and abstraction are suppressed.

16. Check Your Understanding: Answer
•ANSWER: C
•Qualitative research focuses on understanding the whole, which is consistent
with the holistic philosophy of nursing.
•Generally the plan for analysis occurs after the data are collected. Qualitative
research focuses on understanding the whole, which is consistent with the
holistic philosophy of nursing.
•More often than not, data are collected in naturalistic settings. Qualitative
research focuses on understanding the whole, which is consistent with the
holistic philosophy of nursing.
•The researcher often uses intuition while collecting data and must be able to
abstract when analyzing it. Qualitative research focuses on understanding the
whole, which is consistent with the holistic philosophy of nursing.

17. Which methods are unique to Qualitative
Research?
•Selection of subjects
•Researcher-participant relationship
•Data collection methods
•Data management
•Data analysis
•Interpretation

18. How are subjects selected?
•Subjects are referred to as participants.
•May volunteer to be involved in study
•May be selected by researcher because of their particular
knowledge, experience, or views related to study

19. What is purposive sampling?
•May select individuals typical in relation to the phenomenon under
study
•May seek out individuals different in some way from other
participants to get diverse perspectives
•Snowballing technique is commonly used.

20. How do sample sizes differ from
quantitative studies?
•Decisions regarding sample size differ
◦ Based on needs related to study purpose
◦ Number of subjects is usually smaller
◦ Case studies with only one subject may be used
◦ Six to 10 subjects not unusual

21. What are the characteristics of
researcher-participant relationships?
•Participants are treated as colleagues rather than subjects.
•The researcher must have the support and confidence of
participants to complete the study.
•Maintaining relationships is of utmost importance.

22. What does Observation Include?
•A process of understanding ‘What is going on here?’
•Look and listen carefully.
•Note routine activities.
•Focus on details.
•Note processes as well as discrete events.
•Note unexpected events.

23. What is Included in Interviewing?
•Open-ended format
•Researcher defines focus.
•No fixed sequence of questions
•Questions tend to change as researcher gains insights from previous
interviews and/or observations.
•Respondents are encouraged to raise issues not addressed by
researcher.

24. Check Your Understanding: Question
Data for qualitative studies are:
A. Based on words rather than numbers.
B. Easy and straightforward to interpret.
C. Gathered quickly from large numbers of people.
D. Precisely analyzed on a computer.

25. Check Your Understanding: Answer
•ANSWER: A
•In each approach to qualitative research, the purpose is to examine meaning, and the
unit of analysis is a word or phrase instead of a numerical value.
•Data are neither easy nor straightforward to interpret. In each approach to qualitative
research, the purpose is to examine meaning, and the unit of analysis is a word or
phrase instead of a numerical value.
•Qualitative data collection often takes a long time and must be conducted individually.
In each approach to qualitative research, the purpose is to examine meaning, and the
unit of analysis is a word or phrase instead of a numerical value.
•Although computer programs are available to assist with analysis, many researchers still
find them cumbersome and incomplete. In each approach to qualitative research, the
purpose is to examine meaning, and the unit of analysis is a word or phrase instead of a
numerical value.

26. How is text collected?
•May be written by participants on a particular topic at request of
researcher
•Narratives may be solicited by mail rather than in person.
•Text developed for other purposes, such as patient records or
procedure manuals, can be accessed for qualitative analysis.
•Published text (books, newspapers, etc.)

27. Check Your Understanding: Question
Which of the following is not a common data collection method in
qualitative research?
A. Examining written text
B. Interviewing participants
C. Observing participants
D. Obtaining written surveys

28. Check Your Understanding: Answer
•ANSWER: D
•Survey research is a type of quantitative research. Data collection methods in qualitative
research include observing participants, interviewing participants, and examining written
text.
•Examining written data is a method of data collection used in qualitative research. Survey
research is a type of quantitative research. Data collection methods in qualitative research
include observing participants, interviewing participants, and examining written text.
•Interviewing participants is a method of data collection used in qualitative research. Survey
research is a type of quantitative research. Data collection methods in qualitative research
include observing participants, interviewing participants, and examining written text.
•Observing participants is a method of data collection used in qualitative research. Survey
research is a type of quantitative research. Data collection methods in qualitative research
include observing participants, interviewing participants, and examining written text.

29. How are Qualitative research results
interpreted?
•The researcher offers his or her interpretation of what is going on.
•The focus is on understanding and explaining beyond that which can
be stated with certainty.
•May focus on usefulness of findings for clinical practice
•Researcher develops hunches about relationships that can be used
to formulate tentative propositions.

30. Rigor
•Openness
•Adherence to a philosophical perspective
•Data saturation
•Multiple sources of data

31. Rigor
•Rigor is impacted by all of the following negative factors:
◦ Inconsistency in adhering to method or philosophy
◦ Poorly developed methods
◦ Lack of data collection time
◦ Poor data collection methods
◦ Failure to consider multiple sources of data

32. Questions? Comments?
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