This document provides an overview of qualitative research as a method for understanding one's surroundings. It discusses that qualitative research values people's perspectives and takes place in soft sciences. It examines reality through causes and effects in natural settings. Characteristics include human interpretation of data, an active research process, multiple approaches, moving from specific to general conclusions, and examining real-life contexts. Types of qualitative research discussed are case studies, ethnography, phenomenology, content/discourse analysis, historical analysis, and grounded theory. Advantages include a naturalistic approach, understanding human behavior, and facilitating social change. Disadvantages include subjectivity, unknown reliability/validity, and time consumption. The document also provides example questions for understanding qualitative research concepts

1. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Cindy Lou T. Lawas
Practical Research 1
12:30-2:30

2. BRAINSTORMING SESSION
 Directions:
How knowledgeable are you about your surroundings. How can you know
more about people, places, and things in this world? Share with your
classmates some ways and techniques you know about becoming
knowledgeable about a lot of things in this world such as those within your
own world , among your friends, schoolmates, loved ones and so on.
 What do you know about the qualitative research as a method of
understanding your surroundings better?

3. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
This is a type of research that puts premium or high value
on people’s thinking or point of view conditioned by their
personal traits. It usually takes place in soft sciences like
sciences, politics, economics, humanities, education,
psychology, nursing, and all business-related subjects.

4. IN A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH THE
REALITY IS CONDITIONED BY:
Society and people’s intention involving cause-effect
relationship
Things are studied in their natural setting which
conclude that qualitative research is an act of inquiry or
investigation of real-life events.

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH

6. HUMAN UNDERSTANDING AND
INTERPRETATION
Data analysis results show an individual’s mental, social,
spiritual understanding of the world. Hence, through
their own worldviews, you come to know what kind of
human being he or she is, including his or her values,
beliefs, likes, and dislikes.

7. ACTIVE, POWERFUL, AND FORCEFUL
As every stage of qualitative research continuously changes,
researcher finds the need to amend or rephrase interview
questions and consider varied ways of getting answers. He is not
fixated to a certain plan but rather he is inclined to discover his
research paper design as his study gradually unfolds or reveals
itself in accordance with his research objective.

8. MULTI RESEARCH APPROACHES AND
METHODS
Allows a researcher to approach or plan his study in varied ways.
He is free to combine this with quantitative research and use all
gathered data and analysis and techniques.
It applies all research types: descriptive, exploratory, explanatory,
case study, etc.

9. SPECIFICITY TO GENERALIZATION
It follows an inductive or scientific method of thinking,
where it starts with a particular or specific concept that will
eventually lead to more complex ideas such as
generalizations or conlcuisons.

10. CONTEXTUALIZATION
Examining the context or situation of an individual’s life—
the who, what, why, how, and other circumstances
affecting his or her way of life

11. DIVERSIFIED DATA IN REAL-LIFE
SITUATIONS
Collecting data in a natural setting like observing people
as they live and work, analyzing photographs or videos as
they genuinely appear to people, looking at classrooms
unchanged or adjusted to people’s intentional
observation.

12. ABOUNDS WITH WORDS AND VISUALS
Data gathering through interviews, library reading,
presenting of data analysis results, presenting
people’s worldviews through visual presentation

13. INTERNAL ANALYSIS
Examining the data yielded by the internal traits of the
subject individual
Studying people’s perception or views about the topic
In case of objects, the investigation centers on underlying
theories or principles that govern these materials and their
usefulness to people.

14. TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

15. CASE STUDY
Usually takes place in the field or social care, nursing, psychology,
rehabilitation centers, education, etc.
Involves a long-time study of a person, group, organization, or
situation.
Seeks answers to why such thing occurs to the subject
Data collection methods involve interviews, questionnaires,
observations, and documentary analysis

16. ETHNOGRAPHY
The study of a particular cultural group to get a clear
understanding of its organizational set-up, internal
operation, and lifestyle.
It reveals the nature or characteristics of their own culture
through the world perceptions of the cultural group
members

17. PHENOMENOLOGY
Something known through sensory experience, it refers
to the study of how people understand their experiences
meaningful
Its primary goal is to make people understand their
experiences about death of loved ones, care for
handicapped persons, friendliness of people, etc.

18. CONTENT AND DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
Content Analysis
A method of quantitative research that requires an analysis
or examination of the substance or content of the mode of
communication (letters, books, journals ,photos , videos
recordings, SMS, online messages, emails, audio-visual
materials ,etc.) used by a person, group, organization, or any
institution in communicating

19. Discourse
a study of language structures used in the medium of
communication to discover the effects of sociological,
cultural, institutional, and ideological factors on the content
makes it a discourse analysis

20. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
The examination of primary documents to
understand the connection of past events
to the present time.

21. GROUNDED THEORY
Takes place in the discovery of a new theory to underlie
a study at the time of data collection and analysis
Through observation on the subjects, one can find a
theory that applies to the current study

22. ADVANTAGES OR STRENGTHS OF
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
1. It adopts a naturalistic approach to its subject matter, which means that those
involve in the research understand things based on what they find
meaningful.
2. It promotes a full understanding of human behavior or personality traits in
their natural setting.
3. It is instrumental for positive societal changes.
4. In engenders respect for people’s individuality as it demands the researcher’s
careful and attentive stand toward people’s world views

23. 5. It is a way of understanding and interpreting social interactions.
6. It increases the researcher’s interest in the study as it includes
the researcher’s experience or background knowledge in
interpreting verbal and visual data.
7. It offers multiple ways of acquiring and examining knowledge
about something

24. DISADVANTAGES OR WEAKNESSES OF
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
1. It involves a lot of researcher’s subjectivity in data analysis.
2. It is hard to know the validity or reliability of the data.
3. It is time-consuming.
4. It involves several processes, which results greatly depend on the
researcher’s views or interpretations

25. INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY
 Explain the concepts you have learned by answering the following questions.
1. What comes to your mind the moment you hear qualitative research?
2. If you want to conduct a research study about your favorite restaurant in
town, what method of qualitative research is appropriate for your study?
Explain your choice.
3. Differentiate subjectivity and objectivity.

26. 4. How is grounded theory different from other qualitative research
methods?
5. Is the researcher himself the data gathering himself? Why? Why not?
6. Can all research methods be used in one research study? Give reasons for
your answer.
7. Pretend that you are the subject of a phenomenological study, how will
the researcher obtain data through you?
8. Given the chance to research, would you right away choose qualitative
research? Give reasons.
9. If you will do qualitative research about the area in which your house is
situated, what could be your research problem or topic?

27. ACTIVITY 2
Name the type of qualitative research best
situated for the following topics.

28. 1. The Mangyans’ Burial Practices
2. Relative of Typhoon Victims
3. The Effectiveness of the K-12 Curriculum
4. Spiderman: The Very First Film in the 21st Century
5. Philippines’ Political Party System: Then and Now
6. Filipino Caregivers in Japan
7. Travails of Senior Citizens at the LRT/MRT Stations
8. The Lone Grade VI Speed Reader of UST High School
9. Grade 11 Science Textbook
10. Students Activism Since the Marcos ERa