Qualitative Research | EssayIvy.com

Running head: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 1

Qualitative research

Name

Institution

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 2

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research methods have been found to be useful in exploring the social-

cultural patterns of the target population. The effectiveness of this approach in describing

both the environment and context of the sample has given it increased momentum. It has been

defined by Shank (2002) as a systematic inquiry of meaning, which implies the planned and

ordered approach to research. Simply put, qualitative research aims to understand a social

issue underlying a phenomenon and leads to the generation of words instead of numerical

values. Thus, qualitative research not only allows the researcher to understand the experience

of the sample but also enables understanding of the phenomenon from the informant’s point

of view.

Researchers using qualitative methods can choose from structured, semi-structured or

unstructured methods. The three categories the approach to collecting data plays an essential

role in specifying the nature of the response. Structured qualitative research, such as surveys,

uses a specified idea and measure. Since the interviewees need less training, structured

studies are desired when the time is of great importance to the researcher. Structured

interviews can be used on large samples but are comparably inflexible. In most cases,

researchers use structured methods when the phenomenon is multi-faceted, and only a

particular dimension of the problem is required. In a structured interview, the interviewee

uses standardized questions that are used on all samples using the same order. The

standardization is intended to minimize the instrumentation error.

Semi-structured methods are harder to apply compared to structured methods. The

researcher should possess high sensitivity to the context of study while the informant should

demonstrate numerous communication skills for efficient delivery of meaning. It talks more

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 3

time to plan and execute semi-structured questionnaires. Additionally, the data is hard to

record and analyze.

The unstructured method is commonly used in the disciplines of sociology to

understand people’s cultural patterns. It is an informal method characterized by long

interviews that are non-standardised. Without using predetermined questions and answers, it

relies on social interaction to understand complex behavior and values that are significant in

uncovering the research questions (Zhang & Wildemuth 2006). The researcher engages in a

conversation with the interviewee and generates questionnaire depending on the reply given.

As a result, each unstructured question can generate different patterns and structures. This

method is used to understand social reality of the population based on the interviewee’s

perspective.

The principal tools for data collection are individual interviews, observations, action

research and focus groups. Case studies provide an in-depth description of a particular

institution. It is effective in answering the question of what and why. The researcher uses this

tool to look into the underlying problem and meaning of trends. Interviews can be the group

or individual interviews. The data can be gathered using various techniques like audio

recording, written notes, and stenography. Researchers assume that the purpose of the

interview is to generate the views of the interviews about the problem being investigated.

Observations, on the other hand, can be direct or indirect, continuous or non-continuous

depending on the research project. Descriptive observations involve writing down e

observations, while inferential observations include writing observations that are inferred by

the language of the subject’s body. Evaluation observation on the other requires the

researcher to make inferences and judgment from the subject’s behavior.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 4

The aforementioned qualitative method and tools play an important role in

environmental studies. They allow the researcher to label the characteristics of the

community in an efficient manner. According to Brown (2003), qualitative methods support

the discovery of health hazards and infections ad re particularly necessary to describing how

people and the society experience and react to health issues. It offers insight into some of the

underlying social culturally elements that affect environmental health. Additionally, Flybjerg

(2001) note that qualitative research helps create a dialogic relationship that allows

expounding on the on-going trends and conversation about environmental health rather than

just generating knowledge. It allows the ecological research to make use of intuition,

judgment, and experiences to understanding critical issues that the study aims to answer.

This research focuses on human beings who possess reflexive behavior. Thus, future

researcher suing qualitative methods must account for varying interpretations that change

with changing human behavior. According to Ashley and Boyd (2006), there is an increasing

body of research that is facilitating the integration of qualitative and quantitative research.

Qualitative research is based on experience whereby the researcher aims to

understand how people interpret the meaning of their experiences. The researcher pays

attention to things within a natural setting, and the researcher interprets meaning according to

the way people perceive the world. In both environmental studies and other disciplines, the

traditional view of qualitative and quantitative research as two polarised methods is being

replaced by the perception that the two are complimentary. There is sufficient evidence that’s

how both ways as equally important in shedding light on the environmental phenomenon.

These patterns will eventually lead to the integration of the two approaches.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 5

References

Ashley, P., & Boyd (2006). Quantitative and qualitative approaches to research in

environmental management. Australasian Journal of environmental management,

13(2), 70-78.

Brown, P. (2003). Qualitative methods in environmental health research. Environmental

Health Perspectives, 111(14), 1789.

Shank, G. D. (2006). Qualitative research: A personal skills approach. Pearson Merrill

Prentice Hall.

Zhang, Y., & Wildemuth, B. M. (2006). Unstructured interviews. Applications of Social

Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library Science, 000-060.

Place new order. It's free, fast and safe

Paper type

Deadline

Page count

550 words

Total price: $ 15.00

Our customers say

Jeff Curtis

USA, Student

"I'm fully satisfied with the essay I've just received. When I read it, I felt like it was exactly what I wanted to say, but couldn’t find the necessary words. Thank you!"

Ian McGregor

UK, Student

"I don’t know what I would do without your assistance! With your help, I met my deadline just in time and the work was very professional. I will be back in several days with another assignment!"

Shannon Williams

Canada, Student

"It was the perfect experience! I enjoyed working with my writer, he delivered my work on time and followed all the guidelines about the referencing and contents."