Qualitative Research
Research Paradigms and strategies of inquiry
What is Qualitative Research?
Qualitative research is a collection of methods and techniques used in the study of social
phenomena or action (Babbie & Mouton, 2010)
• An in-depth approach to understanding social action
• Focuses on the ‘insider perspective’
• Studies phenomena in its natural setting
• Seeks to describe and understand human behaviour
What does qualitative research tell us that quantitative research does not?
Why Qualitative Research?
Qualitative research is important in studying new areas, that have not yet been explored
o Areas where variables are unknown or where little is known or understood about a phenomenon
Examples of studies that can be conducted using qualitative methods:
o Exploring the experiences of first year university students at UCT and the culture within the
institution
Several qualitative methods can be applied to such studies
The choices of methods is informed by the paradigm or perspective from which the research is
approached
Research Paradigms
Paradigms are all-encompassing systems of interrelated practice and thinking that define for
researchers the nature of their inquiry along three dimensions:
Ontology: specifies the nature of reality that is to be studied and what can be known about it
Epistemology: specifies the nature of the relationship between the researcher and what can
be known
, Methodology: specifies how researchers may go about practically studying whatever they
believe can be known
In this chapter we explore two paradigms:
Interpretive
Social constructionist
An interpretive Perspective
• This paradigm involves taking people’s subjective experiences seriously as the essence of what
is real for them (ontology)
• Making sense of people’s experiences by interacting with them and listening carefully to their
stories (epistemology)
• Making use of qualitative research techniques to collect and analyze information
(methodology)
• Interpretive research relies on first-hand accounts, describes what it sees in rich detail, and
presents findings in engaging language
• There are two key principles to interpretive research:
1. It involves understanding in context.
2. It positions the researcher as the primary instrument by which information is collected and
analyzed.
Understanding in context
• This means that we need to know not only what the author intended to mean, but also to understand
the context in which the author writes.
Understanding involves recontextualization placing the text back into its context
Research Paradigms and strategies of inquiry
What is Qualitative Research?
Qualitative research is a collection of methods and techniques used in the study of social
phenomena or action (Babbie & Mouton, 2010)
• An in-depth approach to understanding social action
• Focuses on the ‘insider perspective’
• Studies phenomena in its natural setting
• Seeks to describe and understand human behaviour
What does qualitative research tell us that quantitative research does not?
Why Qualitative Research?
Qualitative research is important in studying new areas, that have not yet been explored
o Areas where variables are unknown or where little is known or understood about a phenomenon
Examples of studies that can be conducted using qualitative methods:
o Exploring the experiences of first year university students at UCT and the culture within the
institution
Several qualitative methods can be applied to such studies
The choices of methods is informed by the paradigm or perspective from which the research is
approached
Research Paradigms
Paradigms are all-encompassing systems of interrelated practice and thinking that define for
researchers the nature of their inquiry along three dimensions:
Ontology: specifies the nature of reality that is to be studied and what can be known about it
Epistemology: specifies the nature of the relationship between the researcher and what can
be known
, Methodology: specifies how researchers may go about practically studying whatever they
believe can be known
In this chapter we explore two paradigms:
Interpretive
Social constructionist
An interpretive Perspective
• This paradigm involves taking people’s subjective experiences seriously as the essence of what
is real for them (ontology)
• Making sense of people’s experiences by interacting with them and listening carefully to their
stories (epistemology)
• Making use of qualitative research techniques to collect and analyze information
(methodology)
• Interpretive research relies on first-hand accounts, describes what it sees in rich detail, and
presents findings in engaging language
• There are two key principles to interpretive research:
1. It involves understanding in context.
2. It positions the researcher as the primary instrument by which information is collected and
analyzed.
Understanding in context
• This means that we need to know not only what the author intended to mean, but also to understand
the context in which the author writes.
Understanding involves recontextualization placing the text back into its context
