Research Psychology (PSYC255) Notes
INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH QUALITATIVE METHODS:
Qualitative Research:
Concerned with exploring, understanding, and answering.
- Explores the DEEPER ISSUES.
- Understanding the WHY and the WHEREFORE of different phenomena.
- Answers DEEP questions.
RATHER than asking HOW MANY, qualitative research asks HOW, WHEN, and WHY
Purpose – to understand how people interpret different issues, experiences, and phenomenon. It is
dynamic.
Viewpoint – from the first-person
Aim – to study something holistically for a more complete picture of an issue or an experience.
We do this kind of research because we want to know why people feel the way they do or how an
experience has affected them.
- Answers questions such as “What do people do under certain conditions?”
It helps reduce distortion and bias between the observers and what is being observed that can be
produced by an instrument.
DATA is collected through:
- Direct behavioral observations
- In-person interviews with participants
- Online interviews and questionnaires
- Secondary data sets that have been collected by other researchers
The data is analyzed in steps:
1. The collected data is organized and prepared
2. Read through the interviews or notes taken regarding behavioral observations
3. Decide on a coding procedure and assign codes to all the data
4. Determine from the coding process what themes and categories will be characterized in the
findings portion of the analysis.
5. Determine how these themes and categories will be characterized in the findings portion of the
analysis.
6. Make an interpretation of the collected data; What was learned from the data.
INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH QUALITATIVE METHODS:
Qualitative Research:
Concerned with exploring, understanding, and answering.
- Explores the DEEPER ISSUES.
- Understanding the WHY and the WHEREFORE of different phenomena.
- Answers DEEP questions.
RATHER than asking HOW MANY, qualitative research asks HOW, WHEN, and WHY
Purpose – to understand how people interpret different issues, experiences, and phenomenon. It is
dynamic.
Viewpoint – from the first-person
Aim – to study something holistically for a more complete picture of an issue or an experience.
We do this kind of research because we want to know why people feel the way they do or how an
experience has affected them.
- Answers questions such as “What do people do under certain conditions?”
It helps reduce distortion and bias between the observers and what is being observed that can be
produced by an instrument.
DATA is collected through:
- Direct behavioral observations
- In-person interviews with participants
- Online interviews and questionnaires
- Secondary data sets that have been collected by other researchers
The data is analyzed in steps:
1. The collected data is organized and prepared
2. Read through the interviews or notes taken regarding behavioral observations
3. Decide on a coding procedure and assign codes to all the data
4. Determine from the coding process what themes and categories will be characterized in the
findings portion of the analysis.
5. Determine how these themes and categories will be characterized in the findings portion of the
analysis.
6. Make an interpretation of the collected data; What was learned from the data.
