Qualitative Research Methods
Lecture 1 + 2
Qualitative research: approach that allows you to examine people’s experiences in detail by
using a specific set of research methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions,
observation, content analysis, visual methods, and life histories or biographies.
Interpretive approach: understanding the meanings and interpretations of the
participants
Quantitative methods:
-Numbers and variables
-How many
-Deductive: theory confirmation
-Etic perspective: how non-members of a group interpret behaviour of a given culture
Qualitative methods:
-Words and images
-What, how and why
-Inductive: observation theory
-Emic perspective: how members of a given culture perceive their world
2 distinct ways of knowing
Lecture 3
Ontology: your belief about reality
Realism: reality is real,
Idealism: through ideas/perceptions you already have, you can make sense of reality
Epistemology: how knowledge is gathered and from which sources
Induction: through observations getting to the truth
Deduction: start at a certain proposition and research if it’s true
, Generalizability
Lecture 4
Positivistic paradigm: work-life balance example
Lecture 1 + 2
Qualitative research: approach that allows you to examine people’s experiences in detail by
using a specific set of research methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions,
observation, content analysis, visual methods, and life histories or biographies.
Interpretive approach: understanding the meanings and interpretations of the
participants
Quantitative methods:
-Numbers and variables
-How many
-Deductive: theory confirmation
-Etic perspective: how non-members of a group interpret behaviour of a given culture
Qualitative methods:
-Words and images
-What, how and why
-Inductive: observation theory
-Emic perspective: how members of a given culture perceive their world
2 distinct ways of knowing
Lecture 3
Ontology: your belief about reality
Realism: reality is real,
Idealism: through ideas/perceptions you already have, you can make sense of reality
Epistemology: how knowledge is gathered and from which sources
Induction: through observations getting to the truth
Deduction: start at a certain proposition and research if it’s true
, Generalizability
Lecture 4
Positivistic paradigm: work-life balance example
