Samenvatting Qualitative research practice
Qualitative Research Practice
Hfst 1: 1-20
Thema 1 Hfst 3: 48-60
Hfst 5: 123-143
Hfst 6: 149-154
Hfst 7: 177-209
Thema 2
Hfst 10: 269-287
Hfst 13: 367-384
Thema 3 Oefenopdracht
Thema 4 Deelopdracht
Thema 5 Hfst 9: 244-267
Thema 6 Tentamenstof te vinden op yOUlearn
,Thema 1
1. The foundations of qualitative research
The nature of qualitative research
Qualitative research = naturalistic, interpretative approach, concerned with exploring phenomena
‘from the interior’ and taking perspectives of participants as a starting point.
What/why/how instead of how many.
Hypothesis are generated from analysis of the data instead of stated at the start.
Common characteristics of qualitative research:
Objectives directed at in-depth, interpreted understanding of the social world of research
participants
Use of non-standardized methods of data generation that are sensitive to the social context
Data that are detailed, rich and complex
Analysis that retains complexity, nuance and respects the uniqueness of each participant
Openness to emergent categories and theories at the analysis stage
Output that include detailed descriptions
Reflexive approach; perspective of the researcher is acknowledged.
Key philosophical issues in social research
Ontology = the nature of reality and what there is to know about the world.
is there a (shared) social reality?
Two ontological positions:
Realism = an external reality which exists independently of people’s beliefs/understanding.
Idealism = reality is mind-dependent; only knowable through the human mind and social
constructs, and no reality exists independently of these.
Nuances of realism:
Naïve/Shallow realism = reality can be observed directly and accurately.
Cautious realism = reality can be known approximately or imperfectly rather than accurately.
Depth/critical/transcendental realism = reality consists of different levels; the empirical
domain (what we experience), the actual domain (exists regardless of observer) and real
domain (underlying processes).
Subtle realism = external reality exists but is only known through the human mind and
socially constructed.
Materialism = variant of realism which recognizes only material features or physical features.
Beliefs etc. are epiphenomena ; features that arise from the material world.
Nuances of idealism:
Subtle/contextual/collective idealism = social world is made up of representations
constructed and shared by people.
Relativism or radical idealism = there is no shared social reality, only a series of different,
individual constructions.
Social world cannot be governed by immutable laws, because human beings have agency and choice.
, Epistemology = ways of knowing and learning about the world. How can we learn about reality?
Inductive logic = building knowledge from bottom-up through observations of the world,
which provide the basis for developing theories.
Deductive logic = top-down: starts with a theory > hypothesis > applied to observations of
the world. Hypothesis will be confirmed or rejected, strengthening or weakening the theory.
Qualitive research often described as inductive, but this is a misleading simplification.
Blaikie suggested two further logics:
Retroductive logic = researcher devises explanation by identifying the structures/mechanisms
that may have produced patterns in the data, trying different models to fit.
Abductive logic = everyday activities/ideas described by participants’ own account (first-order
concepts). Technical account is then ‘abducted’ using the researchers’ categories.
Other relevant concepts:
Foundational vs. fallibilistic models of research-based knowledge = foundational model
assumes it is possible to mirror reality accurately. Fallibilistic model treats all knowledge
claims as provisional (voorlopig).
Knowledge as ‘value-mediated’ = all knowledge is affected by the values of the person who
produces/receives it.
Correspondence theory of truth = statement is true if it matches independent reality
(associated with realism).
Coherence theory of truth = statement is true as a representation of the (socially
constructed) world if it is supported by other accounts, different accounts cohere.
Pragmatic theory of truth = beliefs are true if they have practical utility; if believing them is
useful, helpful and productive to people.
Other important epistemological issue in social research concerns relationship between the
researcher and the researched and how this influences ‘facts’ and ‘values’.
Objective observation = phenomena being researched are seen as independent and
unaffected by the behavior of the researcher. Researcher can be objective and value free.
Value-mediated observation = people are affected by the process of being studied and
relationship between researcher and social phenomena is interactive. Researcher cannot be
neutral and cannot provide an objective account.
Empathetic neutrality = research cannot be value free, but researchers should try to make their
assumptions, biases and values transparent, while striving to be neutral and non-judgmental.
Positivism and scientific method
Positivism and empiricism (Descartes, Hume)
Knowledge is produced through the senses based on careful observation
Inductive reasoning is used after data is collected to generalize
Reality is unaffected by research processes (value-free), facts and values are separate,
objective.
Methods used in natural sciences are appropriate for studying the social world.
Reality can be known accurately.
Post-positivism, post-empiricism, falsificationism (Popper,
Qualitative Research Practice
Hfst 1: 1-20
Thema 1 Hfst 3: 48-60
Hfst 5: 123-143
Hfst 6: 149-154
Hfst 7: 177-209
Thema 2
Hfst 10: 269-287
Hfst 13: 367-384
Thema 3 Oefenopdracht
Thema 4 Deelopdracht
Thema 5 Hfst 9: 244-267
Thema 6 Tentamenstof te vinden op yOUlearn
,Thema 1
1. The foundations of qualitative research
The nature of qualitative research
Qualitative research = naturalistic, interpretative approach, concerned with exploring phenomena
‘from the interior’ and taking perspectives of participants as a starting point.
What/why/how instead of how many.
Hypothesis are generated from analysis of the data instead of stated at the start.
Common characteristics of qualitative research:
Objectives directed at in-depth, interpreted understanding of the social world of research
participants
Use of non-standardized methods of data generation that are sensitive to the social context
Data that are detailed, rich and complex
Analysis that retains complexity, nuance and respects the uniqueness of each participant
Openness to emergent categories and theories at the analysis stage
Output that include detailed descriptions
Reflexive approach; perspective of the researcher is acknowledged.
Key philosophical issues in social research
Ontology = the nature of reality and what there is to know about the world.
is there a (shared) social reality?
Two ontological positions:
Realism = an external reality which exists independently of people’s beliefs/understanding.
Idealism = reality is mind-dependent; only knowable through the human mind and social
constructs, and no reality exists independently of these.
Nuances of realism:
Naïve/Shallow realism = reality can be observed directly and accurately.
Cautious realism = reality can be known approximately or imperfectly rather than accurately.
Depth/critical/transcendental realism = reality consists of different levels; the empirical
domain (what we experience), the actual domain (exists regardless of observer) and real
domain (underlying processes).
Subtle realism = external reality exists but is only known through the human mind and
socially constructed.
Materialism = variant of realism which recognizes only material features or physical features.
Beliefs etc. are epiphenomena ; features that arise from the material world.
Nuances of idealism:
Subtle/contextual/collective idealism = social world is made up of representations
constructed and shared by people.
Relativism or radical idealism = there is no shared social reality, only a series of different,
individual constructions.
Social world cannot be governed by immutable laws, because human beings have agency and choice.
, Epistemology = ways of knowing and learning about the world. How can we learn about reality?
Inductive logic = building knowledge from bottom-up through observations of the world,
which provide the basis for developing theories.
Deductive logic = top-down: starts with a theory > hypothesis > applied to observations of
the world. Hypothesis will be confirmed or rejected, strengthening or weakening the theory.
Qualitive research often described as inductive, but this is a misleading simplification.
Blaikie suggested two further logics:
Retroductive logic = researcher devises explanation by identifying the structures/mechanisms
that may have produced patterns in the data, trying different models to fit.
Abductive logic = everyday activities/ideas described by participants’ own account (first-order
concepts). Technical account is then ‘abducted’ using the researchers’ categories.
Other relevant concepts:
Foundational vs. fallibilistic models of research-based knowledge = foundational model
assumes it is possible to mirror reality accurately. Fallibilistic model treats all knowledge
claims as provisional (voorlopig).
Knowledge as ‘value-mediated’ = all knowledge is affected by the values of the person who
produces/receives it.
Correspondence theory of truth = statement is true if it matches independent reality
(associated with realism).
Coherence theory of truth = statement is true as a representation of the (socially
constructed) world if it is supported by other accounts, different accounts cohere.
Pragmatic theory of truth = beliefs are true if they have practical utility; if believing them is
useful, helpful and productive to people.
Other important epistemological issue in social research concerns relationship between the
researcher and the researched and how this influences ‘facts’ and ‘values’.
Objective observation = phenomena being researched are seen as independent and
unaffected by the behavior of the researcher. Researcher can be objective and value free.
Value-mediated observation = people are affected by the process of being studied and
relationship between researcher and social phenomena is interactive. Researcher cannot be
neutral and cannot provide an objective account.
Empathetic neutrality = research cannot be value free, but researchers should try to make their
assumptions, biases and values transparent, while striving to be neutral and non-judgmental.
Positivism and scientific method
Positivism and empiricism (Descartes, Hume)
Knowledge is produced through the senses based on careful observation
Inductive reasoning is used after data is collected to generalize
Reality is unaffected by research processes (value-free), facts and values are separate,
objective.
Methods used in natural sciences are appropriate for studying the social world.
Reality can be known accurately.
Post-positivism, post-empiricism, falsificationism (Popper,
