Graduate research
methodology in English
language studies
V.......
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SUBJECT
Graduate research methodology in
English language studies
Group 3
Students: Do Vu Binh (Leader)
Duong Thi Chuyen
Pham Thi Thanh Thuy
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof., Dr. Dinh Thi Bao Huong
Qualitative
Methods
What is Qualitative Research?
• Definition: Qualitative methods demonstrate a
different approach to scholarly inquiry than
quantitative research, relying on text and image data,
with unique steps in data analysis and diverse
designs.
• Purpose: The intent of qualitative research is to
understand a particular social situation, event, role,
group, or interaction. It focuses on learning the
meaning that participants hold about the problem or
issue.
• Key Characteristics: It takes place in a natural setting,
Key Characteristics of Qualitative Research
• Natural Setting: Researchers tend to collect data in the
field at the site where participants experience the issue
or problem under study.
• Researcher as Key Instrument: The researchers
themselves collect data through examining documents,
observing behavior, or interviewing participants.
• Multiple Sources of Data: Qualitative researchers
typically gather multiple forms of data, such as
interviews, observations, and documents, rather than
relying on a single source.
Key Characteristics of Qualitative Research
• Inductive and Deductive Analysis: The process typically
works inductively, building patterns and themes from
the bottom up. Deductive thinking also plays a crucial
role as the analysis progresses, allowing for a review of
the data from the themes to uncover additional
evidence.
• Emergent Design: The initial plan for research cannot be
tightly prescribed and may change or shift after the
researcher enters the field and begins to collect data
Common Qualitative Designs
+ Introduction: There are specific approaches, or designs, in
conducting qualitative research.
+ Five Popular Approaches: The document recommends
choosing from five possibilities that are popular across the
social and health sciences today:
- Narrative: Studying one or two individuals.
- Phenomenology: Involves a range of 3-10 individuals to
describe the essence of their lived experience.
- Ethnography: Examining a single culture-sharing group.
- Case Study: Including about four to five cases.
- Grounded Theory: Involves 20-30 individuals to develop a
The Researcher's Role and Reflexivity
• What is Reflexivity?: Inquirers reflect on how their
personal background, culture, and experiences hold the
potential for shaping their interpretations.
• Why is it necessary?: This self-reflection creates an open
and honest narrative that resonates with readers. It
helps the reader understand the connection between
the researchers and the study.
• Example: The document gives an example of a
researcher with past experience as a college
administrator bringing certain biases to a study of a
college president
Ethical Considerations
• Protecting Participants: Researchers have an obligation
to respect the rights, needs, values, and desires of the
informant(s).
• Specific Safeguards: The text mentions several
safeguards, such as articulating research objectives,
getting written permission, and protecting the
anonymity of participants. It also notes that an
Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval letter should
be attached as an appendix.
Data Collection Procedures
• Purposeful Sampling: The idea is to purposefully select
participants or sites that will best help the researcher
understand the problem. This is different from the
random sampling often found in quantitative research.
• Number of Participants: There is no specific answer, as it
depends on the qualitative design being used. For
instance, a narrative study may have one to two
individuals, while a grounded theory study may involve
20 to 30.
• Types of Data: Inquirers collect multiple forms of data,
including observations, interviews, documents, and
audiovisual materials. Using multiple sources can
enhance interpretations about a research problem
Data Analysis Procedures
• Step 1: Organize and prepare the data: This involves
transcribing interviews, typing up field notes, and
cataloguing visual material.
• Step 2: Read or look at all the data: This step provides a
general sense of the information and an opportunity to
reflect on its overall meaning.
• Step 3: Start coding all of the data: Coding is the
process of organizing the data by "bracketing chunks"
and writing a word representing a category.
Data Analysis Procedures
• Step 4: Generate a description and themes: Use the
coding process to generate a detailed description of the
setting or people, as well as a small number of themes
(perhaps five to seven).
• Step 5: Representing the description and themes: This is
done through a narrative passage, often accompanied
by visuals, figures, or tables
Validity in Qualitative Research
• Definition: Qualitative validity means that the researcher
checks for the accuracy of the findings by employing
certain procedures. It is one of the strengths of
qualitative research.
Validity in Qualitative Research
--- Strategies to enhance validity: The document suggests
several strategies:
• Triangulation: Examining evidence from different data
sources to build a coherent justification for themes.
• Member checking: Taking the findings back to participants
to determine if they feel the results are accurate.
• Rich, thick description: Providing detailed descriptions that
transport readers to the setting and make the results more
realistic.
• Clarifying researcher bias: Self-reflection that creates an
Reliability and Generalizability
• Qualitative Reliability: This indicates that the researcher's
approach is consistent across different researchers and
projects.
• Procedures for Reliability: The text suggests checking
transcripts for mistakes, ensuring the definition of codes
doesn't drift, and using intercoder agreement (cross-
checking codes developed by different researchers).
• Generalizability: Qualitative generalization is a term used in
a limited way, as the intent of this inquiry is not to
generalize findings to individuals or sites outside of those
under study. The value of qualitative research lies in its
particular description and themes developed in a specific
Conclusion and Discussion
• Summary: Briefly recap the key components, including the
characteristics of qualitative research, the role of the
researcher, data collection and analysis procedures, and
strategies for validating findings.
• Outcome: The final report can be a chronological narrative,
a detailed description, a theory, or an in-depth analysis of
cases.
• Q&A: Open the floor for questions from the audience
REVISION
Question 1: According to the document,
which of the following is NOT a main
characteristic of qualitative research?
A. The researcher is the primary instrument for
data collection.
B. Data is collected in a controlled laboratory
setting.
C. The research design may change during the
process.
[Link]:
The focus is on the meaning that participants
B. Data is collected in a controlled laboratory setting.
Question 1: According to the document,
which of the following is NOT a main
characteristic of qualitative research?
A. The researcher is the primary instrument for
data collection.
B. Data is collected in a controlled laboratory
setting.
C. The research design may change during the
process.
D. The focus B.
Answer: is Data
on the meaning
is collected that
in a participants
controlled
hold. laboratory setting.
Question 2: If a researcher wants to develop
a theory from the collected data, which type
of qualitative design should they use?
A. Narrative Research
B. Phenomenology
C. Grounded Theory
D. Ethnography
Answer: C. Grounded Theory
Question 3: According to the document, what is one
of the primary strategies for checking the validity of
findings in qualitative research?
A. Using a large-scale survey to get opinions from many
people.
B. Collecting data from a single source to ensure focus.
C. Using triangulation by examining evidence from multiple
data sources.
D. Only presenting information that is consistent with the
discovered themes.
Answer: C. Using triangulation by examining evidence from
multiple data sources.
Question 4: What is the process of "coding"
data in qualitative research?
A. Recording participants' personal information.
B. Segmenting chunks of text or images into
categories and labeling them.
C. Formulating the initial hypotheses for the study.
D. Using computer software to calculate statistical
figures.
Answer: B. Segmenting chunks of text or images into
categories and labeling them
Question 5: The concept of "reflexivity" in qualitative
research refers to what?
A. The researcher's ability to collect data quickly and
efficiently.
B. The researcher's reflection on how their role and personal
background may shape their interpretations.
C. The necessity of repeating the research procedure to
ensure reliability.
D. The ability to generalize findings to a broader context.
Answer: B. The researcher's reflection on how their role
and personal background may shape their
interpretations.