SOCW 6301 Week 6 Discussion

SOCW 6301 Week 6 Discussion

Discussion: Qualitative Research Questions

Research questions that lend themselves to a qualitative approach often address questions about how people construct meaning. In this way, qualitative research questions set the stage for open-ended, inductive inquiry.

For this Discussion, review the case study entitled, “Social Work Research: Program Evaluation.” Consider the kinds of questions that inform a qualitative approach. Think about the quantitative method described in the case study and consider methods you might use to investigate the effectiveness of a program from a qualitative perspective.

Post your explanations of the following:

•        What kinds of research questions lead to a qualitative approach?
•        If you chose to conduct quantitative research in your Week 4 proposal, how might you reframe the research question in a way that lends itself to a qualitative approach?
•        If you focused on a qualitative proposal in Week 4, describe the qualitative research question and explain the rationale for choosing a qualitative approach.
•        Be sure to explain how you might collect the data.
•        Consider which qualitative method (case study, grounded theory, ethnographic research, cross-sectional research, feminist research, or participatory action research) would be most suitable for answering the research question.

Please use the resources to support your answer.

Sampling Structures

Probability and nonprobability are the two general categories of sampling. Probability sampling uses random selection, whereas nonprobability sampling does not. For example, if you wanted to study the effects of divorce on the psychological development of adolescents, you could gather a population of a certain number of adolescents whose parents were divorced. Then, out of that population, you could randomly select 25 of those people. If you wanted to use nonprobability sampling, you would choose specific people who had met predetermined criteria. For this Discussion, consider how samples would be chosen for both probability and nonprobability sampling structures.

Post your explanation of the following:

•        Using your research problem and the refined question you developed in Week 4, develop two sampling structures: probability and nonprobability.
•        Explain who would be included in each sample and how each sample would be selected.
•        Be specific about the sampling structures you chose, evaluating both strengths and limitations of each.

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Qualitative Research Questions Approach

In order to answer a qualitative research question, one must first understand what qualifies as a qualitative research question. A qualitative research question is one that cannot be answered by simply yes or no, but requires further exploration. This type of question is often used in market research and can be helpful in uncovering consumer behavior and motivations. If you’re conducting qualitative research, here are a few tips to help you create better questions and get the most out of your data.

Defining qualitative research

Qualitative research is a type of research that focuses on understanding people’s opinions, experiences, and behaviors. Qualitative research is used to understand how people think and feel about a certain topic. This type of research is usually conducted through interviews, focus groups, or observation.

Qualitative research is different from quantitative research, which focuses on measuring things and collecting data that can be analyzed statistically. Qualitative research is more exploratory and helps researchers to understand the meanings, beliefs, and motivations behind people’s actions.

When conducting qualitative research, it is important to use an open-ended question format. This allows respondents to answer in their own words and gives researchers more insight into their thoughts and feelings. Closed-ended questions (e.g., Yes/No questions) can be used but should be avoided if possible.

If you are interested in conducting qualitative research, there are many resources available to help you get started. The Qualitative Research Questions approach can be a helpful tool for planning your qualitative study.

How to develop qualitative research questions

Qualitative research questions arise from the need to understand a particular phenomenon in its natural setting. A researcher wants to know how people interact in groups, how they communicate their ideas, what meanings they attach to objects and events, and how these meanings change over time. To answer these types of questions, qualitative researchers rely on methods that allow them to collect detailed, in-depth data about people’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

When developing qualitative research questions, it is important to keep in mind the purpose of the research and the type of data that will be collected. For example, if the goal of the research is to understand how people make decisions in groups, then participant observation or interviewing would be appropriate methods for collecting data. On the other hand, if the goal is to understand how people’s attitudes towards a particular issue have changed over time, then surveys might be more appropriate.

It is also important to consider who will be participating in the research and what type of information they will be able to provide. For instance, if you are interested in understanding how medical students learn about ethics, it would make sense to interview students who are currently enrolled in medical school. However, if you want to understand how physicians think about ethical issues related to patient care, it would be more appropriate to interview practicing physicians.

Once you have decided on the purpose of your research and the type of data you will collect, you can begin developing qualitative research questions.