Qualitative research or research is a broad field of research that uses a variety of unstructured data collection methods, such as observations, interviews, surveys and documents, to find themes and meanings in an attempt to complete our understanding of the world. Qualitative research is usually done in an attempt to uncover the reasons behind various behaviors, attitudes and motivations, rather than the mere details of what, where, and when. Qualitative research can be carried out across many disciplines, such as social sciences, health care and business, and is common in almost any workplace and educational setting.
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Part 1 of 2: Preparing for Research
Step 1. Decide on the question to be researched
A good research question should be clear, specific and manageable. To conduct qualitative research, your question should explore the reasons why people do or believe something.
- Research questions are the most important part of a research design, because they define what you want to learn or understand and help focus the study, because you can't research everything at once. Research questions will also shape “how” you conduct your study because each question has its own method of submission.
- You should start with curiosity-based questions, then narrow them down until they can be researched effectively. For example, the question “What does a teacher's work mean to other teachers?” it's still too broad to be a research theme, but if that's what you're interested in, narrow it down by limiting the type of teacher or focusing on one level of education. For example, change it to the question "What is the meaning of the teacher's work for teachers who make teaching as a sideline?" or “What does teacher work mean for high school teachers?”
Tip:
Find a balance between curiosity-based questions and researchable questions. The first is something you really want to know and is usually pretty broad, not specific. The second is a question that can be investigated directly, using research methods and related tools.
Step 2. Conduct a literature review
Literature review is the process of studying what others have written about your research questions and specific topics. You read widely in a larger field and study what is pertinent to your topic. Then, you create an analytical report that synthesizes and integrates existing research (rather than just a short summary of each review in chronological order. In other words, you "research or research the research itself".br>
- For example, if your research question focuses on how teachers in other major professions attribute meaning to their work, you'll want to study the literature around teaching as a second career – what drives people to teach as a second career? How many teachers are there teaching as a second career? Where do they generally work? Reading and reviewing the existing literature and research will help you sharpen your questions and provide the necessary basis for your own research. It will also give you a sense of the variables that may affect your research (such as age, gender, class, etc.) and that you will have to consider your own study.
- The literature review will also help you decide whether you are genuinely interested in and committed to the topic and research question, and that there is a gap between existing research and wanting to fill in on your own research.
Step 3. Evaluate whether the qualitative research carried out really correctly answers your research question
Qualitative methods are only useful when a question cannot be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no' hypothesis. Often qualitative research is useful for answering “how” or “what” questions. This research is also useful when you need to factor in the budget.
For example, if your research question is “What does teacher work mean to second-career teachers?”, of course It's not a question that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'.
Neither are they the only absolute answer. This means that Qualitative research is the best way to answer questions.
Step 4. Consider the ideal pilot size
Qualitative research methods are less dependent on large sample sizes than quantitative methods, but can still provide important inputs and findings. For example, since it is likely that you will not have sufficient funds to study “all” second career teachers “in all regions” of Indonesia, you may choose to narrow your studies to only the main big cities (such as Surabaya, Jakarta, etc.) or schools 200km from where you live.
- Consider the possible outcomes. Since the scope of qualitative methodologies is usually quite broad, there is almost always the possibility that useful data will emerge from the research. This is in contrast to quantitative experiments, where an unproven hypothesis can mean that a lot of time has been wasted.
- Your research budget and the availability of financial resources should also be considered. Qualitative research is often less expensive and easier to plan and conduct. For example, it is usually easier and cheaper to gather a small number of people for interviews than it is to purchase a computer program that can perform the analysis and hire a suitable statistician.
Step 5. Choose a qualitative research method
Qualitative research designs are the most flexible of all experimental techniques. Thus, there are several acceptable methodologies that you can choose from.
- “Action Research” – Action research focuses on solving problems or working with others to solve problems and address specific issues.
- “Ethnography” – Ethnography is the study of human interaction and communication through direct participation and observation in the community you are studying. Ethnographic research originates from the disciplines of social and cultural anthropology, but is now increasingly used.
- “Phenomenology” – Phenomenology is the study of the subjective experiences of other people. This study examines the world through other people's eyes by discovering how they interpret experiences.
- “Earthly Ground Theory” – The purpose of using grounded theory is to develop a theory based on data that is systematically collected and analyzed. This theory looks at specific information and takes the theory and reasons that underlie certain phenomena.
- “Case Study Research” – This qualitative study method is an in-depth study of a particular individual or phenomenon in the current context.
Part 2 of 2: Collecting and Analyzing Your Data
Step 1. Collect your data
Each research methodology must use one or more specific techniques to collect empirical data, including interviews, participant observations, fieldwork, archival research, documentary materials, etc. The form of data collection carried out depends on the choice of research methodology. For example, research for case studies usually relies on interviews and documentary material, while ethnographic research requires a lot of fieldwork.
- “Direct observation” – Observation or direct observation of the situation or research subject can be done through video recording or direct observation. In direct observation, you make specific observations of the situation without influencing or participating in any way. For example, perhaps you want to see how second-career teachers are so engaged in their routines inside and outside the classroom that you decide to observe them for a few days, having previously made sure you have the necessary permissions from the school, students and teachers concerned., while taking full notes during the process.
- “Participant observation” – Participant observation or observation is the deepening of the researcher or researcher in the community or situation being studied. This kind of data collection tends to take more time, because you have to fully participate in the community to know whether your observations or observations are really valid.
- “Interviews” – Qualitative interviews are basically the process of collecting data by asking questions to the audience. Interview methods can be very flexible – they can be face-to-face interviews, but they can also take place over the phone or the Internet or in small groups called “focus groups”. There are also various types of interviews. Structured interviews consist of a predetermined set of questions, while unstructured ones are more of a free-flowing conversation, where the interviewer can touch and explore a variety of topics as they go along, as needed. Interviews are especially useful if you want to know how people are feeling or reacting to something. For example, it would be helpful to sit down with second-career teachers in a structured or unstructured interview to gather information about how they represent and discuss their teaching careers.
- “Surveys” – Written questionnaires and open-ended surveys of ideas, perceptions and thoughts are another way to collect data for your qualitative research. For example, in your study of second-career teachers, you might decide to conduct an anonymous survey of 100 teachers in your area because you are concerned that they will be less open in interview situations than through a survey in which their identities are anonymous.
- “Document analysis” – This includes reviewing existing written, visual and audio documents without the involvement or investigation of the researcher. There are various types of documents, including “official” documents produced by institutions and individuals, such as letters, scientific reports, diaries, and, in the 21st century, in the form of social media accounts and online blogs. For example, if you study education, an institution such as a public school may have a variety of different documents, including reports, handouts, handbooks, websites, curricula, etc. You might also want to see if second career teachers have online meeting groups or blogs. Document analysis is especially useful when used in conjunction with other methods, such as interviews.
Step 2. Analyze your data
Once you've collected data, you can begin to analyze it and get answers and theories to your research questions. Although there are many ways of analyzing data, all methods of analysis in quantitative research are related to textual analysis, either in writing or verbally.
- “Coding” – In coding, you apply a word, phrase, or number to each category. Start with a list of codes that have been prepared based on prior knowledge of the subject under study. For example, “financial problems” or “community involvement” might be two codes that were obtained after conducting a literature review of second-career teachers. Then, you review all the data systematically and then “code” ideas, concepts and themes according to their respective categories. You also then develop another set of code derived from reading and analyzing the data. For example, it may appear when you are coding the results of the interview that “divorce” occurs frequently. You can add custom code for this. Coding helps you organize your data, as well as identify patterns and similarities.
- ”Descriptive statistics” – You can analyze data using statistics. Descriptive statistics help explain, show or summarize data and highlight patterns. For example, if you have 100 primary evaluations of teachers, you might be interested in knowing the overall performance of their students. Descriptive statistics make this possible. However, please note that descriptive statistics cannot be used to draw conclusions and confirm or refute hypotheses.
- “Narrative analysis” – Narrative analysis focuses on conversations and content, such as grammar, word use, metaphors, story themes, meaning of situations, social, cultural and political context of a narrative.
- “Hermenetic Analysis” – Hermenetic analysis focuses on the meaning of written or verbal texts. In essence, you seek to understand the object of study and establish the underlying coherence.
- “Content Analysis” or “Semiotic Analysis” – Content analysis or semiotics focuses on a text or series of manuscripts to find themes and meanings by looking at the frequency of occurrence of words. In other words, you try to identify the structure and pattern of regularity in a verbal or written text, then make inferences based on that regularity. For example, you might find that certain words or phrases in common, such as “second chances” or “make a difference” appear in interviews with second-career teachers, then decide to explore what the significance of that phrase is.
Step 3. Write down your research
When preparing a qualitative research report, keep in mind your target audience and the document format guidelines of the research journal you are studying. You must ensure that the purpose of your research question is truly compelling and that you have described your research methodology and analysis in detail.
