Question

What is a typical characteristic of qualitative research? a. Statistical procedures for data analysis b. Data collection is on-going c. Generalization of findings d. Control of contextual factors

Answer 1

Qualitative research is a scientific method of observation to gather non-numerical data.Qualitative research focuses on collecting data through individual or group interviews, observation, document review etc.The qualitative analysis produces explanation only at the particular cases Qualitative researchers often collect data in the field at the site where participants experience the issues or problem under study. They do not bring individuals in to a restricted situation or they send out instruments for individuals to complete, such as in survey research. Instead, qualitative researchers gather up-close information by actually talking directly to people and observe them behave and act within their context. In the natural setting, the researchers have face-to-face interaction over time. Qualitative research understanding of a fact or event comes from exploring the totality of students , often with access to large amount of data of non numerical form.Popular method of this kind of research is the case study which analyses detailed purposive samples to better understand a phenomenon.The purpose of qualitative analysis is to interpret the data and the resulting themes, to facilitate understanding of the phenomenon being studied .To analyse qualitative data, the researcher seeks meaning from all of the data that is available. The data may be categorized and sorted into patterns as the primary basis for organizing and reporting the study findings. In the entire research process, the researchers focuses on learning the meaning that the participants hold about the problem or issue.The participant meanings further suggest multiple perspectives on a topic and diverse views. This is why a theme developed in a qualitative report should reflect multiple perspectives of the participants in the study.