Mass Media Research Ch. 5

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Types Qualitative Research of Methods

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-Focus Groups
-Intensive Interviews
-Field Observations
-Ethnographic field studies
-Historiography
-Case Studies
-Content analysis (can also be quantitative)

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Aims and Philosophy

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-A broad philosophy and approach to research

-A research methodology

-Specific set of research techniques

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3 Basic Research Approaches

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Positivism Paradigm

Interpretive Paradigm

Critical Paradigm

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Positivism Paradigm

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involves quantification, hypotheses and objective measures

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Interpretive Paradigm

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involves understanding how people interpret events around them

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Critical Paradigm

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interested in social concepts such as power and political ideology

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Data Collection

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is ongoing, unlike quantitative research

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Qualitative researchers use an inductive method:

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data are collected relevant to a topic and grouped into appropriate and meaningful categories, explanations emerge from the data themselves.

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Preparing the Data

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-Usually organize data chronologically in order of sequence of events that occurred during the investigation

-Data then organized into categories, which may arise from the data or be suggested prior to investigation

-Can have a room specifically set up to analyze the data, e.g., bulletin boards, other arrangements for visual display of data

-Researcher should try to remove any preconceived notions that might interfere with the research, e.g., referred to as epoche)

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Analysis Technique: Constant Comparative

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-Assign each unit of analysis into a category
-Refine categories as needed
-Look for relationships/themes among categories
-Write a report summarizing findings

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Refine categories as needed

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-May have to add/change categories
-Write rules or propositions to describe underlying meaning that defines category

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Look for relationships/themes among categories

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Generate assertions that can explain and further clarify the phenomena

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Write a report summarizing findings

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-Brief explanation that attempts to arrive at an understanding of the people and events being studies
-Trying to understand attitudes, not measuring them

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Analysis Technique:Analytic Induction Strategy

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-Define topic of interest and hypothesis
-Study a case to see whether hypothesis works. If doesn’t, reformulate
-Study other cases until hypothesis is in refined form
-Look for “negative cases” that might disprove hypothesis
-Continue until hypothesis is adequately tested

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Reliability/Validity

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-Different connotations for qualitative data
-Cannot calculate indexes of reliability, such as confidence intervals, etc

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Emphasizes trustworthiness of study

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-Multiple methods of data collection
-Audit Trail
-Member checks
-Research Team

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Multiple methods of data collection

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Use several different methods for collecting data to build confidence in results

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Audit Trail

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Maintaining permanent record of data

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Member checks

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Have participants read researcher notes and conclusions and verify accuracy

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Research Team

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Assumes members keep one another honest

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Field Observations

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-Study of a phenomenon in a natural setting

-Useful for collecting data and for generating hypotheses and theories

-Concerned more with description and explanation rather than measurement and quantification

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Four Types

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-Overt observation where research identified and merely observes
-Overt participation where researcher is identified and participates
-Covert observations where researcher is not identified and merely observes
-Covert participation where researcher participates but is not identified

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Focus Groups

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-Research strategy for understanding audience attitudes and behavior
-Usually between 6 – 12 people are interviewed together, with a moderator leading the discussion

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Uses of Focus Groups

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-Gather preliminary information for a research project
-Help develop questionnaire items for survey research
-To understand the reasons behind a particular phenomenon
-To see how a group of people interpret a certain phenomenon
-To test preliminary ideas or plans

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In-depth Interviews

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-Generally use smaller samples
-Provide detailed background info about reasons respondents give specific answers

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Advantages of In-depth Interviews

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Allow for lengthy observation of respondents nonverbal responses

Customized to individual respondents
-Different than personal interviews which usually ask participants the same questions from a questionnaire

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Disadvantages of in depth interviews

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Usually very long

Can be influenced by the interview climate
Depends upon rapport between interviewer and respondent

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Case Studies

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-Systematic gathering of enough information about a particular person, social setting, event, or group to permit the researcher to effectively understand how it operates or functions
-Extremely rich, detailed, and in-depth information
-Used in medicine, anthropology, clinical psychology, and history

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4 Characteristics of Case Studies

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Particularistic
Descriptive
Heuristic
Inductive

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Particularistic

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focuses on particular event, person, phenomenon

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Descriptive

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detailed description of the topic

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Heuristic

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new interpretations, new perspective, new meaning and fresh insights

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Inductive

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generalization or principle comes from the individual data (not test of hypothesis)