What is qualitative research? How to do it?
Qualitative research, when simply put, is the research that prefers survey sample of fewer individuals but focuses on conducting research on a deeper level. Qualitative research is research that does not come with concrete statistics. When you are not focused on generating numbers for your readers than you are aiming for qualitative research.
Explanation; Qualitative research aims for not a narrow and focused exploration of the topic it covers but a detailed and inquisitive take on it. In a simple example, to ask questions that need to be answered in more than one word and not make your subjects choose between limited options is qualitative research.
Example; So to ask why you think chocolate ice cream is famous, give a detailed reply; will be conducting qualitative research on the subject of popularity of chocolate ice cream.
Challenges; Qualitative research does not have definite conclusion and is thus challenging for most researchers. When you cannot draw defined results then it’s hard to explain the research you have conducted. But qualitative research is also necessary if a researcher intends to dwell on the topic fearlessly and with full conviction to find the answer.
Participants; Qualitative research is usually done with limited number of people; ideally less than fifty. So those individuals can give detailed and concrete answers to the question that are being asked. And their answers can be evaluated on a deeper level.
Methods; the methods that are used for qualitative research are as follows;
- Case studies, this is a collection of various other techniques to get a result that is suitable for your readers.
- Unstructured Interviewing; in this technique, interviews are conducted without a list of pre-planned questions. The answers given by your participant decide your next question. This unplanned exploration of the topic with each participant gives you a chance to get unusual insight into the topic you are researching.
- Direct observation, these are professionally conducted through a looking mirror. The participant is observed in a close room, doing the activity or task given by us. Now they are being watched by the researcher and researcher draws conclusions from his or her observations of the participants.
- Participant observation. Here the researcher becomes a participant and works with the other participants in the activity being conducted for the research. This way, the researcher gets a one on one insight into the minds of the participants.
Need; why and when are qualitative researches conducted? Because the researcher has become frustrated with linear results that may not give complete insight into the true nature of the opinions of the surveyed.
Qualitative data assimilation is becoming more and more common in this day and age because the researcher is more and more expected to distance himself from statistics and bore into his hypothesis with real and human opinions. We are here to help you out with your qualitative research assignment here at British Coursework Writers.