n order for you to select the qualitative research approach that best fits your research question, you will need to develop a deeper familiarity with the approaches available to you. This week’s Assignment is the second of a two-part activity designed to broaden and deepen your base of knowledge of qualitative research approaches.

In Week 2, you began completing a Qualitative Research Approaches Matrix Template with four qualitative research approaches. For this week’s Assignment, you will add to that matrix by including four more research approaches.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review this week’s readings, focusing on the differences among the following four qualitative research approaches:

  Social constructionism and narrative inquiry
  Systems theory
  Ethnography/autoethnography
  Interactive and participatory qualitative applications

• Locate the Qualitative Research Approaches Matrix Template you completed from last week’s Assignment submission.

assignment:

Complete the Qualitative Research Approaches Matrix Template for the four approaches highlighted this week. Some of the cells have been pre-populated with sample entries or with prompts to help you focus your comparisons.

Required Readings

Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Chapter 3, “Variety of Qualitative Inquiry Frameworks: Paradigmatic, Philosophical, and Theoretical Orientations” (pp. 85–168)
Chapter 4, “Practical and Actionable Qualitative Applications” (pp. 169–242)
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1981). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Narrative Inquiry

Blustein, D. L., Kozan, S., & Connors-Kellgren, A. (2013). Unemployment and underemployment: A narrative analysis about loss. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 82(3), 256-265.

Systems Theory

Pallan, M., Parry, J., & Adab, P. (2012). Contextual influences on the development of obesity in children: a case study of UK South Asian communities. Preventive medicine, 54(3), 205-211.

Ethnography/Autoethnography

Hernandez, K. A. C., Ngunjiri, F. W., & Chang, H. (2015). Exploiting the margins in higher education: A collaborative autoethnography of three foreign-born female faculty of color. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 28(5), 533-551.
McCormack, M. (2014) ‘The intersection of class, youth masculinities and decreasing homophobia : an ethnography.’, British journal of sociology., 65 (1). pp. 130-149.

Participatory Community Approaches

Hutchinson, S. L., & Gallant, K. A. (2016). Can senior centres be contexts for aging in third places? Journal of Leisure Research, 48(1), 50–68. doi:10.18666/JLR-2016-V48-I1-6263

Qualitative Research Methods Matrix

Approach

Disciplinary Roots

Focus of Central Research Question

Unique Terminology

Primary Data Sources

Sampling Issues

Analysis Plan Guidelines

References

Submit in Week 2

Basic Qualitative Inquiry

Philosophy, history constructionism, phenomenology

· How can the experience of [an event, circumstance, program, a context] be described or explored?
· What is the meaning of [a process, program, or event] to the target individual(s) of interest?
· What “practical” knowledge can be learned?

Use of the words “describe,” “explore,” “experience,” and “meaning” in title and research questions

Interviews

Choice is a function of the question

Content analysis is a good choice as it is generic and exploratory

Elo et al., 2014 Merriam, 2009
Saldana, 2016
Worthington, 2013

Qualitative Case Study

Grounded Theory and Realism

Emergence of theory, inductive, theoretical sampling, constant comparison, open coding, axial coding, saturation, memo writing

Phenomenology and Heuristic Inquiry

What is the meaning, structure, and essence of the lived experience of this phenomenon for this person or group of people?
What is my experience of this phenomenon and the essential experience of others who also experience this phenomenon intensely?

Submit in Week 3

Social Constructivism and Narrative Inquiry

Select individuals who have directly experienced the phenomenon of interest

Systems Theory

How and why does this system as a whole function as it does?
What are the system’s boundaries and interrelationships, and how do these affect perspectives about how and why the system functions as it does?

Ethnography and Autoethnography

Ellis, Adams & Bochner, 2011
Hoey, 2014
Rose, 1993

Interactive and Participatory Qualitative Applications

Action research, co-researcher, participant-researcher, learning organization, dialogue, appreciative inquiry

Highlight indicates example response.

Modified from Patton, M.Q. (2014). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods: Integrating Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications

Qualitative Research Methods Matrix

Approach

Disciplinary Roots

Focus of Central Research
Question

Unique Terminology

Primary Data
Sources

Sampling Issues

Analysis Plan
Guidelines

References

Submit in Week 2

Basic Qualitative
Inquiry

Philosophy, history
constructionism,
phenomenology

·

How can the experience
of [an event,
circumstance, program, a
context] be described

or
explored
?

·

What is the meaning of [a
process, program, or
event] to the target
individual(s) of interest?

·

What

“practical”
knowledge

can be
learned?

Use of the words
“describe
,”
“explore,”

“experience
,
” and
“meaning” in title
and research
questions

Interviews

Choice is a function
of the question

C
ontent analysis

is a good choice
as it is generic
and exploratory

E
lo et al., 2014
Merriam, 2009

Saldana, 2016

Worthington,
2013

Qualitative Case
Study

Grounded Theory
and Realism

Emergence of theory,
inductive,
theoretical
sampling, constant
comparison,
open
coding, axial coding,
saturation,
memo
writing

Phenomenology
and Heuristic
Inquiry

What is the meaning,
structure, and essence of the
lived experience of this
phenomenon for this person
or group of people?

What is my experience of this
phenomenon and the
essential experience of others

Qualitative Research Methods Matrix
Approach Disciplinary Roots Focus of Central Research
Question
Unique Terminology Primary Data
Sources
Sampling Issues Analysis Plan
Guidelines
References
Submit in Week 2

Basic Qualitative
Inquiry
Philosophy, history
constructionism,
phenomenology
 How can the experience
of [an event,
circumstance, program, a
context] be described or
explored?
 What is the meaning of [a
process, program, or
event] to the target
individual(s) of interest?

 What “practical”
knowledge can be
learned?
Use of the words
“describe,”
“explore,”
“experience,” and
“meaning” in title
and research
questions
Interviews Choice is a function
of the question
Content analysis
is a good choice
as it is generic
and exploratory
Elo et al., 2014
Merriam, 2009
Saldana, 2016
Worthington,
2013
Qualitative Case
Study

Grounded Theory
and Realism
Emergence of theory,
inductive, theoretical
sampling, constant
comparison, open
coding, axial coding,
saturation, memo
writing

Phenomenology
and Heuristic
Inquiry
What is the meaning,
structure, and essence of the
lived experience of this
phenomenon for this person
or group of people?
What is my experience of this
phenomenon and the
essential experience of others