Corbin & Strauss Practical Considerations in Qualitative Research

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research (3rd Ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Chapter 2: Practical Considerations

• Introduction
  • Analysis involves awareness; it is a self-conscious, systematic approach to knowing.

• Choosing a Research Problem
  • Sources of Problems
    • Research problems can be assigned or they can come from the literature, life experience, or the research itself.

• The Research Question
  • Defining Issues
    • Establish boundaries because covering all aspects is impossible.

• Framing the Research Question
  • "Qualitative studies are usually exploratory and more hypothesis generating rather than testing. Therefore, it is necessary to frame the research question(s) in a manner that provides the investigator with sufficient flexibility and freedom to explore a topic in some depth (p. 25)."

• Other Relevant Points

• Data Collection
  • Observations immerse the researcher in the action.
  • Participants have a right to anonymity and confidentiality.
  • Reflexivity is the influence of the researcher's action on the participant's responses. It's essentially the researcher's influence on the research.

• Sensitivity
  • Objectivity in qualitative research does not exist because researchers bring their backgrounds including perspectives, education, knowledge, and bias to the research.
  • The Nature of Sensitivity
    • "Sensitivity stands in contrast to objectivity. It requires that a researcher put him- or herself into the research. Sensitivity means having insight, being tuned in to, being able to pick up on relevant issues, events, and happenings in data. It means being able to present the view of participants and taking the role of the other through immersion in data (p. 32)."
    • Sensitivity is an awareness of our own subjectivity.
    • "Sensitivity is a fascinating interplay of researcher and data in which understanding of what is being described in the data slowly evolves until finally the researcher can say, "Aha, that is what they are telling me (at least from my understanding (p. 33)."

• The Literature
  • Making Use of the Technical Literature  
    • Have an awareness of the literature, but don't let it inundate you.
    • "Bringing the literature into the writing not only demonstrates scholarship, but also allows for extending, validating, and refining knowledge in the field (p. 38)."

• Making Use of the Nontechnical Literature

• Theoretical Frameworks
  • Theoretical frameworks are conceptual guides. They provide a structure for the study. Theoretical frameworks do not have to begin research in a qualitative study.

• Summary
  • "Sensitivity, or insight into data, is derived through what the researcher brings to the study as well as through immersion in the data during data collection and analysis (p. 41)."
  • The research question drives the methods and the methodology.