S2 - collecting qualitative data

Question 1

What are three methods of collecting qualitative data?

Answer 1

Interviews, photo-elicitation and story completion

Question 2

What is an interview?

Answer 2

A social activity where two or more persons actively engage in embodied talk, jointly constructing knowledge about themselves and the social world as they interact with each other over time, throughout a range of senses, and in a certain context

Question 3

What is the purpose of an interview?

Answer 3

Creates a conversation where participants are invited to tell stories, accounts and descriptions about their experiences, feelings, perceptions and behaviours.

Question 4

What are the different types of interviews?

Answer 4

• Structured
• Semi structured
• Unstructured
• Focus groups

Question 5

What are the characteristics of visual methods?

Answer 5

• generate, interpret and communicate knowledge
• supplement or alternative to dominance of language based research methods
• Images act on us in powerful ways

Question 6

How can visual data be generated and give examples of each way?

Answer 6

Photo elicitation used to invoke memory and elicit accounts

• found visual data e.g. published media articles
• participant generated e.g. photo of themselves
• researcher generated e.g. graphical representation of a research topic

Question 7

Describe what a story completion is?

Answer 7

Explore perceptions, assumptions and social constructions

participants are provided with a story stem and are asked to write what happens next

Question 8

What is a structured interview?

Answer 8

-inflexible interview schedule whereby the interviewer asks all participants an identical set of pre established questions

Question 9

What is a semi structured interview? give one strength and limitation to this method?

Answer 9

• conversation loosely following a pre-planned guide. May take different directions and the researcher may go off track to follow up interesting comments
• gives greater control to participant than a structured interview
• it is more difficult to analyse than a structure interview

Question 10

What is an unstructured interview? give one strength and limitation to this method?

Answer 10

• In depth conversation that may cover any or all of the participants life experiences
• it is useful for exploring a topic in broad terms
• can produce high volume of data that is not used for the agenda or focus of the researcher

Question 11

What is a focus group? give one strength and limitation to this method?

Answer 11

• conducted in a group, usually following a guide. It is mostly used to gain views on an idea or a research follow-up, rather than gathering new opinions and information
• Focus group participants have high degree of control over the direction and content of discussions
• Some may not wish to share sensitive issues in a group situation