Unit II Qualitative Research Design Lecture Notes

Unit II
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS
Qualitative research design is a research method used extensively by scientists and researchers
studying human behavior, opinions, themes and motivations.
Qualitative research methods are probably the oldest of all scientific techniques, with the ancient
Greek philosophers qualitatively observing the world around them and trying to understand and
explain what they saw.
While qualitative methods are sometimes assumed to be “easier” or less rigorous than
quantitative ones, the fact is that information of this kind can provide a depth of understanding
about phenomena that cannot be achieved in other ways.
The design of qualitative research is probably the most flexible of the various experimental
techniques, encompassing a variety of accepted methods and structures. Though there is no
standardized structure, this type of study still needs to be carefully constructed and designed.
Researchers need to continually ensure they are conducting bias-free, open-ended technique and
staying alert to potential sources of error. This usually involves awareness of bias and deep
sensitivity to the phenomenon in question.
Qualitative Research Methods with Examples
Qualitative research methods are designed in a manner that they help reveal the behavior and
perception of a target audience with reference to a particular topic. There are different types of
qualitative research methods like an in-depth interview, focus groups, ethnographic research,
content analysis, case study research that are usually used.
1 The results of qualitative methods are more descriptive and the inferences can be drawn quite
easily from the data that is obtained.
Prof. Nilesh Limbore | Zeal Institute of Management and Computer Application, Pune, Mob. 9881947148
Qualitative research methods are originated in the social and behavioral sciences. Today our
world is more complicated and it is difficult to understand what people think and perceive.
Qualitative research methods make it easier to understand that as it is more communicative and
descriptive.
The following are the qualitative research methods that are frequently used:
1. One-on-One Interview: Conducting in-depth interviews is one of the most common

qualitative research methods. It is a personal interview that is carried out with one respondent at
a time. This is purely a conversational method and invites opportunities to get details in depth
from the respondent.
One of the advantages of this method provides a great opportunity to gather precise data about
what people believe and what their motivations are. If the researcher is well experienced asking
the right questions can help him/her collect meaningful data. If they should need more
information the researchers should ask such follow up questions that will help them collect more
2 information.
These interviews can be performed face-to-face or on phone and usually can last between half an
hour to two hours or even more. When the in-depth interview is conducted face to face it gives a
better opportunity to read the body language of the respondents and match the responses.
2. Focus groups: A focus group is also one of the commonly used qualitative research methods,
used in data collection. A focus group usually includes a limited number of respondents (6-10)
from within your target market.
The main aim of the focus group is to find answers to the why what and how questions. One
advantage of focus groups is, you don’t necessarily need to interact with the group in person.
Nowadays focus groups can be sent an online survey on various devices and responses can be
collected at the click of a button.
Focus groups are an expensive method as compared to the other qualitative research methods.
Typically they are used to explain complex processes. This method is very useful when it comes
to market research on new products and testing new concepts.
3. Ethnographic research: Ethnographic research is the most in-depth observational method

that studies people in their naturally occurring environment.
This method requires the researchers to adapt to the target audiences’ environments which could
be anywhere from an organization to a city or any remote location. Here geographical constraints
can be an issue while collecting data.
This research design aims to understand the cultures, challenges, motivations, and settings that
occur. Instead of relying on interviews and discussions, you experience the natural settings first
hand.
This type of research method can last from a few days to a few years, as it involves in-depth
3 observation and collecting data on those grounds. It’s a challenging and a time-consuming
method and solely depends on the expertise of the researcher to be able to analyze, observe and
infer the data.
4. Case study research: The case study method has evolved over the past few years and
developed as into a valuable qualitative research method. As the name suggests it is used for
explaining an organization or an entity.
This type of research method is used within a number of areas like education, social sciences and
similar. This method may look difficult to operate, however, it is one of the simplest ways of
conducting research as it involves a deep dive and thorough understanding of the data collection
methods and inferring the data.
5. Record keeping: This method makes use of the already existing reliable documents and
similar sources of information as the data source. This data can be used in a new research. This is
similar to going to a library. There one can go over books and other reference material to collect
relevant data that can likely be used in the research.
6. Process of observation: Qualitative Observation is a process of research that uses subjective

methodologies to gather systematic information or data. Since, the focus on qualitative
observation is the research process of using subjective methodologies to gather information or
data. The qualitative observation is primarily used to equate quality differences.
Qualitative observation deals with the 5 major sensory organs and their functioning – sight,
smell, touch, taste, and hearing. This doesn’t involve measurements or numbers but instead
characteristics.
Case Study Research Design
The case study research design have evolved over the past few years as a useful tool for
investigating trends and specific situations in many scientific disciplines.
The case study has been especially used in social science, psychology, anthropology and
4 ecology.
This method of study is especially useful for trying to test theoretical models by using them in
real world situations. For example, if an anthropologist were to live amongst a remote tribe,
whilst their observations might produce no quantitative data, they are still useful to science.
What is a Case Study?
Basically, a case study is an in depth study of a particular situation rather than a sweeping
statistical survey. It is a method used to narrow down a very broad field of research into one
easily researchable topic.
Whilst it will not answer a question completely, it will give some indications and allow further
elaboration and hypothesis creation on a subject.
The case study research design is also useful for testing whether scientific theories and models
actually work in the real world. You may come out with a great computer model for describing
how the ecosystem of a rock pool works but it is only by trying it out on a real life pool that you
can see if it is a realistic simulation.
For psychologists, anthropologists and social scientists they have been regarded as
a valid method of research for many years. Scientists are sometimes guilty of becoming bogged
down in the general picture and it is sometimes important to understand specific cases and ensure
a more holistic approach to research.
H.M.: An example of a study using the case study research design.
The Argument for and Against the Case Study Research Design
Some argue that because a case study is such a narrow field that its results cannot be extrapolated
to fit an entire question and that they show only one narrow example. On the other hand, it is
argued that a case study provides more realistic responses than a purely statistical survey.
The truth probably lies between the two and it is probably best to try and synergize the two
approaches. It is valid to conduct case studies but they should be tied in with more general
statistical processes.
For example, a statistical survey might show how much time people spend talking on mobile
phones, but it is case studies of a narrow group that will determine why this is so.
The other main thing to remember during case studies is their flexibility. Whilst a pure scientist
is trying to prove or disprove a hypothesis, a case study might introduce new and unexpected
results during its course, and lead to research taking new directions.
The argument between case study and statistical method also appears to be one of scale. Whilst
many 'physical' scientists avoid case studies, for psychology, anthropology and ecology they are
an essential tool. It is important to ensure that you realize that a case study cannot be generalized
to fit a whole population or ecosystem.
Finally, one peripheral point is that, when informing others of your results, case studies make
more interesting topics than purely statistical surveys, something that has been realized by
teachers and magazine editors for many years. The general public has little interest in pages of
statistical calculations but some well placed case studies can have a strong impact.
How to Design and Conduct a Case Study
6 The advantage of the case study research design is that you can focus on specific and interesting
cases. This may be an attempt to test a theory with a typical case or it can be a specific topic that
is of interest. Research should be thorough and note taking should be meticulous and systematic.
The first foundation of the case study is the subject and relevance. In a case study, you are
deliberately trying to isolate a small study group, one individual case or one particular
population.
For example, statistical analysis may have shown that birthrates in African countries are
increasing. A case study on one or two specific countries becomes a powerful and focused tool
for determining the social and economic pressures driving this.
In the design of a case study, it is important to plan and design how you are going to address the
study and make sure that all collected data is relevant. Unlike a scientific report, there is no strict
set of rules so the most important part is making sure that the study is focused and concise;
otherwise you will end up having to wade through a lot of irrelevant information.
It is best if you make yourself a short list of 4 or 5 bullet points that you are going to try and
address during the study. If you make sure that all research refers back to these then you will not
be far wrong.
With a case study, even more than a questionnaire or survey, it is important to be passive in your
research. You are much more of an observer than an experimenter and you must remember that,
even in a multi-subject case, each case must be treated individually and then cross
case conclusions can be drawn.
How to Analyze the Results
Analyzing results for a case study tends to be more opinion based than statistical methods. The
usual idea is to try and collate your data into a manageable form and construct a narrative around
it.
Use examples in your narrative whilst keeping things concise and interesting. It is useful to show
7 some numerical data but remember that you are only trying to judge trends and not analyze every
last piece of data. Constantly refer back to your bullet points so that you do not lose focus.
It is always a good idea to assume that a person reading your research may not possess a lot of
knowledge of the subject so try to write accordingly.
In addition, unlike a scientific study which deals with facts, a case study is based on opinion and
is very much designed to provoke reasoned debate. There really is no right or wrong answer in a
case study.
Comparative Studies
In a comparative study, you will not observe the case as a whole and in its complexity, but
rather a multiplicity of cases with regard to particular excerpts. For example, you might
compare the specific content of the expert knowledge of a number of people or
biographies in respect of a concrete experience of illness and the subsequent courses of life
are compared to each other. Here the question arises about the selection of cases in the groups
to be compared.
A further problem is what degree of standardization or constancy you need in the remaining
conditions that are not the subject of the comparison. To be able to show cultural differences
in the views of health among Portuguese and German women, we selected interview
partners from both cultures. They had to lead similar lives in as many respects as possible
(big-city life, comparable professions, income, and level of education) under at least very
similar conditions in order to be able to relate differences to the comparative dimension of
"culture" (see Flick 2000b).
What Are the Problems in Applying the Design?
Here you will face the problem of how to select the "right" dimensions. Furthermore you
should reflect on which conditions should be kept constant in order to make the
comparisons coherent on the selected dimensions. Finally, it can be asked: how do you
take into account the complexity and the structure of the cases which are compared?
8
What Is the Contribution to the General Methodological Discussion?
Applied in a consequent way, this design offers a way to a focused and thus limitable
comparative analysis of issues and experiences.
How Does the Design Fit into the Research Process?
Sampling should be purposive with an eye on the dimensions that are relevant for the
comparison (see Chapter 11). In collecting data, interviews, which allow more directed
questions (see Chapters 13,14), are preferable. Coding and categories, perhaps with
computers, are helpful in analyzing the data (see Chapters 23,26).
What Are the Limitations of the Design?
If the concentration on the dimensions of the comparison is too strict, your analysis may face the
problem of neglecting other aspects. Then the analysis of the material does not pay enough
attention to its context and inherent structures.
So we see the dimension of single case-comparative study as one axis according to which we can
classify the basic design of qualitative research. An interim stage consists of the interrelation of
a number of case analyses, which can initially be carried out as such and then compared or
contrasted to each other. A second axis for categorizing qualitative design follows the
dimension of time, from retrospective analyses to snapshots and then to longitudinal studies.
Retrospective Studies
The principle of case reconstruction is characteristic of a great number of biographical

investigations that operate with a series of case analyses in a comparative, typologizing, or
contrastive manner. Biographical research is an example of retro spective studies in
which retrospectively from the point in time when the research is carried out, certain
events and processes are analyzed in respect of their meaning for individual or collective
life histories. Design questions in relation to retrospective research involve the selection of
informants who will be meaningful for the process to be investigated. They also involve
defining appropriate groups for comparison, justifying the boundaries of the time to be
9 investigated, checking the research question, deciding which (historical) sources and
documents (see Chapter 19) should be used in addition to interviews. Another issue is
how to consider the influences of present views on the perception and evaluation of
earlier experiences.
One danger in any retrospective research is that the current situation (in which an event is
recounted) influences overlaps with the earlier situation (which is recounted) or influences
any assessment of past events.
This approach makes a consistent realization of a biographical perspective (see Chapters 7,14 ,
and 25) possible and allows a process perspective to be taken on orders of events that have
already begun or are even terminated.
Here, mostly a constructionist perspective is taken (see Chapters 6 and 7). Data are often
(but not necessarily) collected with narrative methods (see Chapter 14). They are analyzed
with narrative or hermeneutic approaches (see Chapter 25). The aim is often to develop
theories from the material that is analyzed (see Chapters 8 and 31).
Unlike longitudinal studies (see below), it is more difficult here to include options of
activities (how things could have developed). The perspective on the processes that are
analyzed is distilled from the view of interviewees (see Chapter 14) or from studying
documents which have been produced and filed (see Chapter 19).
Longitudinal Studies
The final variant of a basic design in qualitative research consists of longitudinal studies, in
which an interesting process or state is analyzed again at later times of data collection. This
10
strategy has rarely been used, at least explicitly, in qualitative research. In most qualitative
methods, you will find little guidance on how they could be applied in longitudinal studies
with several periods of data collection. Implicitly a longitudinal perspective within a
temporally limited framework is realized in ethnography (see Chapter 17) by virtue of the
researchers' extended participation in the field of study, and also—with a retrospective
focus—in biographical research, which considers an extended section of a life history. The
great strength of a longitudinal study— being able to document changes of view or action
through repeated collection cycles, where the initial state of a process of change can be
recorded without any influence from its final state—cannot therefore be fully realized.
If you want to make full use of the potential of a longitudinal study, you should identify
processes for a study before they begin. To apply qualitative methods, for example the narrative
interview, repeatedly at several points of data collection may produce very artificial situations.
Longitudinal studies in general require a considerable organizational expenditure and extended
resources (time etc.).
Longitudinal studies are the most consistent way of analyzing developments and process in their
course.
The starting point is the interesting changes. Sampling should be purposeful and then
selection should be maintained in the process (see Chapter 11). Observation and
ethnography (see Chapter 17) include an implicitly longitudinal approach, but can also be
applied repeatedly. Interviews using interview schedules (see Chapter 13) can be applied
repeatedly more easily than focus groups (see Chapter 15) or narrative interviews (see
Chapter 14).

11
In research for a thesis or in very briefly funded projects, longitudinal designs can only be
applied in parts, since such a design needs enough time between the moments of data
collection for making development and change visible.
Appropriateness of the Method to the Issue
For the construction of a research design we should keep in mind that there is no "ideal way"
which fits every study. Research questions and issues under study should define how
sampling is planned and what basic design should be selected. Theoretical sampling may be
the most ambitious way to select cases in qualitative research. Nevertheless it is not the best
choice in every study. Not all basic designs are appropriate and easy to apply in every study
in the same way.
TABLE:Comparison of Approaches for Constructing a Research Design
Process Sampling
Approach Circular model Definition in Purposive

criteria Linear model advance sampling
Openness to • Separation of • Flexible • More • Sample

the issue by: data collection approach and systematic structure is
and analysis - use of comparison developed
makes empirical from the
concentration material analysis and
on the field the material
easier
Structuring • Definition of • Knowledge • Definition of • Focus on

(e.g., steps of the developed in criteria and instructive
deepening) the process in the process dimensions cases or
issue by. advance for sampling material
independent
of the
concrete
12
material
Contribution • Clearer • Most • Structuring of • Substantial
to the general distinction of consistent the procedure and concrete
development of the steps of the realization o Orientation for selection of
qualitative procedure of research cases and
methods by qualitative planning materials
research rather than
principles formal and
• Interleaving abstract
of collecting
and
analyzing
data
Domain of • Links with • Studies • Comparative • Studies aimed

application quantitative aimed at studies at developing
research developing a a theory
theory • Qualitative
evaluation
Problems in • Loss of • Limited • Lack of • Limits in

applying the flexibility predictabilit flexibility in planning and
approach towards data y collecting and calculating
and the field • Perhaps analyzing projects
difficult to material • Fuzzy criteria
apply when for when to
research stop sampling
experience is
missing
Limitations of • Logic of • Orientation • Can be applied • Inductive
13 the approach quantitative towards to approaches systematizatio

research as theory like n
model for development ethnography in • Limited
qualitative a limited way generalization
research
References Miles and Strauss (1987) Merkens (2004) Flick (2007c)

Huberman (1994) Merkens (2004)
Patton (2002)
Basic Designs
Comparative Retrospective Longitudinal

Case study study study Snapshot study
• Focus on the • Integration • Process is often • Description • Attendance

case under of reconstructed of states of a process
study interviewing from the views without focus and the
(individual, • Understanding of the on process alternative
institution, by participants options it
field, etc.) participation includes
• Selection of • Definition • Looking back • Focus on the • Definition of

one case of on (individual current state the moments
comparative or of affairs of data
dimensions institutional) • Defin(iteio.gn., inat collection
developments othf e wh
is kept constant • Perspective knowledge
on processes under study)
° Most • Focus on points • Process • Real

consequent of connection perspective on pragmaticall perspective
approach to in the cases developments y focused on process
the particular under study that have begun studies
14
(case per se) or are already
finished
o Biographical
perspective
• Analysis of » Focused « Life histories » Expert, lay, ° Individual or

institutions research = Institutional and institutional
o Life histories questions process of institutional development
• Bigger number development knowledge s
of cases • Biographical « Practices
• Comparative experiences and routines
research
questions
° Integration of • Selection of » Overlapping of « How to ® Identificatio

the different the the past by the delimit n of relevant
perspectives comparative present the issues in
on the case dimensions material advance
• Taking the about the = Life histories
structure or case
particularity of
the case into
account
• Generalization • Perhaps • Limited access • Dispensation » Expenditure

rather difficult neglecting to options of of process often beyond
other development and change the resources
dimensions in which have not as of a project
favor of been realized perspectives
comparison on
one specific
15
dimension
Ragin and Glaser (1969) Bude (2004) Flick (2007c) Thomson,
Becher (1992) LüdPelurms
(r2id0g0e4, aa)nd
Holland (2003)
The appropriateness for the issue under study and the concrete circumstances in which it is
studied should be the main orientation in the decision for one or the other alternative
discussed here.
Checklist for Selecting a Research Design and Evaluating its

Application
1 Research question
Can the design and its application address the essential aspects of the research question?
2 Design
The design must be applied according to the methodological elements and targets There should
be no jumping between research designs, except when it is grounded in the research question or
theoretically
3 Researcher
Are the researchers able to apply the design?
What are the consequences of their own experiences and limits, resources, etc., in the
realization?
4 Participant «
Is the research design appropriate to the target group of the application?
How can one take into account the fears, uncertainties, and expectations of (potential)
16 participants?
5 Scope allowed to the interviewee
Can the participants present their views in the framework of the questions? Is there enough
scope for the new, unexpected, and surprising?
6 Interaction with the field
Have the researchers applied the research design correctly? Have they left enough scope for the
participants?
Did they fulfill their role? (Why not?)
Were the participant's role, the researcher's role, and the situation clearly defined for the
participant?
Could the participants fulfill their roles? (Why not?)
Analyze the breaks in order to validate the interview between the first and second field contacts
if possible
7 Aim of the interpretation
Are you interested in finding and analyzing limited and clear answers or complex, multifold
patterns, contexts, etc.?
8 Claim for generalization
The level on which statements should be made:
• For the single case (the interviewed individual and his or her biography, an institution and its
impact, etc.)?
• With reference to groups (about a profession, a type of institution, etc.)?
• General statements?
Fitting the Approach into the Research Process
This point of reference concerns selecting a sampling alternative or a research design and
17 fitting it into the research process. For planning a study, collecting data, and analyzing them,
the soundness of the modules of the research should be checked. Is the flexibility in
collecting the data or the case orientation in analyzing them compatible with the aims of a
systematic comparison? Is the method for collecting data open and comprehensive enough
for doing a complex case study with the data?
You will find the starting points for this assessment in the paragraphs on the fitting of the
method into the research process given in the sections about each approach in this and the
preceding chapters. You should compare the conceptualization of the research process and
its components outlined in them, which characterize each approach, to your own research
and how you plan it.
Thus, these four points of reference for deciding on a concrete approach are outlined,
which also can and should be applied later to procedures primarily aimed at verbal data (see
Chapter 16), or at observation and mediated data (see Chapter 21), and alternatives for
interpretation (see Chapter 27). In addition to the appropriateness of the methods used for
the object under study (see Chapter 2), it is above all the orientation to the process of
research (see Chapters 28 and 29) that becomes an essential criterion to evaluate
methodological decisions.
Finally, you should check the method you selected for how it fits into the research process.
The aim is to find out if the procedure for collecting data suits the procedure for
interpreting them. It does not make sense to use the narrative interview during the data
collection in order to allow the presentation a wide scope, if the data received then undergo
a content analysis using only categories derived from the literature and paraphrases of the
original text (for this see Chapter 23). It also does not make sense to want to interpret an
interview that stresses the consistent treating of the topics in the interview guide with a
sequential procedure (see Chapter 25), which is used to uncover the development of the
structure of the presentation. In a similar way, you should check the compatibility of the
procedure for collecting data with your method of sampling cases (see Chapter 11).And
you should assess its compatibility with the theoretical background of your study (see
Chapter 6) and the understanding of the research process as a whole (e.g., developing
theories versus testing hypotheses; see Chapter 8) that you took as starting points.
You will find the starting points for this assessment in the paragraphs about the fitting of the
18 method into the research process given in the sections on each method. They outline the
method s inherent understanding of the research process and its elements. The next step is to
check how far the design of your study and the conceptualization of the single steps are
compatible with the methods inherent conceptualization.
Thus, four points of reference for deciding on a concrete method are outlined, which also
can and should be applied to procedures not primarily aimed at verbal but mediated data
(see Chapter 21) and alternatives for interpretation (see Chapter 27).
Again it is the appropriateness of the methods used for the object under study (see Chapter
2), and above all the orientation to the process of research (see Chapters 28 and 29), that
becomes an essential criterion to evaluate methodological decisions.
Decisions in the Research Process
You will encounter the issue of sampling at different stages in the research process (Table
11.1). In an interview study, it is connected to the decision about which persons you will
interview (case sampling) and from which groups these should come (sampling groups of
cases). Furthermore, it emerges with the decision about which of the interviews should
be further treated; that is, transcribed and analyzed (material sampling). During
interpretation of the data, the question again arises when you decide which parts of a text
you should select for interpretation in general or for particular detailed interpretations
(sampling within the material). Finally, it arises when presenting the findings: which cases
or parts of text are best to demonstrate your findings (presentational sampling)?
In the literature, various suggestions have been made for the problem of sampling. But quite
unambiguously, they are located at two poles: on more or less abstract or concrete criteria.
A Priori Determination of the Sample Structure
At one pole, criteria are abstract insofar as they start from an idea of the researched object's
typicality and distribution. This should be represented in the sample of the material, which
you study (i.e., collect and analyze) in a way that allows you to draw the inference of the
relations in the object. This is the logic of statistical sampling in which material is put
19 together according to certain (e.g., demographic) criteria. For example, you draw a
sample that is homogeneous in age or social situation (women with a certain profession at
a specific biographical stage) or a sample representing a certain distribution of such criteria in
the population. These criteria are abstract, because they have been developed independently
of the concrete material analyzed and before its collection and analysis, as the following
examples show.
Gradual Definition of the Sample Structure: Theoretical Sampling
Gradual strategies of sampling are mostly based on theoretical sampling developed by

Glaser and Strauss (1967). Decisions about choosing and putting together empirical material
(cases, groups, institutions, etc.) are made in the process of collecting and interpreting data.
Glaser and Strauss describe this strategy as follows:
Theoretical sampling is the process of data collection for generating theory whereby
the analyst jointly collects, codes, and analyzes his data and decides what data to
collect next and where to find them, in order to develop his theory as it emerges.
This process of data collection is controlled by the emerging theory. (1967, p. 45)
Sampling decisions in theoretical sampling may start from either of two levels: they may
be made on the level of the groups to be compared or they may directly focus on specific
persons. In both cases, the sampling of concrete individuals, groups, or fields is not based
on the usual criteria and techniques of statistical sampling. You would employ neither
random sampling nor stratification to make a sample representative. Rather, you select
individuals, groups, and so on according to their (expected) level of new insights for the
developing theory in relation to the state of theory elaboration so far. Sampling decisions
aim at that material that promises the greatest insights, viewed in the light of the material
already used, and the knowledge drawn from it. The main questions for selecting data
are:" What groups or sub- groups does one turn to next in data collection? And for what
theoretical purpose?... The possibilities of multiple comparisons are infinite, and so
groups must be chosen according to theoretical criteria" (1967, p. 47).
Given the theoretically unlimited possibilities of integrating further persons, groups, cases,
and so on it is necessary to define criteria for a well-founded limitation of the sampling.
20 These criteria are defined here in relation to the theory. The theory developing from the
empirical material is the point of reference. Examples of such criteria are how promising
the next case is and how relevant it might be for developing the theory.
An example of applying this form of sampling is found in Glaser and Strauss's (1965a) study
on awareness of dying in hospitals. In this study, the authors did participant observation in
different hospitals in order to develop a theory about how dying in hospital is organized as a
social process (see also Chapter 23 for more details). The memo in the following case study
describes the decision and sampling process.
Gradual Selection as a General Principle in Qualitative Research
If we compare different conceptions of qualitative research in this respect, we can see that
this principle of selecting cases and material has also been applied beyond
Glaser and Strauss. The basic principle of theoretical sampling is to select cases or case
groups according to concrete criteria concerning their content instead of using abstract
methodological criteria. Sampling proceeds according to the relevance of cases instead of
their representativeness. This principle is also characteristic of related strategies of
collecting data in qualitative research.
On the one hand, parallels can be drawn with the concept of "data triangulation" in Denzin
(1989b), which refers to the integration of various data sources, differentiated by time, place,
and person (see Chapter 29). Denzin suggests studying "the same phenomenon" at different
times and places and with different persons. He also claims to have applied the strategy of
theoretical sampling in his own way as a purposive and systematic selection and integration of
persons and groups of persons, and temporal and local settings. The extension of the sampling
procedure to temporal and local settings is an advantage of the system of access in Denzins
method compared to that of Glaser and Strauss. In the example just mentioned, I took this
idea into account by purposively integrating different institutions (as local settings) and
professions and by using different sorts of data.
Znaniecki (1934) (see Chapter 29) put forward analytic induction as a way of making
concrete and further developing theoretical sampling. But here attention is focused less on
the question of which cases to integrate into the study in general. Rather this concept starts
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from developing a theory (pattern, model, and so on) at a given moment and state and
then specifically looking for and analyzing deviant cases (or even case groups). Whereas
theoretical sampling mainly aims to enrich the developing theory, analytic induction is
concerned with securing it by analyzing or integrating deviant cases. Whereas theoretical
sampling wants to control the process of selecting data by the emerging theory, analytic
induction uses the deviant case to control the developing theory. The deviant case here is a
complement to the criterion of theoretical saturation. This criterion remains rather
indeterminate but is used for continuing and assessing the collection of data. In the
example mentioned above, cases were minimally and maximally contrasted in a
purposeful way instead of applying such strategies starting from deviant cases (see Chapter
29).
This brief comparison of different conceptions of qualitative research may demonstrate that
the basic principle of theoretical sampling is the genuine and typical form of selecting
material in qualitative research. This assumption may be supported by reference to Kleining's
(1982) idea of a typology of social science methods. According to this idea, all research
methods have the same source in everyday techniques; qualitative methods are the first and
quantitative methods are the second level of abstraction from these everyday techniques. If
this is applied analogously to strategies for selecting empirical material, theoretical sampling
(and basically related strategies as mentioned before) is the more concrete strategy and is
closer to everyday life. Criteria of sampling like being representative for a population and so
on are the second level of abstraction.
This analogy of levels of abstraction may support the thesis that theoretical sampling is the
more appropriate sampling strategy in qualitative research, whereas classical sampling
procedures remain oriented to the logic of quantitative research. To what extent the latter
should be imported into qualitative research has to be checked in
every case. Here we can draw parallels with the discussion about the appropriateness of
quality indicators (see Chapter 28).
Purposive Sampling
Gradual selection is not merely the original principle of sampling in various traditional
22 approaches in qualitative research. More recent discussions, which describe strategies for how
to proceed with purposive sampling by selecting cases and empirical material, take it up again
repeatedly. In the framework of evaluation research, Patton (2002) contrasts random sampling
in general with purposive sampling and makes some concrete suggestions:
 One is to integrate purposively extreme or deviant cases. In order to study the

functioning of a reform program, particularly successful examples of realizing it are
chosen and analyzed. Or cases of failure in the program are selected and analyzed for
the reasons for this failure. Here the field under study is disclosed from its
extremities to arrive at an understanding of the field as a whole.
 Another suggestion is to select particularly typical cases (i.e., those cases in which
success and failure are particularly typical for the average or the majority of the
cases). Here the field is disclosed from inside and from its center.
 A further suggestion aims at the maximal variation in the sample—to integrate only
a few cases, but those which are as different as possible, to disclose the range of
variation and differentiation in the field.
 ® Additionally, cases may be selected according to the intensity with which the
interesting features, processes, experiences, and so on are given or assumed in them.
Either cases with the greatest intensity are chosen or cases with different intensities
are systematically integrated and compared.
 The selection of critical cases aims at those cases in which the relations to be studied
become especially clear (e.g., in the opinion of experts in the field) or which are
particularly important for the functioning of a program to be evaluated.
 It may be appropriate to select a politically important or sensitive case in order to
present positive findings in evaluation most effectively, which is an argument for
integrating them. However, where these may endanger the program as a whole, due
to their explosive force, they should rather be excluded.
 Finally, Patton mentions the criterion of convenience, which refers to the selection of
those cases that are the easiest to access under given conditions. This may simply be
to reduce the effort. However, from time to time it may be the only way to do an
evaluation with limited resources of time and people.
23
 In the end, it depends on these strategies of selection and how you can generalize
your results. In random sampling this may be greatest, whereas in the strategy of
least effort, mentioned last, it will be most restricted. However, it must be noted
that generalization is not in every case the goal of a qualitative study, whereas the
problem of access may be one of the crucial barriers.
Correspondingly, Morse (1998, p. 73) defines several general criteria for a "good
informant." These may serve more generally as criteria for selecting meaningful cases
(especially for interviewees). They should have the necessary knowledge and experience of
the issue or object at their disposal for answering the questions in the interview or—in
observational studies—for performing the actions of interest. They should also have the
capability to reflect and articulate, should have time to be asked (or observed), and should
be ready to participate in the study. If all these conditions are fulfilled, this case is most
likely to be integrated into the study.
Integrating such cases is characterized by Morse as primary selection, which she contrasts
with secondary selection. The latter refers to those cases that do not fulfill all the criteria
previously mentioned (particularly of knowledge and experience), but are willing to give
their time for an interview. Morse suggests that one should not invest too many resources
in these cases (e.g., for transcription or interpretation). Rather, one should only work with
them further if it is clear that there really are not enough cases of the primary selection
to be found.
Box 11.1 summarizes the sampling strategies discussed.
Sampling Strategies in Qualitative Research
 A priori determination
 Complete collection
 Theoretical sampling
 Extreme case sampling
 Typical case sampling
 Maximal variation sampling
24  Intensity sampling
 Critical case sampling
 Sensitive case sampling
 Convenience sampling
 Primary selection
 Secondary selection
Width or Depth as Aims of Sampling
What is decisive when you choose one of the sampling strategies just outlined, and for your
success in putting together the sample as a whole, is whether it is rich in relevant
information. Sampling decisions always fluctuate between the aims of covering as wide a
field as possible and of doing analyses which are as deep as possible. The former strategy
seeks to represent the field in its diversity by using as many different cases as possible in
order to be able to present evidence on the distribution of ways of seeing or experiencing
certain things. The latter strategy seeks to further permeate the field and its structure by
concentrating on single examples or certain sectors of the field.
Considering limited resources (people, money, time, etc.) you should see these aims as
alternatives rather than projects to combine. In the example mentioned above, the
decision to deal more intensively with one type of institution (socio-psychiatric services)
and, due to limited resources, not to collect or analyze any further data in the other
institutions, was the result of weighing width (to study trust in counseling in as many
different forms of institutions) against depth (to proceed with the analyses in one type of
institution as far as possible).
Case Constitution in the Sample
In this context, the question arises of what is the case that is considered in a sample and,
more concretely, what this case represents. In the studies of trust in counseling and
technological change that I have already mentioned several times, I treated the case as a
case: sampling as well as collecting and interpreting data proceeded as a sequence of case
25 studies. For the constitution of the sample in the end, each case was representative in
five respects:
1. The case represents itself. According to Hildenbrand, the "single case dialectically
can be understood as an individualized universal" (1987, p. 161). Thus, the single case
is initially seen as the result of specific individual socialization against a general
background (e.g., as physician or psychologist with a specific individual biography
against the background of the changes in psychiatry and in the understanding of
psychiatric disorders in the 1970s and 1980s). This also applies to the socialization of
an information engineer against the background of the changes in information
science and in the cultural context of each case. This socialization has led to different,
subjective opinions, attitudes, and viewpoints, which can be found in the actual
interview situation.
2. In order to find out what the "individualized universal" here concretely means, it
proved to be necessary to also conceptualize the case as follows. The case represents
a specific institutional context in which the individual acts and which he or she also
has to represent to others. Thus, the viewpoints in subjective theories on trust in
counseling are influenced by the fact that the case (e.g., as doctor or social worker)
orients his or her practices and perceptions to the goals of the institution of "socio-
psychiatric services." Or he or she may even transform these viewpoints into
activities with clients or statements in the interview, perhaps in critically dealing with
these goals.
3. The case represents a specific professionalization (as doctor, psychologist, social

worker, informat ion engineer, etc.), which he or she has attained and which is
represented in his or her concepts and ways of acting. Thus, despite the existence
of teamwork and co-operation in the institution, it was possible to identify
differences in the ways professionals from the same socio-psychiatric services presented
clients, disorders, and starting points for treating them.
4. The case represents a developed subjectivity as a result of acquiring certain stocks

of knowledge and of evolving specific ways of acting and perceiving.
26
5. The case represents an interactively made and makeable context of activity (e.g.,
counseling, developing technology).
Sampling decisions cannot be made in isolation. There is no decision or strategy which is
right per se. The appropriateness of the structure and contents of the sample, and thus the
appropriateness of the strategy chosen for obtaining both, can only be assessed with
respect to the research question of the study: which and how many cases are necessary to
answer the questions of the study? The appropriateness of the selected sample can be
assessed in terms of the degree of possible generalization, which is striven for. It may be
difficult to make generally valid statements based only on a single case study. However, it
is also difficult to give deep descriptions and explanations of a case which was found by
applying the principle of random sampling. Sampling strategies describe ways of
disclosing a field. This can start from extreme, negative, critical, or deviant cases and thus
from the extremities of the field. It may be disclosed from the inside, starting from
particularly typical or developed cases. It can be tapped by starting from its supposed
structure—by integrating cases as different as possible in their variation. The structure of
the sample may be defined in advance and filled in through collecting data, or it may be
developed and further differentiated step by step during selection, collection, and
interpretation of material. Here, in addition, the research question and the degree of
generalization one is seeking should determine the decision between defining in advance
and gradually developing the sample.
The characteristics of qualitative research mentioned in Chapter 6 also apply to sampling

strategies. Implicit in the selection made in sampling decisions resides a specific approach
to understanding the field and the selected cases. In a different strategy of selection, the
understanding would be different in its results. As sampling decisions start from integrating
concrete cases, the origin of reconstructing cases is concretely realized. In sampling
decisions, the reality under study is constructed in a specific way: certain parts and
aspects are highlighted and others are phased out. Sampling decisions determine
substantially what becomes empirical material in the form of text, and what is taken from
available texts concretely and how it is used.
27
Saturation in qualitative research samples
Unlike quantitative research which aims to quantify or count the number of opinions, the aim
of qualitative research is to explore the range of opinion and diversity of views, and collect
“rich information”. The number of participants required therefore depends on the nature of
the research and how many are needed to answer the research questions. The focus generally
is not on sample size but rather on sample adequacy because generalisability is not what you
are aiming for. Hence, the adequacy of sampling is usually justified by the reaching of
“saturation” (Bowen, 2008) and is used by researchers as an indication of quality (Guest,
2006).
Bowen (2008) argues that researchers are not being transparent about exactly how saturation
is reached, and highlights there are also practical constraints in terms of time and resources
on how many participants can be interviewed, and sometimes saturation cannot be reached.
O’Reilly and Parker (2012) explain that this does not invalidate the findings; rather it means
that the phenomenon has not yet been fully explored, and this should be reported with the
findings.
The different types of saturation
There is also some confusion about the different terms used to describe saturation in
literature (such as thematic, data, theoretical, descriptive), and they can be distinct. However,
generally:
1. Thematic/data saturation usually means that data should be collected until there are
fewer surprises in the data and no more patterns or themes are emerging from the data
(O’Reilly and Parker, 2012).
2. Theoretical saturation is mainly used in grounded theory, and here saturation does
not mean the point at which no new ideas emerge, but it means that categories are
fully accounted for, the differences between them are explained and the relationships
between them are tested and validated, which results in a theory emerging (O’Reilly
28 and Parker, 2012).
The diagram below illustrates the difference between the two types of saturation (please note
the diagram refers to thematic/data saturation as descriptive saturation):
Is it possible to ever reach “saturation”?
Saturation does have a practical weakness, in that there is always new data to be discovered
and data can never be truly saturated (Wray, Markovic and Manderson, 2007). Studies in
particular which use a deductive approach where the research is not guided by types of
revelations or ‘categories’, some argue that imposing data saturation as a quality indicator is
not always relevant (O’Reilly and Parker, 2012).
29

Unit II Qualitative Research Design Lecture Notes

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Unit II Qualitative Research Design Lecture Notes

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Unit II

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS

Qualitative Research Methods with Examples

1. One-on-One Interview: Conducting in-depth interviews is one of the most common

3. Ethnographic research: Ethnographic research is the most in-depth observational method

6. Process of observation: Qualitative Observation is a process of research that uses subjective

Case Study Research Design

What is a Case Study?

H.M.: An example of a study using the case study research design.

How to Design and Conduct a Case Study

How to Analyze the Results

What Are the Problems in Applying the Design?

How Does the Design Fit into the Research Process?

What Are the Limitations of the Design?

The principle of case reconstruction is characteristic of a great number of biographical

What Are the Problems in Applying the Design?

What Is the Contribution to the General Methodological Discussion?

How Does the Design Fit into the Research Process?

What Are the Limitations of the Design?

What Are the Problems in Applying the Design?

What Is the Contribution to the General Methodological Discussion?

How Does the Design Fit into the Research Process?

What Are the Limitations of the Design?

Appropriateness of the Method to the Issue

Approach Circular model Definition in Purposive

Openness to • Separation of • Flexible • More • Sample

Structuring • Definition of • Knowledge • Definition of • Focus on

Domain of • Links with • Studies • Comparative • Studies aimed

Problems in • Loss of • Limited • Lack of • Limits in

Limitations of • Logic of • Orientation • Can be applied • Inductive

13 the approach quantitative towards to approaches systematizatio

References Miles and Strauss (1987) Merkens (2004) Flick (2007c)

Comparative Retrospective Longitudinal

• Focus on the • Integration • Process is often • Description • Attendance

• Selection of • Definition • Looking back • Focus on the • Definition of

° Most • Focus on points • Process • Real

• Analysis of » Focused « Life histories » Expert, lay, ° Individual or

° Integration of • Selection of » Overlapping of « How to ® Identificatio

• Generalization • Perhaps • Limited access • Dispensation » Expenditure

Ragin and Glaser (1969) Bude (2004) Flick (2007c) Thomson,

Checklist for Selecting a Research Design and Evaluating its

Are the researchers able to apply the design?

Is the research design appropriate to the target group of the application?

5 Scope allowed to the interviewee

6 Interaction with the field

Did they fulfill their role? (Why not?)

Could the participants fulfill their roles? (Why not?)

7 Aim of the interpretation

8 Claim for generalization

The level on which statements should be made:

Fitting the Approach into the Research Process

Decisions in the Research Process

A Priori Determination of the Sample Structure

Gradual Definition of the Sample Structure: Theoretical Sampling

Gradual strategies of sampling are mostly based on theoretical sampling developed by

Gradual Selection as a General Principle in Qualitative Research

 One is to integrate purposively extreme or deviant cases. In order to study the

Sampling Strategies in Qualitative Research

Width or Depth as Aims of Sampling

Case Constitution in the Sample

3. The case represents a specific professionalization (as doctor, psychologist, social

4. The case represents a developed subjectivity as a result of acquiring certain stocks

The characteristics of qualitative research mentioned in Chapter 6 also apply to sampling

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