Classmate(Chayah’s) Response -There are multiple methods that researchers use to collect data during a qualitative study. One is research interviews. These can be structured, semi structured or unstructured. A structured interview is when a researcher basically reads a questionnaire to a participant. The questions are written ahead of time and the format stuck to as much as possible to have the process be as similar as process for participants (Gill et al., 2008). An unstructured interview may begin with an open-ended question and the questions may change depending on participants answers (Gill et al., 2008). A semi structed interview is a mixture of predetermined questions to give direction to the areas the researcher wants to gather data in and has allowance to go into different ideas if that’s where the interview goes. It allows the input of the participant which may provide additional information not originally in the questions (Gill et al., 2008).
We will write
a custom nursing essay or paper
specifically for you
Get your first paper with
15% OFF
The purpose of using a research interview when gathering qualitative data is that it can provide understanding of participants views, beliefs, deeper thoughts, and opinions that may dictate their actions. Interviews can be used when there is little known information about a topic and can provide privacy about topics that someone may not be open about in a group setting (Gill et al., 2008). Examples could be an instructed interview asking a participant how do you feel about masking? A structed interview could be having a questionnaire and going through a list of questions asking specifically things like do you wear a mask at the grocery store? Do you wear a mask when walking down the street? Both of these examples would gain data about masking but one would potentially provide lots of in-depth data needing to be organized and the other would have yes and no responses with succinct data cc masks and behavior.
Another method to gather qualitative data would be focus groups. A focus group is a group discussion of a topic that is guided by a moderator. It allows the gathering of data from multiple persons at a time (Gill et al., 2008). A focus group can be stand alone or part of a mixed method approach. The mixture of persons in the group affects results which including things like age and gender. Groups can be strangers or people that have a known shared experience. Questions may be all premeditated or may also allow for a divergence of questions based on response (Gill et al., 2008). A best practice size may be 6-8 participants but may be smaller or larger depending on circumstance. A too small group could have limited input and discussion but a large group risk can be difficult to manage and more dominant personalities may monopolize speaking time. Moderating taking skill in order to keep a discussion on the main topic without leading participants down a preconceived notion of the moderators, they must keep speaking roles balances and maintain a group that is allowing all to speak (Gill et al., 2008). Using the mask example from above a focus group could be created from parents at a school to gather data on individual beliefs and also, they want as a group. Parents may have a variety of opinions and they may as a group show what the population of that school is thinking, believing, and acting upon in terms of masking.
Another method to gather data would be ethnography. Ethnography collects data through participant observation and analyzes certain people groups or cultures. A researcher seeks to learn through another population (Grand Canyon University [GCU], 2016). The researcher is engaged to find out data about experiences based on different aspects of this different people group. The researcher immerses in the other culture. Many times, this kind of data collecting takes a long amount of time (GCU, 2016). Keeping with the mask example an expatriate living in Asia may evaluate how they feel and act about masks based on their cultural lenses and a previous more common use of masking when ill.
References
Gill, P., Stewart, K., Treasure, E., Chadwick, B. (2008). Methods of data collection in qualitative research: interviews and focus groups. British Dental Journal 204, 291–295. https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2008.192
Grand Canyon University. (Ed.). (2016). GCU doctoral research: Quantitative and qualitative research concepts.
Order this paper