Designing Qualitative Study
In this article, Joseph A. Maxwell offers suggestions for structuring a qualitative study. He points out that research design works have mostly been concerned with quantitative research and frequently defines “design” as a set, of conventional configurations of research theoretical framework and procedures. However, the qualitative research design is more adaptable and requires that researchers be ready to change their strategy in response to the evidence they gather and modify the research components as per emerging requirements during the process.
Maxwell advises researchers to start by considering the study’s objectives and driving forces. This can be accomplished by having them write as notes in which they reflect on the consequences of their objectives for their design choices. Additionally, it is important for researchers to give careful thought to their research questions and make sure they are acceptable for a qualitative study.
Maxwell emphasizes how crucial it is to be conscious of ethical issues when planning a qualitative study. Participants should be asked for their consent in a clear and concise manner, and researchers should take care to keep their information private and confidential.
Additionally, Maxwell explores numerous techniques for gathering data in qualitative research, such as observations, document analysis, and interviews. He says that when collecting data, researchers should be open to a variety of techniques and think carefully about how they would analyze it.
Maxwell’s article offers insightful advice on how to plan a qualitative study. Researchers can conduct high-quality qualitative studies that offer significant insights into complicated phenomena by reflecting on their objectives and motivations, carefully analyzing their research questions, being aware of ethical implications, and employing a variety of data collection techniques.
Fundamental of Educational Research
In the book “The Fundamental of Educational Research”, Garry Anderson discusses the research process. He offers rich information on how to define a research problem, plan a study, develop a research framework, collect the data, analyze it, and write it into a credible paper or thesis.
The first chapter emphasizes how the researcher’s values, opinions, and viewpoints are reflected in their research. As a result, it’s crucial for new researchers to be aware of their own favored worldview and to critically assess earlier work from many angles.
This chapter also covers several methods of knowing, including interpretative, behavioralist, anthropological, sociological, and empirical techniques. Regarding what can be seen or measured, as well as how results can be understood, each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. No matter the method, successful communication of research findings depends on good descriptions. While pictures, movies, or stories might improve descriptions, statistics can be used to quantify and clarify findings. It is impossible to get to higher stages of study without good descriptions.
The document also discusses various research methods (such as surveys vs. case studies) and study designs (such as experimental vs. non-experimental). It’s crucial for researchers to select a design and methodology that complements their study objectives and objectives.
Finally, ethical issues are covered in relation to safeguarding participants’ rights and making sure that research is carried out ethically. Overall, for new researchers or anyone curious to learn more about this discipline, this book offers a thorough explanation of the nature of educational research.
Quality in Qualitative Research
The essay by Sarah J. Tracy called “Qualitative Quality: Eight ‘Big-Tent’ Criteria for Excellent Qualitative Research” offers a template for qualitative research quality. The paradigm distinguishes between the means (methods and practices) and purposes of qualitative research in a way that is particularly inclusive and adaptable.
The backdrop and justification for the conception of the model are presented in the article’s opening paragraphs. Tracy contends that a more thorough and encompassing evaluation of the quality of qualitative research is required, one that goes beyond conventional standards like validity, reliability, and generalizability. She offers eight “big-tent” criteria that can be used to compare qualitative research across various approaches and disciplines. The eight criteria are (1) worthy topic, (2) rich rigor, (3) sincerity, (4) credibility, (5) resonance, (6) significant contribution, (7) ethicality, and (8) meaningful coherence.
Each requirement is thoroughly explained by Tracy, who also offers instances of how it might be used in real-world situations. Additionally, she stresses the significance of reflexivity throughout the entire research process.
In her conclusion, Tracy acknowledges that no one model can fully capture all aspects of qualitative research quality, but she makes the case that her model nonetheless offers a helpful framework for assessing various qualitative research methods. She advises researchers to adopt this model as a jumping-off point for continuous debates about what makes for high-quality qualitative research.
All things considered, “Qualitative Quality: Eight ‘Big-Tent’ Criteria for Excellent Qualitative Research” is a useful tool for anyone interested in performing or assessing qualitative research across many disciplines and approaches.
The Hard Science of All
In “Educational Research: The Hardest Science of All,” David C. Berliner questions the notion that the sole scientific method for learning about education is through randomization. In educational research, Berliner contends that this “constrained” vision of science can result in unwarranted deviations from the objectives of science. He talks about how conducting research in the field of education is particularly difficult because it involves conscious, sentient, and different individuals. Because of this, it is challenging to account for all variables and generalize findings to various situations.
Additionally, Berliner questions the government’s commitment to using evidence-based practices in education. While “evidence-based practices” and “scientific research” are mentioned more than 100 times in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, he points out that these terms are frequently employed as a cover for Randomized Experiments (a method of experimental control used to prevent the selection bias and insures against the accidental bias. Berliner confesses his own love for this technique to research but contends that it is not the sole scientific way to learn.
Berliner wonders if there are definite lines separating educational science from other disciplines and whether everyone shares the same sense of what science is. He contends that because educational research deals with complicated human behaviors that are difficult to measure or quantify, it is frequently misunderstood.
Berliner concludes by praising significant works in the field of educational research but emphasizes that there are ramifications connected to these difficulties that need to be taken into account. He draws attention to the difficulties associated with teaching about human behavior and poses significant queries about how we define science and what constitutes reliable evidence in this area.
About the Author:
Shahid Essa is a blogger and M. Phil Scholar from Iqra University Karachi
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