Ashley Williams
James Rice and Marilyn Simon’s graph in the article “Choosing Your Research Method in a Nutshell” simplifies yet expands the many types of research possibilities. For example, case study research requires the observation of groups to determine the reason a situation exists, and phenomenology attempts to understand the lived experience in terms of a specific phenomenon. However, the determination of the use of a specific qualitative method is dependent on several factors. Foremost, a purpose statement is formulated, and questions arise from the statement and reflect the type of study (Simon, 2011). The research question reflects the selection of the method and design (Simon, 2011). The development of a method is what works in answering the research questions (O’Leary, 2005). The research question is a guide as to what needs to be done and asked to finalize data collection methods to be utilized in the research (Glesne, 2016). Of course, one must first decide on a topic, conduct a literature review, and a pilot study to try different research methods, writing in a journal to organize thoughts, ideas, and research theoretical connections to the topic (Glesne, 2016).
Glesne’s (2016) example on page 43 provides the continuum for determining methodology beginning first with the research statement in which her statement began with ‘to understand and describe ways’ and determined the best method is ethnographic research. Following the statement, she then provided two questions that began with ‘in what ways’ and ‘how’ (Glesne, 2016). The methods included the review of literature, observations, interviews, and document collection (Glesne, 2016). Since qualitative research is emergent and ongoing, the methodology choices may change or expand with derived research knowledge. Glesne (2016) provides an example in which she worked with an environmental group in a Costa Rican fishing town. She found that within that setting, various methodologies were possible in that the study began with conventional ethnography but expanded to community-based action research when she heard that Indigenous people were losing access to land to foreigners due to a lack of land title (Glesne, 2016).
Since qualitative research is exploratory, the goal of my dissertation is to determine if trauma is a by-product of criminality due to aggression and impulsivity commonly found in those with trauma backgrounds. The goal is to develop and identify patterns of criminal backgrounds due to childhood trauma utilizing specific crimes committed in adulthood and context with traumatic experiences. With that said, and as I begin to understand explicit methodologies, I am torn between several approaches. The case study approach focuses on an event, process, and milieu of the individual (Center for Research Quality, 2015). The objective is to determine if the lived experience of trauma led to crime and if so, in what ways (Center for Research Quality, 2015). The other choice is grounded theory and although it is the least common, it seems fitting in that the researcher establishes relationships via interviews and observations and builds a theory based on phenomena (Ferrell, 2016).
Albert Lopez
Qualitative Research Strategies
The goal of exploratory and inductive methods used in qualitative research is to get a better understanding of the actions of human groups in a variety of social circumstances (Anderson, 2017). One of the most significant distinctions between qualitative and quantitative research is the emphasis placed on first-hand experience by qualitative research methodologies. The latter utilizes statistical pattern analysis to provide an interpretation of the behavior of populations. It is possible to find qualitative research applications in various sectors, such as the social sciences, government, business, and education (Anderson, 2017). When determining the proper qualitative research technique, there are various strategies such as phenomenological, ethnographic, and grounded theory, among others.
Phenomenological
The person’s point of view is taken into consideration throughout the phenomenological research process. It is more concerned with describing things than it is with explaining them. The goal is to determine the many ways in which people’s perceptions impact how they engage with the world around them (Jamali, 2018). Interviews, dialogues, participant observation, and focus group sessions are all examples of methodologies. When it comes to the design and development of marketing campaigns, advertising companies often make heavy use of phenomenological research (Neubauer et al., 2019). The biblical study using the phenomenological approach involves the personal engagement of a scholar in the religion that he intends to study in order to comprehend the scriptures (meaning) and manifestations of the religious phenomena associated with a particular scripture (Romans 15:4 (Links to an external site.)). In order to do this, he groups the occurrences, refrains from making any value judgments towards the religion in question, and adopts an objective perspective in order to comprehend what he is researching.
Ethnographic
The ethnographic study aims to understand the processes through which ethnic, cultural, and other types of groups operate and evolve over time. During fieldwork, ethnographers immerse themselves as thoroughly as they can in the culture they are studying while maintaining a keen eye for detail and meticulously recording their findings (Jamali, 2018). They also employ interviews to investigate the interrelated linkages. Ethnographic approaches have been used in various subjects, such as the study of computer-human interaction, even though they are most often identified with the disciplines of anthropology and sociology.
Grounded Theory
The grounded theory, which describes behavior, is derived from the facts, which is also known as a bottom-up approach (Jamali, 2018). The facts should be molded to conform to the theory, not the other way around. Researchers that use Grounded Theory work diligently toward this objective by engaging in an ongoing comparative qualitative study. This approach is constructive in the circumstances or for problems that have not been well recorded in the past. Research in the field of information systems has recently begun to make substantial use of Grounded Theory.
Qualitative Approach to my Research
In my research, I will use a phenomenological qualitative approach. This is because the phenomenological methodology aims to investigate a phenomenon as it is encountered and interpreted by the researcher (Neubauer et al., 2019). Additionally, the phenomenological approach seeks to disclose what the phenomenon is instead of what drives it or why it occurs or is experienced (Jamali, 2018). The phenomenological method offers a detailed and comprehensive account of the range of human experiences and the interpretations they carry. Instead of an investigator trying to force findings, they are permitted to occur and emerge naturally.
