Data Collection and Analysis Procedure

Summary

This virtual class in Practical Research One covers essential learning objectives, focusing on data collection methods crucial for research. It explains the difference between data and information, and introduces qualitative data collection techniques like interviews, participant observation, and focus groups. The script also discusses primary and secondary data, the importance of research instruments, and various qualitative data analysis methods, including thematic analysis and grounded theory. The lesson aims to equip students with the necessary skills to conduct and analyze research effectively.

Takeaways

• 📚 The lesson focuses on practical research methods, emphasizing the importance of understanding various data collection techniques.
• 🔍 Data is defined as raw facts that become information when organized and presented in context, while research data is factual material used to validate research findings.
• 📊 Qualitative data is non-numeric and describes characteristics that cannot be measured numerically. It often requires more time and resources to collect, but provides deeper insights.
• 👥 Primary data is collected directly by researchers, offering reliability, whereas secondary data comes from existing sources like previous studies or publications.
• 🗣️ Interviews are a key method for qualitative research, offering in-depth understanding through structured, semi-structured, or unstructured formats.
• 👀 Participant observation involves the researcher immersing in the environment to observe and record behaviors and activities of research subjects.
• 📝 Questionnaires are a common data collection tool in qualitative research, often consisting of closed-ended questions for self-administration.
• 💬 Focus group interviews gather individuals with common experiences to discuss specific topics, facilitating the exploration of critical or sensitive issues.
• 🔍 Qualitative data analysis involves examining and categorizing evidence to address research questions, using techniques like thematic analysis and coding.
• 📈 The lesson outlines various types of qualitative data analysis, including content analysis, narrative analysis, discourse analysis, grounded theory, and interpretive phenomenological analysis.

Q & A

What are the essential learning competencies in practical research?

The essential learning competencies in practical research include understanding different methods of data collection, knowing how they work in practice, their purpose, when their use is appropriate, and how they can offer insights into individual research.

What is the difference between data and information as defined by Burns and Grove of 2005?

Data are plain facts that become information when processed, organized, structured, and presented in a given context to make them useful.

What are the two classifications of data based on their use and source?

The two classifications of data are primary data, which is first-hand information based on actual experiences or observations, and secondary data, which is gathered from secondary sources and not obtained directly by the researcher.

What are the four basic types of qualitative data collection methods mentioned in the script?

The four basic types of qualitative data collection methods are interviews, participant observation, questionnaires, and focus group interviews.

What are the three fundamental types of research interviews?

The three fundamental types of research interviews are structured, semi-structured, and unstructured interviews.

What is a structured interview and how does it differ from a semi-structured interview?

A structured interview consists of predetermined questions asked with little or no variation, allowing no scope for follow-up questions. A semi-structured interview, on the other hand, consists of key questions that define areas to be explored but also allows divergence to pursue detailed responses.

What is participant observation and how does it contribute to research?

Participant observation is a method where the researcher immerses themselves in the natural setting of the research participant to see, hear, feel, and experience their daily life. It contributes to research by providing in-depth insights into the social phenomenon under study.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using interviews as a data collection method?

The advantages of interviews include in-depth understanding of social phenomena and the ability to explore views, experiences, and motivations. Disadvantages include the time-consuming nature of qualitative research and the potential for bias due to the researcher's influence on the participants.

What is the focus of qualitative data analysis according to Yin of 1994?

Qualitative data analysis, according to Yin, involves examining, categorizing, tabulating, or recombining evidence to address the initial propositions of a study.

What are the three kinds of coding in qualitative data analysis?

The three kinds of coding in qualitative data analysis are open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Open coding involves breaking data into segments and creating codes, axial coding makes connections among categories and subcategories, and selective coding involves connecting all categories around a core category.

What is thematic analysis and how does it relate to qualitative data analysis?

Thematic analysis is the process of extracting themes from text by analyzing word and sentence structure. It is part of qualitative data analysis and involves finding common themes and concepts within the data.