Mastering Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Social Studies

  • Khalid Ilias Basheer Qolamani Department of Social Studies, College of Basic Education, University of Zakho, Zahko, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Keywords: Data Collection, Digital Qualitative Research, Ethnography, Qualitative Research Methods, Reflexivity

Abstract

This study delves into the intricate domain of advanced qualitative research methods in social studies, highlighting their growing significance in studying multifaceted social phenomena. The paper offers a comprehensive overview of foundational principles and core techniques required for rigorous qualitative investigation, encompassing varied research designs such as ethnography, grounded theory, and narrative inquiry. Techniques for data collection, including in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, are explored, along with strategies ensuring research quality, such as validity, reflexivity, and triangulation. Analytical methods, from coding to thematic analysis, are discussed, with an emphasis on the utilization of software tools. The article underscores the ethical imperatives of the qualitative research process, addresses challenges like subjectivity and generalizability, and points toward emerging trends, including digital qualitative research and interdisciplinary approaches. In conclusion, it asserts that mastering qualitative methods demands a profound commitment to reflective and ethical practices, ensuring rich insights into human experiences for social studies scholarship.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Andrews, M., Squire, C., & Tamboukou, M. (2013). Doing narrative research. SAGE Publications.

Bagnoli, A. (2009). Beyond the standard interview: The use of graphic elicitation and arts-based methods. Qualitative Research, 9(5), 547-570. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794109343625.

Berger, R. (2015). Now I see it, now I don’t: Researcher’s position and reflexivity in qualitative research. Qualitative Research, 15(2), 219-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794112468475.

Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: A tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation? Qualitative Health Research, 26(13), 1802-1811. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732316654870.

Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27-40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.

Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2015). Interviews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. SAGE Publications.

Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research. Jossey-Bass.

Connelly, L. M. (2016). Trustworthiness in qualitative research. Medsurg Nursing, 25(6), 435-437.

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. SAGE Publications.

Corden, A., & Sainsbury, R. (2006). Using verbatim quotations in reporting qualitative social research: Researchers’ views. University of York.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into Practice, 39(3), 124-130. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3903_2.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. SAGE Publications.

Darawsheh, W. (2014). Reflexivity in research: Promoting rigour, reliability and validity in qualitative research. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 21(12), 560-568. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2014.21.12.560.

Davidson, C., Edwards, R., Jamieson, L., & Weller, S. (2019). Big data, qualitative style: Researching Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Qualitative Research, 19(3), 313-326. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794118787714.

DeWalt, K. M., & DeWalt, B. R. (2010). Participant observation: A guide for fieldworkers. Rowman Altamira.

Dickson-Swift, V., James, E. L., Kippen, S., & Liamputtong, P. (2007). Doing sensitive research: What challenges do qualitative researchers face? Qualitative Research, 7(3), 327-353. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794107078515.

Drisko, J. W. (1997). Strengthening qualitative studies and reports: Standards to promote academic integrity. Journal of Social Work Education, 33(1), 185-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.1997.10778880.

Ellingson, L. L. (2009). Engaging crystallization in qualitative research: An introduction. SAGE Publications.

Elmir, R., Schmied, V., Jackson, D., & Wilkes, L. (2011). Interviewing people about potentially sensitive topics. Nurse Researcher, 19(1), 12-16. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr2011.10.19.1.12.c8766.

Emerson, R. M., Fretz, R. I., & Shaw, L. L. (2011). Writing ethnographic fieldnotes. University of Chicago Press.

Eriksson, P., & Kovalainen, A. (2015). Qualitative methods in business research: A practical guide to social research. SAGE Publications.

Flick, U. (2004). Triangulation in qualitative research. A companion to qualitative research, 3, 178-183.

Frost, N., Nolas, S. M., Brooks-Gordon, B., Esin, C., Holt, A., Mehdizadeh, L., & Shinebourne, P. (2010). Pluralism in qualitative research: The impact of different researchers and qualitative approaches on the analysis of qualitative data. Qualitative Research, 10(4), 441-460. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794110366802.

Gale, N. K., Heath, G., Cameron, E., Rashid, S., & Redwood, S. (2013). Using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 13(1), 117. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-13-117.

Geertz, C. (1973). Thick description: Toward an interpretive theory of culture. In C. Geertz (Ed.), The interpretation of cultures (pp. 3-30). Basic Books.

Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Aldine.

Glesne, C. (2016). Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction (5th ed.). Pearson.

Harrison, H., Birks, M., Franklin, R., & Mills, J. (2017). Case study research: Foundations and methodological orientations. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-18.1.2655.

Hennink, M. M. (2014). Focus group discussions. Oxford University Press.

Holmes, P. (2020). Introducing positionality theory: Mediation on insider/outsider voice. Developing Belonging, 1(1), 6-9.

Jewitt, C. (2014). Different approaches to multimodality. In C. Jewitt (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of multimodal analysis (pp. 31-43). Routledge.

Jorgensen, D. L. (1989). Participant observation: A methodology for human studies. SAGE Publications.

Kaiser, K. (2009). Protecting respondent confidentiality in qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research, 19(11), 1632-1641. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732309350879.

Kim, J. H. (2016). Understanding narrative inquiry: The crafting and analysis of stories as research. SAGE publications.

Lapadat, J. C. (2010). Thematic analysis. In A. J. Mills, G. Durepos & E. Wiebe (Eds.), Encyclopedia of case study research (Vol. 2, pp. 926-927). SAGE Publications.

Leung, L. (2015). Validity, reliability, and generalizability in qualitative research. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 4(3), 324-327. https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.161306.

Lewis, J., & Ritchie, J. (2003). Generalising from qualitative research. In J. Ritchie & J. Lewis (Eds.), Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers (pp. 263-286). SAGE Publications.

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry (Vol. 75). SAGE Publications.

Lune, H., & Berg, B. L. (2017). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Pearson.

Margolis, E., & Pauwels, L. (Eds.). (2011). The SAGE handbook of visual research methods. SAGE Publications.

Markham, A. (2017). Ethnography in the digital internet era: From fields to flows, descriptions to interventions. The SAGE handbook of qualitative research, 5, 650-668.

Mason, J. (2018). Qualitative researching. SAGE Publications.

Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. Revised and expanded from" case study research in education”. Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.

Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Fundamentals of qualitative data analysis. Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook, 69-104.

Morse, J. M. (2015). Critical analysis of strategies for determining rigor in qualitative inquiry. Qualitative Health Research, 25(9), 1212-1222. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732315588501.

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. SAGE Publications.

Nijhawan, L. P., Janodia, M. D., Muddukrishna, B. S., Bhat, K. M., Bairy, K. L., Udupa, N., & Musmade, P. B. (2013). Informed consent: Issues and challenges. Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research, 4(3), 134-140. https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-4040.116779.

Noble, H., & Smith, J. (2015). Issues of validity and reliability in qualitative research. Evidence-Based Nursing, 18(2), 34-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/eb-2015-102054.

Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847.

Paulus, T., Woods, M., Atkins, D. P., & Macklin, R. (2017). The discourse of QDAS: Reporting practices of ATLAS.ti and NVivo users with implications for best practices. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 20(1), 35-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2015.1102454.

Peshkin, A. (1988). In search of subjectivity—one's own. Educational Researcher, 17(7), 17-21. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X017007017.

Phoenix, C., Smith, B., & Sparkes, A. C. (2010). Narrative analysis in aging studies: A typology for consideration. Journal of Aging Studies, 24(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2008.06.003.

Ravitch, S. M., & Carl, N. M. (2016). Qualitative research: Bridging the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological. SAGE Publications.

Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences. SAGE Publications.

Rogers, R. (Ed.). (2011). An introduction to critical discourse analysis in education. Routledge.

Roulston, K. (2010). Reflective interviewing: A guide to theory and practice. SAGE Publications.

Saldaña, J. (2021). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. SAGE Publications.

Saunders, B., Kitzinger, J., & Kitzinger, C. (2015). Anonymising interview data: Challenges and compromise in practice. Qualitative Research, 15(5), 616-632. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794114550439.

Schreier, M. (2012). Qualitative content analysis in practice. SAGE publications.

Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research. SAGE Publications.

Srivastava, A., & Thomson, S. B. (2009). Framework analysis: a qualitative methodology for applied policy research. Journal of Administration and Governance, 4(2), 72-79.

Thurmond, V. A. (2001). The point of triangulation. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 33(3), 253-258. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2001.00253.x.

Tracy, S. J. (2019). Qualitative research methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating impact. John Wiley & Sons.

Trahar, S. (2009). Beyond the story itself: Narrative inquiry and autoethnography in intercultural research in higher education. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-10.1.1218.

Usher, K., & Arthur, D. (1998). Process consent: A model for enhancing informed consent in mental health nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 27(4), 692-697. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1998.00529.x.

Vagle, M. D. (2018). Crafting phenomenological research. Routledge.

Van Maanen, J. (2011). Tales of the field: On writing ethnography. University of Chicago Press.

Verdinelli, S., & Scagnoli, N. I. (2013). Data display in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 12(1), 359-381. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940691301200117.

Whittemore, R., Chase, S. K., & Mandle, C. L. (2001). Validity in qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research, 11(4), 522-537. https://doi.org/10.1177/104973201129119299.

Wilkinson, S. (2004). Focus group research. Qualitative research: Theory, method and practice, 2, 177-199.

Woolf, N. H., & Silver, C. (2018). Qualitative analysis using MAXQDA: The five-level QDATM method. Routledge.

Yanchar, S. C., & Hawkley, M. (2014). “There’s got to be a better way to do this”: A qualitative investigation of informal learning among instructional designers. Educational Technology Research and Development, 62(3), 271-291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-014-9336-7.

Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods. SAGE publications.

Published
2023-11-04
How to Cite
Qolamani, K. (2023). Mastering Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Social Studies. Al-Adabiya: Jurnal Kebudayaan Dan Keagamaan, 18(2), 105-124. https://doi.org/10.37680/adabiya.v18i2.3846
Abstract views: 362 , PDF English downloads: 205