Qualitative Data Analysis I

_____ is a method used to increase the credibility and validity of research findings.

_____ research can produce insights into social settings that most people may not fully appreciate. The result can be a fuller understanding of our own society as well as emergent theories on how society works in these settings.

The potential data collection methods are interviewing, observation, collecting and _____

• Examining

• Combaining

• Recording

• Sampling

Case study designs rely on extensive data collection, usually over time, with a singular focus on one person or entity (e.g., a school). A variety of qualitative methods, including narrative vignettes, may be used to capture rich description and explanation. Which of the following titles is more likely to reflect case study research:

“Social Phobia: A Journey Through High School”

or

“Birth Weight, Social Skills, and Graduation Rates”?

Ethnographic and case study research designs may combine, yielding rich, detailed analysis that is not possible with simpler surveys. Ideas that spring from ethnographic and case study research sometimes generate new areas of research or new ways to think about old problems.

Discussion: What research topic would you like to pursue using an ethnographic case study? Can you explain why its rich, detailed analysis might lead to new areas of research?