Practical Research 1: Summative Q2

Which qualitative research design is described as originating from anthropology and using observation over an extended period of time as the primary data collection method?

• Phenomenology

• Grounded Theory

• Ethnography

• Case Study

What is the main focus of a Phenomenological research design?

• Describing, analyzing, and interpreting a culture's characteristics.

• Describing experiences as lived, or the "lived experience.","Developing a theory that explains a specific phenomenon.","Collecting and telling stories about a single person's life.

If a researcher's goal is to understand the "essence" of a particular phenomenon as experienced by a specific group of people, which research design would be the most suitable to capture this subjective experience?

• A) Ethnography, because it focuses on a group's culture.

• B) Phenomenology, because it investigates structure of lived experiences.

• C) Grounded Theory, because it aims to develop a theory.

• D) Biography, because it tells an individual's story.

A research study uses in-depth interviews and aims to conceptualize a phenomenon by systematically developing a theory from the data collected. This approach originates from sociology. This description best fits which research design?

• Case Study

• Grounded Theory

• Ethnography

• Phenomenology

A sociologist wants to study the unspoken rules and daily life of the Badjao community by living among its members for a year to gain an "insider's view" (emic perspective). Which research design is the most appropriate choice?

• Biography, to tell the story of one community leader.

• Grounded Theory, to develop a theory about the community's economy.

• Phenomenology, to describe the subjective experience of one member.

• Ethnography, as it focuses on the culture of a group and uses extensive observation.

You are a researcher and wanted to focus on one single person's journey through the K-12 education system, collecting and telling stories about one's specific experiences over a period of time. Which qualitative design should you use?

• Case Study

• Biographical Research

• Ethnographic Research

• Grounded Theory

In a study designed to understand a given phenomenon by focusing on the "how and why" of an observed behavior without manipulating it, where the boundaries between the context and the phenomenon are unclear, which design's characteristics align best?

• Grounded Theory, because it aims to develop a theory.

• Case Study, because it is used to further understand a phenomenon.

• Phenomenology, because it focuses on subjective "lived experience."

• Ethnography, because its primary data is observation over an extended period to describe culture.

Why would a researcher choose a Grounded Theory design over a Case Study design when examining the process of "teacher burnout" among new educators?

• Grounded Theory is a descriptive method, while Case Study is used for theory development.

• A Case Study allows for the development of a theory that explains a specific phenomenon.

• The Grounded Theory's unit of analysis is a specific incident, while the Case Study focuses on a single person.

• Grounded Theory is a systematic procedure to develop a theory explaining a specific phenomenon, while a Case Study typically focuses on a single person or bounded phenomenon for in-depth understanding.

A research committee is reviewing a proposal to study a small team's internal structure and work-life balance using multiple data sources (interviews, documents, observation). The proposal suggests using Ethnography. Which critique, based on design purpose, is the most valid?

• The study size is too small; Ethnography requires a "macroethnography" approach.

• Grounded Theory would be a better design as it aims to conceptualize phenomena.

• Phenomenology would be better as the topic deals with a subjective "lived experience."

• Case Study most suitable choice, suited for in-depth understanding of a bounded phenomenon using multiple methods.

A researcher wants to ensure the adequate representation of minority subgroups in their research sample. Given the common features of qualitative designs, which sampling strategy is generally best supported by the aims of qualitative research to deeply understand a specific group or experience, even though it's a non-probability technique?

• Purposive sampling, to select individuals with expertise relevant to the study's purpose.

• Quota sampling, to ensure exact proportionate representation.

• Simple random sampling, for equal probability of selection.