Theme 4: reflection

So the question is still the same: what methods are qualitative and how to verify the quality? What are the benefits and limitations of using different methods of collecting data? During the seminar and the lecture we tried to figure it out.

Qualitative research is all about exploring issues, gaining profound knowledge, investigating phenomena and answering different questions. We are doing such kind of research almost every day and it happens in almost every workplace and study environment. As one could notice, it involves the analysis of any unstructured data such as open-ended survey responses, literature reviews, pictures and sites and even audio recordings. There are also other methods that are used such as focus groups, content analysis, in-depth interviews, diary, ethnography, evaluation and semiotics.

In our group we discussed content analysis and its advantages or/and disadvantages. The data were based on YouTube comments and mentions on social media websites. In this type of qualitative research the conclusions might be very subjective because it depends on human interpretation and that’s why sometimes there is a need to do the second research after defining some categories on the first stage and then to prove them. If those categories were tied after doing the second analysis and a confidence is  like 90%,  it means that they  are described in a right way.

I came up with the conclusion that qualitative researchers tend to combine different approaches in their studies. Sometimes they use triangulation in their studies to increase the credibility or validity of the results and extend existing findings. In addition, the term 'triangulation' often indicates that more than two methods are applied in a study in order to double or even triple checking results. It can definitely be used to refer to  the multi method research in which quantitative and qualitative methods are combined to provide a more complete set of findings.

Denzin (1970) indentified four forms of triangulation:

Data triangulation entails collecting data through several sampling approaches. Therefore, data at different social situations/times  and on a variety of people are accumulated.

Investigator triangulation refers to the use of more than one researcher in the field to assemble and interpret data.

Theoretical triangulation describes the use of more than one theoretical position in interpreting data.

Methodological triangulation explains the use of more than one method for collecting data.

On Wed Ylva Ferneaus shared with us her knowledge and explained how she did her research about ActDress.  The lecture was more about concepting and sketching based on qualitative data.  Ylva mentioned that the most important thing is to define research questions and then one should develop conceps and apply various methods. In the paper the authors explained their findings through semiotics and theory. In general, semiotic theories take signs, as well as sign systems as their object of study. Ylva told about content analysis as a part of qualitative research in this paper. The community of Pleo’s owners and and their blogs were examined. This project ActDress is a research because some concepts were established and scenarios.