• Introduction to Problem Statements, Purpose Statements, and Research Questions

Worksheets and Guides

Chapter 1 playlist.

  • Student Experience Feedback Buttons
  • Narrowing Your Topic
  • Problem Statement
  • Purpose Statement
  • Conceptual Framework
  • Theoretical Framework
  • Quantitative Research Questions This link opens in a new window
  • Qualitative Research Questions This link opens in a new window
  • Qualitative & Quantitative Research Support with the ASC This link opens in a new window
  • Library Research Consultations This link opens in a new window

Jump to DSE Guide

Need help ask us.

chapter 1 research qualitative

Chapter 1 introduces the research problem and the evidence supporting the existence of the problem. It outlines an initial review of the literature on the study topic and articulates the purpose of the study. The definitions of any technical terms necessary for the reader to understand are essential. Chapter 1 also presents the research questions and theoretical foundation (Ph.D.) or conceptual framework (Applied Doctorate) and provides an overview of the research methods (qualitative or quantitative) being used in the study.  

  • Research Feasibility Checklist Use this checklist to make sure your study will be feasible, reasonable, justifiable, and necessary.
  • Alignment Worksheet Use this worksheet to make sure your problem statement, purpose, and research questions are aligned. Alignment indicates the degree to which the purpose of the study follows logically from the problem statement; and the degree to which the research questions help address the study’s purpose. Alignment is important because it helps ensure that the research study is well-designed and based on logical arguments.
  • SOBE Research Design and Chapter 1 Checklist If you are in the School of Business and Economics (SOBE), use this checklist one week before the Communication and Research Design Checkpoint. Work with your Chair to determine if you need to complete this.

Was this resource helpful?

  • Next: Narrowing Your Topic >>
  • Last Updated: Apr 24, 2024 2:48 PM
  • URL: https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=1006886

National University

© Copyright 2024 National University. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy | Consumer Information

Logo for Open Educational Resources

Book Title: Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

Subtitle: A Helpful Guide for Undergraduates and Graduate Students in the Social Sciences

Author: Allison Hurst

Cover image for Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

Download this book

  • Digital PDF
  • Common Cartridge (Web Links)

Book Description: Data dashboard Adoption Form

Book Information

Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods Copyright © 2023 by Allison Hurst is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Research methods: general

Publication and ongoing maintenance of this textbook is possible due to grant support from Oregon State University Ecampus (ecampus.oregonstate.edu)

Suggest a correction (bit.ly/33cz3Q1)

Privacy (open.oregonstate.education/privacy)

Last updated 09/07/24: Online ordering is currently unavailable due to technical issues. We apologise for any delays responding to customers while we resolve this. For further updates please visit our website: https://www.cambridge.org/news-and-insights/technical-incident

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings .

Login Alert

chapter 1 research qualitative

  • > Qualitative Research for the Information Professional
  • > The nature of qualitative research

chapter 1 research qualitative

Book contents

  • Frontmatter
  • Tables, figures and research scenarios
  • About the authors
  • Preface to the second edition
  • 1 The nature of qualitative research
  • 2 Evaluating qualitative research
  • 3 Qualitative research design in information organizations
  • 4 Case studies in information organizations
  • 5 Laying the foundations for fieldwork
  • 6 Beginning fieldwork
  • 7 Observation
  • 8 Interviewing
  • 9 Group discussion techniques
  • 10 Historical investigation
  • 11 Recording fieldwork data
  • 12 Analysing qualitative data from information organizations
  • 13 Writing qualitative research reports
  • 14 Human resources in knowledge management: a case study
  • Select bibliography

1 - The nature of qualitative research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2018

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What is qualitative research?

• What are the distinctive features of this method of investigation?

• How does it differ from quantitative research?

• How can qualitative research contribute to infor ma tion work?

This chapter presents an overview of qualitative research and its place in information work from a practical perspective. To achieve this we work through some definitions and a touch of theory, but this discussion is tempered with practical examples of research that should enhance your understanding of theoretical perspectives. What are the important features of qualitative research? How do these features distinguish qualitative from quantitative enquiry? In addition, we offer several reasons for undertaking qualitative research in information agencies, and why it should be considered by more information professionals when they undertake research.

What is qualitative research?

Qualitative research is not alien to information work. Rather, it is something that every information professional does instinctively almost every working day. In the case of one author, this approach to problem solving started as soon as I began my career. When I finished my librarianship course at University College London, I went to work as an assistant librarian in a research library. Although this library employed about six professionals and more than a dozen para-professional and clerical staff, it was managed along very traditional lines, with the chief librarian assuming responsibility for almost everything.

From the first day I noticed that the librarian actually opened all the post himself. This was no mean feat, given our usual delivery of three very full postal bags each morning and a further bag or two in the afternoon. This librarian would spend up to two hours each morning opening envelopes and book packs, sorting items into appropriate piles. Meanwhile, the serials librarian would wait patiently for her morning's work, the secretary would wait impatiently for the corres - pondence, and the rest of us would get on with such important professional tasks as shelving books, sharpening pencils and making cups of tea.

Access options

Save book to kindle.

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle .

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service .

  • The nature of qualitative research
  • G. E. Gorman , Peter Clayton
  • Book: Qualitative Research for the Information Professional
  • Online publication: 08 June 2018
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.29085/9781856047982.002

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox .

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive .

Study Site Homepage

  • Request new password
  • Create a new account

Interpreting Qualitative Data

Student resources, chapter 1: what is qualitative research, should i use qualitative research.

When planning your research project, try to answer the following six questions suggested by Punch (1998: 244–5):

  • What exactly am I trying to find out? Different questions require different methods to answer them.
  • What kind of focus on my topic do I want to achieve? Do I want to study this phenomenon or situation in detail? Or am I mainly interested in making standardized and systematic comparisons and in accounting for variance?
  • How have other researchers dealt with this topic? To what extent do I wish to align my project with this literature?
  • What practical considerations should sway my choice? For instance, how long might my study take and do I have the resources to study it this way? Can I get access to the single case I want to study in depth? Are quantitative samples and data readily available?
  • Will we learn more about this topic using quantitative or qualitative methods? What will be the knowledge pay-off of each method?
  • What seems to work best for me? Am I committed to a particular research model which implies a particular methodology ? Do I have a gut feeling about what a good piece of research looks like?

Review any research study with which you are familiar. Then answer the questions below:

  • To what extent are its methods of research (qualitative, quantitative or a combination of both) appropriate to the nature of the research question(s) being asked?
  • How far does its use of these methods meet the criticisms of both qualitative and quantitative research discussed in this chapter?
  • In your view, how could this study have been improved methodologically and conceptually?

This exercise requires a group of at least six students, divided into two discussion groups (‘buzz groups’).

Imagine that you are submitting a proposal to research drug abuse among school pupils. Each buzz group should now form two ‘teams’ (Team I = QUANTITATIVE; Team II = QUALITATIVE).

  • Team I should formulate a quantitative study to research this topic.
  • Team II should suggests limits/problems in this study (Team I to defend).
  • Team II should formulate a qualitative study to research this topic.
  • Team I should suggest limits/problems in this study (Team II to defend).
  • Both teams should now come to some conclusions.

This exercise will also focus upon drug abuse among school pupils. It can be done in buzz groups or by individuals.

Consider in turn, how a positivist, naturalist and constructionist might:

  • Define a delimited research problem on this topic
  • Suggest a particular methodology.

IMAGES

  1. Chap 1

    chapter 1 research qualitative

  2. How to write chapter 1

    chapter 1 research qualitative

  3. Qualitative Research Chapter 1 3

    chapter 1 research qualitative

  4. Chapter 1 qualitative research

    chapter 1 research qualitative

  5. Lecture notes, lecture 1

    chapter 1 research qualitative

  6. Chapter 1 to 5 Research notes

    chapter 1 research qualitative

VIDEO

  1. Quantitative research vs. Qualitative research -1

  2. ASPECTS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

  3. Mastering Qualitative Research: A step by step guide. From beginner to advanced

  4. Qualitative Data Analysis for Everyone (Module 1)

  5. MAIN TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

  6. Differences Between Qualitative,Quantitative and Mixed Method Research

COMMENTS

  1. Chapter 1. Introduction

    Chapter 1. Introduction "Science is in danger, and for that reason it is becoming dangerous" -Pierre Bourdieu, Science of Science and Reflexivity. Why an Open Access Textbook on Qualitative Research Methods? I have been teaching qualitative research methods to both undergraduates and graduate students for many years. Although there are some ...

  2. PDF CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

    It shows that on the pre-test majority of the. respondents had a low range score in Endurance Dimension of AQ® (49 or. 27.07%) and the rest got a below average score (61 or 33.70%), 47 or 25.97%. got an average score, 19 or 10.48% got an above average score and 5 or 2.76%. got a high score.

  3. Part 1 (Chapters 1

    Chapter 1: Why and How to Do Qualitative Research; Chapter 2: The Qualitative-Quantitative Distinction; Chapter 3: Theoretical Frameworks; Chapter 4: Methods and Data in Qualitative Research; Chapter 5: Subjectivity, Identity, and Texts in Qualitative Research; Part 2 (Chapters 6 - 13): Research Design. Chapter 6: Formulating a Research ...

  4. PDF Qualitative Research

    Chapter 1 Qualitative Research 3 Still other definitions focus on the process and context of data collection: Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. It consists of a set of interpretive, material practices that makes the world visible. These practices transform the world.

  5. PDF Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

    Why an Open Access Textbook on Qualitative Research Methods? 1 . What is Research? 1 . How Is This Book Organized? 9 1 Chapter 2. Research Design . Getting Started . 19 . ... Finding a Research Question and Approaches to Qualitative Research. Chapter 4. Finding a Research Question and Approaches to Qualitative Research. Developing a Research ...

  6. Chapter 1: Home

    The definitions of any technical terms necessary for the reader to understand are essential. Chapter 1 also presents the research questions and theoretical foundation (Ph.D.) or conceptual framework (Applied Doctorate) and provides an overview of the research methods (qualitative or quantitative) being used in the study.

  7. Book Title: Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

    Chapter 1. Introduction. Chapter 2. Research Design. Chapter 3. A Short Chapter on Epistemology (How Do We Know What We Know?) Chapter 4. Finding a Research Question and Approaches to Qualitative Research. Chapter 5.

  8. The nature of qualitative research (Chapter 1)

    This chapter presents an overview of qualitative research and its place in information work from a practical perspective. To achieve this we work through some definitions and a touch of theory, but this discussion is tempered with practical examples of research that should enhance your understanding of theoretical perspectives.

  9. An Introduction to Qualitative Research

    Student Resources. Essential Concepts Videos hand-picked by author Uwe introduce you to the key aspects of qualitative research. Recommended Further Reading which illustrates how qualitative methods can be used in the real world. Just click on the links to the left. Download PowerPoint Slides for each chapter featuring figures and tables from ...

  10. Chapter 1: What is Qualitative Research?

    Chapter 15: The Relevance of Qualitative Research; Chapter 16: The Potential of Qualitative Research: Eight Reminders; Assessment Toolkit. Case Studies; Group Reports; Literature Reviews; Oral Exams; Exercise Workbooks. Chapter 1: What is Qualitative Research? Chapter 2: Designing a Research Project; Chapter 3: Generalising from Qualitative ...

  11. PDF INTRODUCTION

    Chapter 1 Introduction: Disciplining the Practice of Qualitative Research-2-3 It is "implicated in the worst excesses of colonialism" (p. 1), with the ways in which "knowledge about indigenous peoples was collected, classified, and then represented back to the West" (Smith, 1999, p. 1). This dirty word stirs up anger, silence, dis ...

  12. PDF Chapter 1

    Chapter 1 Developing contextual research that matters 5 S econd, qualitative research is excellent for studying contexts you are personally curious about but have never before had a "valid" reason for entering. Third, in addition to personal interest or disciplined voyeurism, qualitative data provide insight into cultural activities

  13. PDF Chapter 1 The Main Features and Uses of Qualitative Research

    The researcher has to be aware of the way in which the relationship affects the research. The Main Features and Uses of Qualitative Research9. 3Mutual Collaboration:The participants are part of the research and their own reflection on it influences the context of the relationships, and this in turn affects theprocessoftheresearch ...

  14. PDF CHAPTER ONE distribute

    By the end of this chapter you will better understand. The key components and processes of qualitative research. The core values, beliefs, and assumptions on which qualitative research is based. The role of the researcher in qualitative research. The way the horizontal values of qualitative research—criticality, reflexivity, collaboration ...

  15. PDF CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

    CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION. 1. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to identify what motivates. women to stay in or return to science, technology, engineering, and math professions. (STEM), leading to a motivation model. As illustrated in the literature review, research has. abbreviations. introduce introduce you can use Once ...

  16. PDF Chapter 1 The Selection of a Research Approach Do not copy, post or

    Preliminary Considerations. Chapter 1 The Selection of a Research Approach. Chapter 2 Review of the Literature. 3 The Use of TheoryChapter 4 Writing Strategies and Ethical ConsiderationsThis book i. intended to help researchers develop a plan or proposal for a research study. Part I addresses several preliminary consi.

  17. PDF THE CRAFT OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

    CHAPTER 1 THE CRAFT OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH A Holistic Approach I magine an epidemic is sweeping the globe, but this epidemic is like none ever seen before. The disease causing this epidemic has devastating physical consequences, and, unlike many other diseases, it includes a period often referred to as "living dying."

  18. PDF CHAPTER 1 The Selection of a Research Approach

    CHAPTER The Selection of a 1 Research Approach Introducing Key Terms in this Chapter Research has its own language, and it is important to understand key terms to use in a study. The title of this book uses the term, research approaches. ... 20th century, interest in qualitative research increased and mixed methods research developed. With this ...

  19. PR 1: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH CHAPTER 1

    DON'T CLICK THIS: https://bit.ly/2PWQQYDHere is a short video-lesson on the components/parts of Chapter 1. In the video-lesson, Teacher Claire briefly discus...

  20. Chapter 1 qualitative research

    Chapter 1 qualitative research. A sample of chapter 1 of a qualitative research for grade 11 students. Subject. SHS- Grade 12. 235 Documents. Students shared 235 documents in this course. School Davao City National High School. Info More info. Academic year: 2021/2022.

  21. Chapter 1: Why and How to Do Qualitative Research

    In this article, the authors unfold their experiences as graduate students using qualitative approaches to conduct research in the field of health. Hunt, M. R., Mehta, A., & Chan, L. S. (2009). Learning to think qualitatively: Experiences of graduate students conducting qualitative health research.

  22. Qualitative Research Sample Chapter 1-3

    Qualitative Research Sample Chapter 1-3 - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This study aims to analyze the grammar and figurative language used in preserved Ilonggo literary pieces from the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. The researchers will work with native Hiligaynon speakers to develop a manual for understanding ...

  23. Chapter 1: What is Qualitative Research?

    Team II should formulate a qualitative study to research this topic. Team I should suggest limits/problems in this study (Team II to defend). Both teams should now come to some conclusions. This exercise will also focus upon drug abuse among school pupils. It can be done in buzz groups or by individuals.