Basics of Qualitative Research

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Basics of Qualitative Research

• in Pastoral Ministry

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RESOURCES

• Douglas Sprenkle Fred P. Piercy (eds.) (2005)
  Research Methods in Family Therapy Second
  Edition, Guilford Press.
• See First Edition, Sprenkle Moon (1996)
• Bruce Berg (1998) Qualitative Research Methods
  for Social Sciences 3rd edition
• Larry VandeCreek (1988) Research Primer for
  Pastoral Care Counseling, JPCC publications

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Resources

• Norman Denzin Yvonna Lincoln (eds.) (1994)
  Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage
• John Swinton Harriet Mowat (2006) Practical
  Theology Qualitative Research SCM
• John Creswell (1998) Qualitative Inquiry and
  Research Design Choosing Among Five Traditions,
  Sage

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Research Question

• Qualitative research questions are open ended
  discovery orientated.
• Not into proving truth but discovering it
• Involves a specific population
• About a particular issue
• See question in article

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Interview for Study

• Overall question What is the experience of
  theological reflection in pastoral care and
  counselling? Eleven Questions
• 1) What are the sources you use for theological
  reflection?
• 2) How do you define theological reflection? Any
  theological authors you use?

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Interview Questions

• 3. How much time weekly do you spend on
  theological reflection?
• 4. What are the similarities differences for
  you between prayer theological reflection
• 5. What is the goal of theological reflection?
• 6. How important is theological reflection for
  your identity?
• 7. Which groups do you do theological reflection
  with colleagues, patients/clients, other
  professionals?

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Interview Questions

• 8. What is the role of imagination, emotion and
  images in theological reflection?
• 9. Give an example of theological reflection from
  your praxis. Describe the process of theological
  reflection
• 10. Give an image or verse from sacred text that
  describes theological reflection for you.
• 11. Any other comments.

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Review of the Literature

• Based on the research question-easy to lose focus
  in review
• Identifies body of knowledge around the question
  and also gaps.
• Examines quantitative, qualitative, case study,
  theoretical (hermeneutical) on topic.
• Related literature-can be overwhelming
• Use of data bases like ATLA, etc.
• See article

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Methodology

• Ethics approval from institution- informed
  consent, confidentiality, anonymity, no harm to
  participants, third parties, researchers.
• Different methodologies-ethnographic, grounded
  theory, phenomenology, feminist, focus group,
• Not objective truth-research is biased.

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Methodology

• Interviews-usually audio-taped and transcribed.
• Field notes-observations of researcher.
• Sample usually chosen by researcher purposeful
  sampling not random.
• Interviews analyzed to develop themes-similar to
  exegesis
• Computer programs help in data analysis
• Description of sample

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Concepts

• Participant-observer-not objective outsider
• Triangulation- data, investigator,
  methodological, theoretical,
• Trustworthiness of findings
• Generalize to theory and not populations
• Constant comparative method of data analysis
• See pg 14-15 of article

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Findings

• Usually the biggest part.
• Themes relate to research question
• Involves the words of participants- quotes.
• Hard work - easy to be overwhelmed.
• Hardest part is keeping the material within
  publishable limits.
• Use of images to capture data
• See article

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Discussion

• Relate findings to research question.
• Relate findings to review of literature
• Implications for ministry
• Limitations of the study.
• Areas for future research.

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Evaluating Qualitative Research

• OConnor et al., (2001) Quantity Rigor of
  Qualitative Research in Four Pastoral Counseling
  Journals The Journal of Pastoral Care, Fall
  2001, 55(3)
• Developed a checklist (based on N. Mays C.
  Pope, BMJ, 1995, 311, 109-112) for evaluating
  qualitative research.
• See article