Integrating Qualitative Research into Quantitative Research

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Integrating Qualitative Research into
Quantitative Research

• Module 3
• Sessions 1011

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Introduction

• Synopsis This session will entail a discussion
  on why and how to integrate qualitative research
  into quantitative research
• Learning Objectives At the end of this session
  participants should have developed an
  understanding of why and how to integrate
  qualitative research with quantitative research
  work. They should also appreciate the need for
  integrating qualitative into quantitative
  research approaches

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Content

• Selecting a sample and collecting data using
  Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews
  and Observation.
• Output participants will collect qualitative
  data using any of the qualitative methods

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Activities

• Activity 1 Introduce qualitative research to the
  participants 30 min
• Activity 2 Help the participants appreciate the
  complimentary role of qualitative methods 30min
• Activity 3Explain the different qualitative
  methods 60min
• Activity 4 Discuss the advantages and
  disadvantages of the methods above 30min
• Activity 5 Practicals / Presentations within the
  participants 180min

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Why Integrate qualitative and quantitative methods

• Basing on the strengths and weaknesses/advantages
  and disadvantages of quantitative methods used
• For example Results from the quantitative
  research can be generalized while those of
  qualitative may not
• Quantitative research may answer when, what,
  who, how but not why which can be answered by
  qualitative research

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Contd

• It is not for the sake of integrating the two
  methods but some better results must be realized
• Qualitative research is effective in identifying
  intangible factors such as social norms, gender
  roles, whose role in research may not be readily
  apparent

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Contd

• Qualitative research emphasizes quality than
  quantity, depth more than breadth, insights
  rather than generalization
• When used along with quantitative data, it helps
  interpret and better understand the complex
  reality of a given situation and the implications
  of quantitative data

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How to integrate the two methods

• Therefore, identify the strengths/weaknesses of
  the primary method
• Then identify a secondary method which can fill
  in the gaps

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What is Qualitative Research?

• This is a type of scientific Research which
  collects, analyzes and interprets data that
  cannot easily be reduced to numbers
• This type of data relates to the social world and
  the concepts and behaviors of people within it
• Qualitative research seeks to understand a given
  research problem or topic from the
  perspective/view point of the population under
  the study

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Contd

• It seeks to promote greater understanding not
  only of the way things are, but also of why they
  are the way they are
• It is works best in obtaining culturally specific
  information about the values, opinions,
  behaviors, and social contexts of a particular
  population
• The purpose of qualitative research is to produce
  rich data from a sample chosen for its ability to
  speak to the issue

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Contd

• Qualitative research emphasizes quality than
  quantity, depth more than breadth, insights
  rather than generalization
• When used along with quantitative data, it helps
  interpret and better understand the complex
  reality of a given situation and the implications
  of quantitative data

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Characteristics of Qualitative Research

• Asks why, how, and under what circumstances
  things occur
• Seeks Depth of Understanding
• Views Social phenomena holistically
• Explores and discovers
• Provides insight into the meanings of decisions
  and actions
• Uses interpretive and other open-ended methods

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Contd

• Is iterative rather than fixed
• Its is emergent rather than pre structured
• Involves respondents as active participants
  rather than subjects
• Defines the investigator as an instrument in the
  research process

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Qualitative research methods

• These are several methods within this form of
  research of which are-
• Focus group discussions
• Key Informant Interviews
• Observations

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FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS

• A group of 6-12 is assembled and engaged in an
  interaction to produce data and insights that
  would be less accessible without the interaction
• The group put together should be fairly
  homogenous Social status, experience/user
  status, sex, age etc
• It useful in identifying normative issues, terms,
  perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, interpretation,
  from a group of individuals
• Moderator is needed to guide and lead the
  discussion in a focused manner

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Contd

• Note taker, in charge of note taking and non
  verbal communication
• Tape recording is a requirement (ask for
  permission)
• Planned in advance, debriefing sessions
• Is useful especially with beneficiaries
• This is a type of Qualitative Research in which
  the researcher brings together small groups of
  people, 612 in number

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Contd

• The Researcher plays the role of a modulator, and
  with an open instrument, the researcher engages
  the group in a discussion about the subject under
  investigation.
• The group is homogeneous in terms of the relevant
  variables for the study.
• It essentially relies on convenient sampling or
  Purposive sampling
• If not well moderated with in depth probing may
  not yield enough data

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Contd

• Dominating characters should be controlled
• Timid Characters encouraged to participate

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These FGDs are basically used for

• securing background information
• Getting feed back from project beneficiaries
• Interpreting available quantitative data
• Project monitoring and evaluation
• Assessing responses to recommend for innovations,
  policies etc

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Advantages of using Focus Group Discussions

• It enables rapid generation of information
• It reduces individual inhibitions and hindrances
• It helps respondents to raise issues and concerns
  that the investigation may not have considered
• They allow an interaction between the respondents
  and the investigator, creating a more in depth
  understanding of peoples understanding and lives.

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Contd

• Its flexibility allows the researcher to use the
  responses to frame relevant and necessary
  questions.
• Its flexibility allows the researcher to use the
  responses to frame relevant and necessary
  questions.

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Disadvantages of using Focus Group Discussions

• Empirical generalisations cannot be from the data
• Liable to interviewer biases since these are no
  structural questions
• May lead to fear of giving personal sensitive
  information
• Despite the presence of the moderator, there are
  people who always dominate and those who cannot
  express themselves in-group discussions.

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Note The role of moderator

• to control those who may dominate the discussion
• to encourage those who may not feel free to talk
• to probe in case need arises

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Key Informant Interviews

• These are informal interviews directed to the
  knowledgeable people about the problem.
• These respondents may not necessarily be under
  the problem, but only with a sufficient knowledge
  
• These informants should be selected carefully to
  reflect diverse views and concerns.
• An interview guide with issues to be covered is
  used and it is carried out in an informal
  atmosphere.

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Contd

• Probes to elicit more information are made

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Selected Sample

• Any individual from which data can be secured
• Experts/Individuals who hold special positions
• Have special/unique insights/experiences

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It is most appropriate when

• A general descriptive information is sufficient
  for decision making
• It is necessary to know why a particular group of
  people behave the way they do
• More light/interpretation is needed on the
  available quantitative data.
• The primary purpose of the study is to generate
  suggestions and recommendations.
• There is a need for proper questionnaire design,
  hypothesis and propositions for further testing
  and refinement.

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Advantages

• Since it is from knowledgeable persons, it
  reveals in-depth, inside information, to the
  extent of providing confidential information,
  which may not be the case in a formal setting
• It is cheap to conduct this kind of interview
• It reveals new ideas, relevant to the study,
  which may not have been anticipated, in the
  planning process.
• Easy to locate potential respondents willing to
  give the information.

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Disadvantages

• The information cannot be generalised and
  therefore less reliable (ie incase it is biased).

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Observations

• Observation is a purposive or intentional
  examination of something, particularly for
  purposes of data gathering (Chaplain 1968)
• It is a careful watching and noting phenomena as
  they occur in their natural setting
• Observation falls in two categories
• Physical things like cars, buildings, chairs etc
• Social process eg social behaviour, culture,
  community relationships etc

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Contd

• It is based on a checklist or a form with what to
  be observed
• A detailed schedule with what to observe and how
  recordings are to be done is a requirement
• There are basically three forms of observation

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Non-Participant observation

• May observe without participating e.g observing a
  session
• In this form of observation, there is careful
  watching and noting of events as they occur in
  their natural setting, without the Researchers
  participation. This form of observation has some
  problems
• a) It is easy to identify the researcher since
  he is a stranger to the observed.

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Contd

• Some salient aspects may not be observed by the
  researcher.

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Observation with some participation

• This is where in addition to observation, the
  researcher takes part in some activities. The
  problems involved include-
• The researcher may not observe some other aspects
  in which he does not take part.
• The researcher may also fail to get real meaning
  of the practices leading to misinterpreting the
  information due to his own perceptions.

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Participant Observation

• Participant Observation brings the researcher
  into direct interaction with people and their
  activities
• Participation in the lives of the community, to
  observe the daily activities of people, to obtain
  an inside view of the situation
• Insiders or outsiders perspective
• Involvement may be limited due to race, sex and
  other physical factors

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Contd

• In addition to observing the subjects, the
  researcher shares in the life and activities of
  those under investigation.
• This requires living in the community for a
  considerable period of time. This help to
  eliminate suspension and the subjects wont
  continuously change behaviour. It also gives
  adequate time to study the events and practices
  under investigation and helps the observer to can
  understand and properly interpret the practices

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This form of observation has some problems

• Possibility of failing to play a dual role of a
  participant and an observer, one of the two may
  be compromised.
• Once the observer is identified, he may fail to
  observe each and every aspect of the practice

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Advantages of observation

• Able to see and observe what exactly takes place
  in its natural form without any distortion
  first hand information
• Data collected is up to date and there is no
  memory failure
• Additional unexpected information may be got
• Can be used when studying those who can not
  express themselves eg children, the deaf etc
• It removes intentional lying eg about income
• Removes error due to translation

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Disadvantages of observation

• In case of any suspicion, the subjects have the
  potential to change their behaviour and act
  otherwise.
• There is time constraint, in that some activities
  take place once for a period of time, so the
  researcher has to wait until that activity is
  performed.
• Some events are exclusive to none members and in
  such cases it is impossible to do observation.

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Contd

• In case of observer bias, the observer may select
  on the activities that are more interesting, and
  the results may not be complete
• Can not get information on the past or future
  events
• Without enough skills, the results may not be
  exhaustive and may not describe in totality the
  events in the field.
• There may be unfair and poor representative ness
  of things to observe. The observer may fail to
  select a representative sample of aspects to
  observe
• Can not get frequency of events

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Sampling in qualitative Research

• Looking at insights, depth rather than
  generalizations
• So Sampling is Purposive
• Selecting a Sample for the qualitative study is
  not haphazard but neither is it bound by rigid
  rules of reproducibility
• Sampling Techniques

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Contd

• Qualitative design is to explore depth, the
  investigator carefully selects cases than can
  typify or shed light on the object of study
• Purpose rather than statistical probability of
  selection
• Purposive strategies
• Purposive strategies are linked to the purpose of
  the study

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Practicals

• Select a sample from among the
  participants/community and conduct a
  FGDs/kii/observation research

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