Qualitative Research Approach Selection
To Prepare for this Assignment:
Review the work that you have done in the last two weeks, making sure that each cell in the matrix is completed. Create your reference list, including books and methodological articles on each area. You can use the ones listed in the Learning Resources and search for your own as well.
Write a 2- to 3-page narrative. In your narrative, be sure to respond to the following:
- Summarize what you have learned about the similarities and differences among the approaches.
- Describe how what you’ve learned by developing the matrix has allowed you to choose the approach that you plan to use for your research plan in this course.
- Identify the approach you intend to use for your research question.
- Describe your rationale for your choice of approach.
Submit your Qualitative Research Approaches Matrix Template (which you worked on during Weeks 2 and 3) and your narrative to your Instructor.
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Qualitative Research Approach Selection
Qualitative Research Approaches Narrative
Over the past two weeks, I have explored and compared several qualitative research approaches, including phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, case study, and narrative research. Completing the Qualitative Research Approaches Matrix allowed me to understand the philosophical foundations, methodological procedures, and application contexts for each approach. This comparative exercise has helped clarify which methodology is best suited for addressing my research question and has strengthened my ability to justify methodological choices in scholarly research.
Similarities and Differences Among the Approaches
All five qualitative approaches share the goal of understanding human experiences through a subjective lens. They emphasize the importance of context, meaning, and depth over numerical generalization. However, the primary differences lie in purpose, data collection strategies, and outcomes.
For example, phenomenology focuses on the lived experiences of individuals and aims to uncover the essence of a particular phenomenon. Grounded theory, in contrast, seeks to develop a theory grounded in data collected from participants, often through iterative data collection and constant comparative analysis.
Ethnography immerses the researcher in a cultural group to study norms, rituals, and social dynamics, typically over a long period. Meanwhile, case study is useful for an in-depth analysis of a bounded system—like an organization or a community—using multiple sources of evidence. Narrative research, distinct from the others, explores individuals’ life stories, often through in-depth interviews, with a focus on the chronology and meaning of events.
Despite these differences, all approaches require trustworthiness, reflexivity, and rigorous data analysis to ensure credible results.
