The ride-along: a journey in qualitative research

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc C.A. Wegerif
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
Design And Practice

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show why and how the “ride-along” can add great value to qualitative research. Design/methodology/approach The paper is primarily based on ethnographic research into food systems that the author carried out in Tanzania and draws on other research experience and existing literature on the “go-along” and “walk-along”. Findings Transport choices are made in all social science research and therefore deserve greater attention in research design. Transport will influence how the researcher is perceived and what they will experience and find. The ride-along, when done well, minimises the risks and adds value to qualitative research. Practical implications Researchers need to be reflexive about transport choices and give them greater consideration in research design and practice. The examples from field experience and the considerations identified in this paper will assist researchers and their supervisors in this process. Originality/value Despite the ubiquity of mobility in social science research, there is surprisingly little literature on the subject, especially related to the use of different modes of transport. The originality is in elaborating the importance of the ride-along and the value is in the clearly identified lessons for qualitative research methodology teaching and practice.

Why Post Qualitative Inquiry?

2020 ◽  
pp. 107780042093114
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Adams St. Pierre
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Language Representation ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology

This article explains that post qualitative inquiry is not a pre-existing humanist social science research methodology with research designs, processes, methods, and practices. It cannot be accommodated by nor is it another version of qualitative research methodology. It refuses method and methodology altogether and begins with poststructuralism, its ontology of immanence, and its description of major philosophical concepts including the nature of being and human being, language, representation, knowledge, truth, rationality, and so on. Its goal is not to find and represent something that exists in the empirical world of human lived experience but to re-orient thought to experiment and create new forms of thought and life.

Navigeren in het onderzoeksveld en het onderzoekersveld: reflecties op onderzoekspositionaliteit in (vermeend) insideronderzoek

KWALON ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Jing Hiah
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Insider Research ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Shed Light

Abstract Navigating the research and researchers’ field: Reflections on positionality in (assumed) insider research To challenge rigid ideas about objectivity in social science research, qualitative researchers question their own subjectivity in the research process. In such endeavors, the focus is mainly on the positionality of the researcher vis-à-vis their respondents in the research field. In this contribution, I argue that the positionality of the researcher in academia, what I refer to as the researchers’ field, is equally important as it influences the way research findings are received and evaluated. Through reflections on positionality in my insider research concerning labour relations and exploitation in Chinese migrant businesses in the Netherlands and Romania, I explore how my positionality as an insider negatively influenced my credibility and approachability in the researchers’ field. I conclude that it is necessary to pay more attention to researchers’ positionality in academia as it may shed light on and make it possible to discuss the written and unwritten standards of researchers’ credibility and approachability as an academic in the researchers’ field. Accordingly, this could provide insights into the causes of inequalities in academia and contribute to the current challenge for more diversity in academia.

The methodological identity of shadowing in social science research

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Bartkowiak‐Theron ◽  
Jennifer Robyn Sappey
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Research Participant ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Technique ◽  
Current Context ◽  
Interviewing Techniques

PurposeThe research technique of shadowing is the most in‐depth type of systematic, direct observation in situ of behaviours within a particular organisational or social setting, and yet, it crucially lacks documentation and critical analysis. The origins of the under‐documenting, coupled with the mutation of the scientific method of shadowing through its adoption by many industries as a means of on‐the‐job training, have led to a misunderstanding of shadowing as a scientific technique. This is problematic at several levels for academics deeply involved in qualitative methodology. The purpose of this paper is to address, in part, this gap in the literature.Design/methodology/approachBy defining shadowing, considering the reasons why shadowing has had little critique from social science scholars and then exploring the problems of it as a research technique, particularly within the current context of ethics regimes, the authors wish to proactively help to avoid unintentional yet delicate fieldwork situations, in which misunderstanding may happen due to the lay use of “shadowing” as a passive (non‐obtrusive) observation.FindingsThe authors argue that the research practice of shadowing implies specific systematic techniques and extensive self‐discipline by the researcher. It also caters for a need in data collection that oversteps traditional observation‐and‐interviewing techniques, by adding a new hermeneutical layer to the information gathered. It becomes an essential tool in the evaluation of public policy initiatives and programmes and in the understanding of not only the mechanics, but of the motivations behind actions and behaviours.Originality/valueThis paper addresses part of a gap in the literature and paves the way for more critical analysis of the dynamics that emerge during the shadowing of a research participant.

Managing Conflict in the Literature: Meta-analysis as a Research Method

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Stuhlmacher ◽  
Treena Gillespie
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Social Conflict ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Meta Analyses

AbstractNo longer on the fringes of research design, meta-analysis has established a methodological foothold in social science research. The use of meta-analysis as a research method to study social conflict, however, remains limited. This article is designed to increase the accessibility of meta-analyses, while identifying issues and controversies. To this end, we offer examples from our own experiences in an overview of the development, choices, and challenges of a meta-analysis, as well as more technical references for further instruction.

scholarly journals An Analysis of The English Gerund as Subject, Direct Object, Subject Complemet, and Object of Preposition

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-64
Author(s):  
Raflis Raflis ◽  
Arozato Lase
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Numerical Data ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Direct Object ◽  
Distribution Method ◽  
Main Verb ◽  
The Subject

The problem in this journal is gerund, verbal ending -ing and serves as a noun. Gerund differs from grammar construction in English because it is able to convert a verb into a noun by adding -ing at the end of the verb. At the same time, there is also a continuous tense form that adds -ing at the end of the verb. For students who start learning English will be confused with the form -ing that can be a noun and also a verb in the same sentence. The method used is the method of distribution, the method of data analysis into object analysis is part of the language itself. Objects in the distribution method are always part or element of the language being observed. In analyzing the data, the authors use qualitative methods. Qualitative research is a type of social science research that collects and works with non-numerical data and which seeks to interpret the meaning of the data being analyzed. In this study, researchers used descriptive design with the aim to analyze gerund as subject, direct object, complement of subject, and object of preposition at Tempo magazine in 2015. The author finds gerund formulation as follows: Gerund as Subject (Main + Main Verb + Complement), gerund as Direct Object (Subject + Main Verb + Gerund), gerund as Subject Complement (Subject + to be + Gerund), and gerund as Object of Preposition (Subject + Primary Keyword + Preposition + Gerund). The study found that Tempo magazine used gerund in magazines with higher gerund percentages as the preposition object. There are 8 gerunds as the subject, 5 gerund as a direct object, 6 gerund as complementary subject, and 23 gerund as the preposition object.

scholarly journals Entering into a "Community" of Experience and Meaning: A Review of Interviewing for Education and Social Science Research: The Gateway Approach by Carolyn Lunsford Mears

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Oral History ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Qualitative Researcher ◽  
Educational Criticism

In Interviewing for Education and Social Science Research: The Gateway Approach, Carolyn Lunsford Mears outlines an approach to in-depth interviewing in qualitative research that draws upon educational criticism, oral history, and poetic display. Mears describes this narrator centered approach as including the development of an insider’s perspective and the use of excerpted narratives. She also provides useful guides and examples in the appendices to the book, making the text especially helpful to the novice qualitative researcher.

Evaluating qualitative research in management accounting using the criteria of “convincingness”

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nizar Mohammad Alsharari ◽  
Mohammed Al-Shboul
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Research ◽  
Interpretive Case Study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend the knowledge claim of management accounting research using qualitative research methods, in particular, the interpretive case study, and its evaluation using “convincingness” criteria demonstrating the textual authenticity, plausibility and criticality of case study findings.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research in the management accounting field considers both context and function (Burchell et al., 1980). This study sets out the rationale for adopting qualitative methodologies such as interpretive case studies in which rich, contextual and detailed data were collected and analyzed (Miles and Huberman, 1994; Mason, 2002). Methodological issues related to research design, analysis and evaluation are discussed by drawing on frameworks of social science research design. The paper sets out the procedures of an interpretive case study essential to ensuring the procedural validity of research which can be evaluated more accurately using the criteria of “convincingness” rather than positivist measures of the reliability, validity of data and the generalization of results. Textual authenticity, plausibility and critical interpretation, and how these hallmarks of “convincingness” can reflect the procedural validity of accounting research are described.FindingsQualitative research strategies such as the interpretive case study, which consider the complex settings of accounting change and practice, are found to offer deep understandings and convincing explanations of accounting change. Affirming that accounting is firmly established as a social science, the paper finds that the authenticity, plausibility and criticality of research in this field.Research limitations/implicationsThe relevance of qualitative research to contemporary accounting research is considered as an effective method to explicate theory and inform practice, which suggests that new measures to evaluate related research are required to develop the potential of selected qualitative research methodologies in accounting domains.Originality/valueQualitative research in management accounting focuses on the interpretation of meanings found in people and organizations that are subject to the influence of contextual variables. Human attributes underpin accounting conventions and change resulting from continuous technological and regulatory advances. This paper’s comprehensive account of interpretive case study research emphasizes the significance of evaluative criteria that relate, beyond reliability, to the richness of the text. This, thus, encourages and supports new and emerging researchers to seek qualitatively coherent and critical interpretations in management accounting research.

scholarly journals Arts-Based Engagement Ethnography: An Approach for Making Research Engaging and Knowledge Transferable When Working With Harder-to-Reach Communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 160940691882042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Goopy ◽  
Anusha Kassan
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Population Survey ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Vantage Point ◽  
Knowledge Mobilization ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative

In social science research, epistemological assumptions regarding what constitutes valid research fall into two main areas of inquiry—qualitative and quantitative. Within a qualitative paradigm, eliciting a close and often intimate exploration of phenomenon from a text-based or verbal approach is privileged, and in a quantitative paradigm, obtaining a systematic, large population survey or questionnaire approach is prioritized. Although the two are not mutually exclusive, with the development of each, the visual and the kinesthetic aspects have both largely been lost. This article proposes an arts-based engagement ethnography (ABEE) as a means of reclaiming these visual and kinesthetic aspects in order to engage in culturally sensitive research with underrepresented communities. To this end, this article outlines some of the limitations of current research and explores how cultural probes (a set of simple items given to participants to help them document their experiences) can be used to enter qualitative research from a different epistemological vantage point. Moreover, this article discusses the use of qualitative interviews and focus groups in ABEE and the manner in which this methodology allows for unique knowledge mobilization possibilities. It highlights how these are built into the research design, and how this is an important part of the approach's ability to engage harder-to-reach communities.

Voluntary disclosure in emerging countries: a literature review

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syeliya Md Zaini ◽  
Grant Samkin ◽  
Umesh Sharma ◽  
Howard Davey
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Emerging Countries ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the approaches used by researchers in examining the influences of external factors towards voluntary disclosure in emerging countries. Design/methodology/approach The data collected in this study were collected through a review of empirical literature based on 35 articles published between 1998 and 2013. The sample articles on the link between external factors and the level of voluntary disclosure were located by searching keywords in the most relevant social science research databases such as Business Source Premier, Emerald full text, JSTOR, Science Direct, Scopus, and Social Science Research Network. Findings The result reveals that research in voluntary disclosure practices by companies in emerging countries remains low. The majority of studies employed content analysis to examine the extent of voluntary disclosure practices. Results from studies show that greater regulatory enforcement in the region and increase in stakeholders’ comprehension about their rights and choices with regards to business activities can influence the majority of the companies to provide voluntary disclosure. The literature revealed that social responsibility and environmental information are the popular categories of voluntary disclosure while risk and human capital/intellectual capital are the least popular categories. Research limitations/implications The paper is limited to a review of 35 articles. Practical implications The study provides avenues for policy makers and regulators to carry out reforms on voluntary disclosure practices. Social implications The findings may provide insights to capital market regulators when conducting effective regulation and supervision of information transparency in listed companies. Originality/value Since limited studies exist that examine voluntary disclosure in emerging countries, little is known about the implications of external factors such as a country’s policy, regulations, stakeholders, and business environment on voluntary disclosure practices. This paper contributes to filling this gap by a review of articles of empirical research on voluntary disclosure in emerging countries.

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