scholarly journals Longitudinal qualitative research in practice: Advantages, problems and solutions

Sociologija ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-23
Author(s):  
Smiljka Tomanovic

The paper deals with several most significant issues concerning advantages and problems of applying longitudinal qualitative research in practice. Following the introductory part that presents basic features and particularities of longitudinal qualitative research, there are three sections presenting research dilemmas and solutions related to research design, research implementation, and analysis and interpretation of findings. Discussion refers to recent methodological literature, as well as the author?s own research practice of doing longitudinal qualitative research in four waves from 1993 to 2014. The topics that are highlighted include: flexibility of research design, adaptation of concepts and interpretation to changes during the research, research ethics and respondents? and researcher?s reflexivity, analyzing and interpreting change within social biography approach. The concluding discussion summarizes heuristic and methodological advantages of longitudinal qualitative research for social biography approach, such as contextualization and biographization of findings, but also its limits and possibilities of overcoming them based on the author?s research experience.

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc C.A. Wegerif

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.


2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Frauley

This paper takes recent sociological debate about “transdisciplinarity” (Carroll 2012; Puddephatt and McLaughlin 2015; Mišina 2015) as a springboard for elaborating on the sociological relevance of meta-theoretical engagement, particularly with critical realism. Sociologists need to more forcefully acknowledge the importance of engaging with metatheory if they are to think more productively and creatively about how the philosophical assumptions that have shaped the production of theories, research design, research practice, and the organisation of our field facilitate and delimit the production of insights about the multifaceted nature of sociological objects and practice. As meta-theorising promotes the neglected procedure of conceptualisation (as opposed to operationalisation) and because it is transdisciplinary (promoting the shedding of disciplinary boundary maintenance while remaining rigorous and methodical), it should be routinely engaged by social scientists to yield conceptual synthesis and fuller, more adequate forms of explanation of their particular objects of investigation.


Author(s):  
Demetricia Hodges

The purpose of this article is to “chat” about my experience using Eurocentric theories in racial and culturally centered qualitative inquiry. The challenge I face is that I believe researchers can use Eurocentric theories to conceptualize ‘appropriate’ frameworks to conduct rigorous culturally responsible and sensitive research that contributes to existing scholarly dialogue and empirical literature on culturally sensitive designs in the field of qualitative research. In this paper I use my research experience to address the question, “How can researcher(s) conduct culturally responsible and sensitive research?” I use autoethnography and writing as a method of inquiry to (re)present the multi-layers of within and in-between chats while being caught in the middle. Chat metaphorically represents introspective musings, scholarly dialoguing, analyzing, interpreting, (re)presenting and defending. I use Tillman’s (2002) culturally sensitive research frame as an analytic tool to critically analyze my research design. I argue that qualitative researchers of ethnic, racial and cultural communities can conceptualize appropriate frameworks from mainstream theories to conduct culturally responsible and sensitive research that can help transform the traditional knowledge of fields in education, educational leadership, urban education, and policy.


Author(s):  
Coral Ingley ◽  
Smita Singh ◽  
Alanah Malkani

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to reflect on the value of e-mails for recruiting and interviewing in a specific context in qualitative research, and second, to reflect on the benefits of the reflexive practice in sharing the research experience for gaining a deeper understanding of the field. The purpose is to raise points for consideration in research design for the e-mail method in this type of study. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on reflexivity and integrates fieldwork experiences to present the shared reflections and insights into the enabling and constraining aspects of using e-mail interviews with hard-to-access participants such as senior executives of international businesses. Findings Closer consideration needs to be given to the use of e-mail interviewing in the research design for such studies, especially regarding culturally held preconceptions about the research environment and how the inevitable challenges in engaging in cross-border research may be resolved. Originality/value The paper yields unanticipated insights into the potential of e-mail interviewing for studies that require responses from key informants who are otherwise unlikely to participate in the research. The paper brings greater transparency to researchers regarding the realities of using the method in this context, and thus, it expands the hitherto small repertoire of such studies in qualitative international business research. The contribution also lies in the value of deliberately creating a space for reflexive conversations that open the possibility of more profound understandings in qualitative research.


Curationis ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Klopper

Qualitative research in the health sciences has had to overcome many prejudices and a number of misunderstandings, but today qualitative research is as acceptable as quantitative research designs and is widely funded and published. Writing the proposal of a qualitative study, however, can be a challenging feat, due to the emergent nature of the qualitative research design and the description of the methodology as a process. Even today, many sub-standard proposals at post-graduate evaluation committees and application proposals to be considered for funding are still seen. This problem has led the researcher to develop a framework to guide the qualitative researcher in writing the proposal of a qualitative study based on the following research questions: (i) What is the process of writing a qualitative research proposal? and (ii) What does the structure and layout of a qualitative proposal look like? The purpose of this article is to discuss the process of writing the qualitative research proposal, as well as describe the structure and layout of a qualitative research proposal. The process of writing a qualitative research proposal is discussed with regards to the most important questions that need to be answered in your research proposal with consideration of the guidelines of being practical, being persuasive, making broader links, aiming for crystal clarity and planning before you write. While the structure of the qualitative research proposal is discussed with regards to the key sections of the proposal, namely the cover page, abstract, introduction, review of the literature, research problem and research questions, research purpose and objectives, research paradigm, research design, research method, ethical considerations, dissemination plan, budget and appendices.


2021 ◽  
pp. 017084062110532
Author(s):  
Lucia Garcia-Lorenzo ◽  
Lucia Sell-Trujillo ◽  
Paul Donnelly

Organization research on stigma has mostly focused on the stigmatized, limiting the scope for exploring what is possible and lacking recognition of the structural conditions and unequal power relations that create and sustain stigma. Consequently, it overlooks how actors can organize to resist and potentially overcome stigmatization altogether. Addressing this question empirically, we studied the long-term unemployed in Spain using a longitudinal qualitative research design. We develop a typology of responses to stigmatization—getting stuck, getting by, getting out, getting back at, and getting organized— that advances our understanding of stigma in several ways. First, our typology captures stigma as a multilevel phenomenon. Second, it makes explicit that stigma can only be understood in relation to its socio-historical contexts and unequal relations of power. Third, it captures how resisting stigma needs to be a collective enterprise and advances the importance of organizing to both challenge stigmatization and explore alternatives.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Pham Thi Thu Hien

Twitter and Microblogging are two separate entities but completes each other. Both of them can be used as language learning tools and their potential has been proved by several scholars. This study tries to examine students’ experiences in integrating microblogging with twitter. It is also study about the beneficial roles of microblogging with Twitter in language learning, its relation to writing, and its appropriateness in language learning. This study employs a qualitative research methodology, and case study as its research design. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were employed in this study to find out about participants' views about microblogging and Twitter. From this study, it can be concluded that the participants of the study underwent various experiences during the implementation of microblogging with Twitter. They also felt that microblogging with Twitter at some point advantages them to systematically arrange their ideas, and allows them to choose appropriate diction of their ideas. They also stated that Twitter can be an appropriate means in language learning, especially in English writing<em>.</em>


Author(s):  
Dang Thi Huong ◽  
Vu Thi Minh Hien

Logistics is one of the important factors to ensure the availability of goods, promote retail businesses to deliver and consume goods quickly. However, logistics in Vietnamese retail businesses is identified to be limited, reducing the efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises. Using qualitative research methods (observation, document synthesis, interview, case study), the paper pointed out some problems in logistics activities of Vietnamese retail businesses; at the same time, analyzed experience in logistic activities of Vinmart store chain. Based on these results, the paper proposed some useful solutions to improve the logistics activities and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese retail businesses in the context of integration.


Author(s):  
Erica L. Tucker

This chapter describes and discusses the major qualitative research methods used to study museums. These methods include analyses of visual displays and reconstructions; interviews with museum visitors, professionals, and stakeholders; as well as ethnographic fieldwork in museum settings. The chapter explores how these methods can be adapted to the study of exhibits, galleries, programs, and museums as knowledge-generating institutions from a range of case studies conducted by museum practitioners, anthropologists, historians, and other museum studies scholars at a variety of museums. Case studies are drawn from works that examine ethnographic, natural history, art and community museums as well as historic sites. Approaches to research design, data analyses, and writing up are also examined.


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