Qualitative Research Basics: A Guide for Engineering Educators

• Conceptualization: Given the inductive nature of qualitative studies, the
conceptual framework is viewed more tentatively than it is in traditional studies.
The emphasis is on discovery and understanding, so energy devoted in advance to
specifically describing the topic of interest, defining variables, and modeling it in
terms of established theories is regarded as potentially hampering the researcher
from seeing it in a new light. At the same time, it is important for the researcher to
articulate his or her assumptions about the topic and the ways in which it is being
approached. For example, thinking of incoming students as “underprepared” is
not the same of thinking of them as “differently prepared.” Understanding
teaching as “information transmission” is different from seeing it as “facilitating
student engagement in learning.” When the researcher spends some time
articulating how he or she thinks about the topic and its context, the questions and
methods of the study are more intentional.
• Choice of tradition: As described in Chapter 2, there are a variety of approaches
and traditions that qualitative researchers use. Deciding whether the research
questions lend themselves to a phenomenological approach, an ethnography, a
grounded theory study, or some other form is the next design task.
• Literature review: As with the conceptualization, there are some qualitative
researchers who argue that working from previous scholarship might prevent the
researcher from looking at the phenomenon of interest with fresh eyes.
Approaches, arguments, and findings of other researchers can reinforce the takenfor-granted.
However, most scholars believe in the importance of building on
each other’s work and recommend that qualitative researchers explore the major
types of studies that have been conducted in the area in which they are doing
research. Unlike other researchers, however, qualitative researchers often broaden
their literature review while they are gathering data and during analysis as new
ideas and connections emerge. As with other literature reviews, this activity is
situated as an argument: what has been studied that is pertinent to my topic and
why is my study still needed?
• Data collection strategies: To describe how the research topic will be explored,
the qualitative researcher next has to detail methods for data collection and
sampling.
o Methods: These are described in Chapter 4 of this handbook. It is important to
delineate in a research plan the answers to some basic questions for each type
of method. For example,
o If observation:
� Entry (How will I gain access to the site and gain trust?)
� Stance (Will I be a participant, observer, or both?)
� Way of recording (Will I use audiotape, videotape, notes, all?)
o If interviewing:
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