Download - HSRC Press

A research report is usually a logically integrated unit that was constructedover a period of time and which resulted in certain conclusions. The ethicalimplications of the case where the researcher formulates an hypothesis orcentral thesis once the research has been concluded, which is then incorporatedat the beginning of the report, are fairly obvious.As we shall indicate at the end of this chapter, qualitative research tends to dealwith highly complex problems. It would, therefore, be unfair to expect thatinvestigations of this nature would include simplistic empirically-basedhypotheses. All the same, it would appear that the complexity of investigationsof this nature could be accommodated within the structure of a central thesiswhich would also serve a useful guiding function.ObservationObservation was described as that process by means of which researchersestablish a link between reality and their theoretical assumptions. It can assumea large variety of guises, ranging from jotting down subjective experiences topsycho-physiological measurements of certain body functions. The mostconspicuous differences between qualitative and quantitative-observation arerepresented in figure 7.4FIGURE 7.4Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaOBSERVATIONQUALITATIVEQUANTITATIVESubjectifying and personally Objectifyingexperienced.Researcher involved with events/ Researcher remains aloof.phenomena.Spontaneous and fortuitious Pre-planned observation.examples.Occurs in a wow-structured Observations may even be scalable.manner.Open to make it possible to recordunexpected events.Contextualizing, i.e. the contexttaken into account. Participantobservation as example.Usually with inventory previouslydrawn up; expected observationsplaced in categories in anticipation.Context controlled as far aspossible.Interaction Process Analysis(Bales) as example.162