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Ch. 12 Interpretive Research - Coggle Diagram
Ch. 12 Interpretive Research
Interpretative research is a research paradigm that is based on the assumption that social reality is not singular or objective but shaped by human experiences and social context
Best suited within its socio-historic context by reconciling the subjective interpretations of its participants. Relies heavily on qualitative data, quantitative data adds more clearer understanding
Qualitative research relies mostly on non-numeric data, Quantitative research employs numeric data
Joint use of qualitative and quantitative data may lead to unique insights and are highly prized
Distinctions from positive research - interpretative and positivist research differ
Interpretative research employs a theoretical sampling strategy, cases are selected based on theoretical considerations such as whether they fit the phenomenon being studied
The role of the researcher receives critical attention in interpretive research.
Interpretive analysis is holistic and contextual. Interpretive interpretation tend to focus on language, signs and meanings from the perspective of the participants involved in social phenomenon.
Data collection and analysis can proceed simultaneously and iteratively in interpretive research
Benefits - Well suited for exploring hidden reasons behind complex, social processes. They are helpful for theory construction in areas with no priori theory. Third, appropriate for studying context-specific, unique, events or processes. Interpretive research can also help uncover interesting and relevant research questions and issues for follow-up research
Challenges - This research tends to be more time and resource intensive than positivist research in data collection and analytic efforts. Interpretive research requites well-trained researchers who are capable of seeing complex phenomenon from perspectives of the participants. All participants or data sources may not be equally credible about the interest which may lead to misleading impressions. Interpretative research may sometimes fail to answer the research questions of interest or predict future behaviors.
Characteristics of Interpretive Research
Naturalistic inquiry - social phenomena must be studied within their natural setting
Researcher as instrument - researchers are often embedded within the social context that they are studying and are considered part of the data collection insturment
Interpretive analysis - Observations must be interpreted through the eyes of the participants embedded in the social context.
Use of expressive language - Documenting the verbal and nonverbal language of participants and the analysis of language are integral
Temporal nature - Interpretive research is not concerned with searching for specific answers but with understanding a dynamic social process as it unfolds over time
Hermeneutic circle - iterative process of moving back and forth from pieces of observations to the entirety of the social context to reconcile their discord
Interpretive Data Collection - Data collected using a variety of techniques by interviews, observations, and documentation.
Interpretive Research Designs
Case Research - intensive study of phenomenon at one or more research sites for the purpose of deriving detailed, contextualized inferences
Action Research - a qualitative but positivist research design aimed at theory testing rather than theory building
Ethnography - ethnographic research method emphasizes studying a phenomenon within the context of its culture being immersed in the social culture
Phenomenology - research method that emphasizes the study of conscious experience as a way of understanding the reality around us
Rigor Interpretative Research
Dependability - Interpretive research can be viewed as dependable or authentic if two researchers assessing the same phenomenon using the same set of evidence independently arrive at the same conclusions or the same researcher observing the same or similar phenomenon at different times arrived
Credibility - Interpretive research can be improved by providing evidence of the researcher's extended engagement in the field by demonstrating data
Confirmability - the extent to which the findings reported in interpretive research can be independently confirmed by others
Transferability - the extent which the findings can be generalized to other settings.