Qualitative research
Doctoral Study Proposal: Selecting a Research Design for Your Study
� Identify and argue what you think is the best fit of research design for your proposal: either
qualitative or quantitative.
� If you select qualitative, which traditional method will you use and why?
Qualitative research
The research design which is appropriate for the research study is qualitative research,
which is understood as a methodical, subjective approach utilized in describing life
experiences and giving meaning to them. The objective would be to gain insight, explore the
complexity, richness as well as depth intrinsic in the phenomenon (Bailey, 2014). The
research will give emphasis to the significance of observing variables within their natural
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setting. It is worth mentioning that interaction between different variables in qualitative
research study is essential.
The purpose of using this type of research method is essentially to understand
people’s interpretations. The data would be subjective since it will comprise the viewpoints
and thoughts of people within the environment. Qualitative research method is used since it
will produce information that is more in-depth and comprehensive. Furthermore, qualitative
approach is utilized in this study since the subject matter or topic of study is extremely
complex to be answered by a simple no or yes hypothesis. This type of research method is
somewhat easy to plan and implement. Qualitative research method is also useful when
budgetary decisions need to be considered. In addition, qualitative research methods are not
very much reliant on sample sizes as quantitative research methods are. For instance, a case
study could produce meaningful findings with only a few study subjects; that is, a small
sample group (Nuttall, Shankar & Beverland, 2011). The study will seek to obtain a wide
understanding of the whole situation.
Phenomenology qualitative method
The traditional research method that would be employed in this study is
phenomenology, in which people’s experiences would be described as they are lived. This
type of qualitative research method is selected as it will help in examining the uniqueness of
the lived situations of the individuals. Every individual has his or her own reality, which is
actually subjective (Nuttall, Shankar & Beverland, 2011). Phenomenon is essentially an
experience or occurrence. The feelings, perceptions, and reactions of a person or a group of
people as they experienced an event are principally vital to the phenomenologist who is
trying to comprehend an incident beyond details that are purely quantitative (Bailey, 2014).
When using this method, the researcher will look for participants who understand the study
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and who would be ready to communicate their experiences as well as inner feelings.
Experiences of the phenomenon would be described.
During data collection, qualitative interviews would be used. The researcher during
the interview process would control his reactions. This is important considering that the
purpose of carrying out the qualitative interviews is to determine the views held by
participants, their viewpoints need to be unbiased by evaluative responses on the part of the
researcher. In essence, the researcher would select interview conditions and environment
wherein the study subjects would feel at ease, secure and comfortable enough to talk frankly
as regards their viewpoints. The researcher will not present no or yes questions that might be
inclined to stifle detail. Furthermore, the researcher would be flexible in his approach to the
study participants, and will consider to what extent the interview questioning would be
recursive. It is notable that during the process of interviewing, what has been spoken is
utilized by the researcher in determining or defining further questioning (Bailey, 2014). To
maintain validity of this qualitative research study, the investigator will: listen keenly and
construe the participants’ responses properly; record the responses of participants accurately;
include data of the primary research in the final report; include every data within the final
report; be truthful and straight; ask for feedback; and write correctly.
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References
Bailey, L. F. (2014). The origin and success of qualitative research. International Journal Of
Market Research, 56(2), 167-184.
Nuttall, P., Shankar, A., & Beverland, M. B. (2011). Mapping the Unarticulated Potential of
Qualitative Research. Journal Of Advertising Research, 51153-163.
