Publication
Scientific Research on Democratic Governance - Methodology of Scientific Research: Theory and Practice
| Summary: | Qualitative research is the method of choice when the research question requires an understanding of processes, events and relationships in the context of the social and cultural situation. Instead of generating numerical data supporting or refuting clear cut hypotheses, qualitative research aims to produce factual descriptions based on face-to-face knowledge of individuaIs and social groups in their natural settings. Qualitative research is useful for obtaining insight into situations and problems conceming which one may have little knowledge. Qualitative researchers are primarily concemed with practice and process rather than outcomes. That is, they focus on the process that is occurring instead of the outcome of that processo The focus is on participants' perceptions and experiences and the way they make sense of their lives. In that sense, qualitative research is concemed with understanding and interpreting another person's social world through accessing their lived experiences. Because ofthat the qualitative researcher starts his work with two basic questions: What do I what to now? What set of techniques do I need to find out what I want to now? |
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| Main Authors: | Mesquita, Cristina |
| Subject: | Qualitative research Qualitative Methods Qualitaittive Instruments |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Document type: | book part |
| Access type: | open access |
| Associated institution: | Instituto Politécnico de Bragança |
| Language: | English |
| Origin: | Biblioteca Digital do IPB |
| Summary: | Qualitative research is the method of choice when the research question requires an understanding of processes, events and relationships in the context of the social and cultural situation. Instead of generating numerical data supporting or refuting clear cut hypotheses, qualitative research aims to produce factual descriptions based on face-to-face knowledge of individuaIs and social groups in their natural settings. Qualitative research is useful for obtaining insight into situations and problems conceming which one may have little knowledge. Qualitative researchers are primarily concemed with practice and process rather than outcomes. That is, they focus on the process that is occurring instead of the outcome of that processo The focus is on participants' perceptions and experiences and the way they make sense of their lives. In that sense, qualitative research is concemed with understanding and interpreting another person's social world through accessing their lived experiences. Because ofthat the qualitative researcher starts his work with two basic questions: What do I what to now? What set of techniques do I need to find out what I want to now? |
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