Qualitative Research Proposal, Exercises of Qualitative research

Download Qualitative Research Proposal and more Exercises Qualitative research in PDF only on Docsity!

Qualitative Research

Proposal

Background and introduction

• Morse (2003:833) points out that qualitative methodology is used when little is known about a topic, the research context is poorly understood, the boundaries of a domain are ill defined, the phenomenon under investigation is not quantifiable, the nature of the problem is not clear, or the researcher suspects that the phenomenon needs to be re-examined.
• Researchers need a clear picture of the issues and questions that they want to investigate, as well as ideas of how they are going to go about investigating them, but always with an openness of mind to improvise, revise and adjust.
• Writing a proposal for a qualitative study is therefore a challenge, as the qualitative researcher “designs studies by conducting them - as opposed to conducting studies by design” (Sandelowski & Barroso, 2003:781).
• Quantitative researchers generally believe they know what they do not know (i.e. knowing the type of knowledge they expect to obtain by doing a study and then striving to obtain it).
• A qualitative researcher, by contrast, enters the study “not knowing what is known” (i.e. not knowing the phenomenon that will drive the inquiry forward).
• The qualitative proposal writer can therefore only anticipate how the study will proceed.

Process of the qualitative proposal

• Qualitative researchers often find themselves in a “catch-22” situation. They have intentionally selected a qualitative research design, as little is known about the phenomenon to be studied; yet it is expected to write how data analysis will be done when the data is not known. However, it is imperative that the researcher must convince the proposal evaluation committee or funding agency reviewers in order to be allowed to proceed with the study.
• In response to this situation, Morse and Field (1996:35) remark that “clearly, developing a rigid plan for a qualitative project, including detailed plans for data collection and analysis, becomes impossible when writing qualitative proposals”. Unlike positivist research, there is no single accepted framework for a qualitative research proposal.
• To present an acceptable proposal means shifting away from one’s own concerns and thinking about the questions that the reader(s) or reviewer(s) of the research proposal will be asking (Silverman, 2000:113).
• These questions do not necessarily differ from the questions asked in quantitative research, but will alert one to the possible questions that will be asked.
• The questions a research proposal must answer, are: (i) Why should anyone be interested in my research? (ii) Is the research design credible, achievable and carefully explained - in other words, is it logical? (iii) Is the researcher capable o f doing the research? (Bottorff, 2002:7). Silverman (2000:113 - 117) suggests that the researcher (whether qualitative or quantitative) answers these questions properly.
• This can be achieved by focusing on the following guidelines: be practical, be persuasive, make broader links, aim for crystal clarity and plan before you write.

Be practical

• Indicate to the members of the proposal evaluation committee or funding

agency reviewers how your research will address the identified research

problem or solve an issue, for example, staff morale or patients’ perceptions

of quality of care.

Make broader links

• The researcher should demonstrate in the proposal the understanding of the

broader implications of the proposed research. (Silverman, 2000:114-115).

• Morse (1994:227) suggests that one way of achieving this is to “place the

problem in context to show, for instance, that when we understand this, we

will be able to work on that”. For example, indicate how your research will

improve practice or influence policy

Aim for crystal clarity

• The aim of the researcher should be for clearly stated, in simple language

that describes the research in a way that non-specialists can comprehend.

• Morse (1994:227) argues that the researcher should resist the temptation to

lapse into pure jargon, as “some of the reviewers will be from other

disciplines, and the proposal writer should assume nothing and explain

everything”.

• Silverman (2000:115) gives advice to the researcher and states that the

proposal should be concise, using short, simple sentences

Structure of the qualitative proposal

• Cover page
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Review of the Literature.
• Research problem and research questions.
• Research Objectives
• Research design
• Research Methods
• Ethical considerations.
• Dissemination plan.
• Timeline
• Budget
• Appendices

Cover page

• Formal documents usually have a cover page.
• The format of the cover page is often provided by the proposal evaluation committee or the funding agency.
• If no format is provided, create a cover page and include the following (Morse & Field, 1996:39-40):
• Title of the proposal.
• Name and affiliation of the researcher (principal investigator) and add coinvestigators (if relevant).
• The affiliation will include the type of degree, for example Master in Public Administration, as well as the name of the university where the study will be conducted.
• Lines for the signatures of the researcher as well as the university authorities.
• Contact detail information - address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address.

Introduction

• Begin with something interesting that immediately catches attention.
• Introduce the question and what it is that you want to know or understand, and explain the interest in the topic (Heath, 1997:1).
• The introduction must get the attention of the reader and convince him/her of the value of the study, or, as Sandelowski (2002:9) describes it, it must “set the stage”.
• At the beginning o f the proposal the significance of the study should be stated and it must be made clear why there is a need for the study (Sandelowski, 2002:9).
• Burns and Grove (2005:667-668) provide questions that can be used to assess the significance of the study: (i) Who has an interest in the domain of inquiry? (ii) What do we already know about the topic? (iii) What has not been answered adequately in previous research and practice? And (iv) How will this research add to knowledge, practice, and policy in this area?
• Furthermore, the introduction sets the scene and puts the research in context (Bumard, 2004:175).

Review of the literature

• Relevant literature should be cited that demonstrates the need for the research study in such a m anner that it convinces the evaluators or reviewers that the study is worthwhile. “Literature consists of all written sources relevant to the topic you have selected” [or the phenomenon under investigation] (Bums & Grove, 2005:93).
• It is often a challenge to include all relevant or most supportive literature as data, knowledge and information availability expand daily in the digitally enhanced knowledge environment, doubling every eighteen months in 2008.
• It is therefore suggested that the researcher critique previous research, and demonstrates how the present study will clarify or compensate for shortcomings in previous research and how the study will add to the existing body of knowledge.
• The literature review provides a theoretical context for the study, but is not a conceptual framework, as it does not drive the study or provide an outline for the analysis (Morse & Field, 1996: 41).
• Apart from simply offering an account of the research that has been carried out previously, the author should describe how he or she searched the literature.
• This involves describing the computer search engines used and the keywords entered into those engines (Bumard. 2004:175). For example: “Searches were performed using the following resources: Nexus database, South African journal”.
• The literature review is not necessarily a separate heading, as it could be integrated in the introduction, providing a ratio nale for the planned study

Research purpose and objectives

• The research purpose (or goal, or aim) gives a broad indication of what the

researcher wishes to achieve in the research.

• The research purpose is a concise, clear statement of the specific goal of the

study (Bums & Grove, 2005: 71).

• The purpose usually indicates the type of study to be conducted, i.e. identify,

describe, explain, or predict.

Research purpose and objectives (example)

• “The aim o f this research is to develop best practice guidelines for counselling for HIV testing during pregnancy.
• This aim is achieved by means o f the following objectives:
• • To explore and describe the factors that influence pregnant women s decision to be tested for HIV in selected antenatal clinics in the North West Province;
• • To explore and describe the factors that influence the counselling for HIV testing during pregnancy according to counsellors who practice in selected antenatal clinics in the North West Province;
• • To describe the current practices regarding counselling for HIV testing during pregnancy in selected clinics in the North West Province; and
• • To describe the evidence regarding counselling for HIV testing during pregnancy by means of systematic review

Research design

• Qualitative studies are always contextual, as the data is only valid in a specific

context.

• The researcher can then follow with a short description of each component.
• In the description of a contextual study it is important to include a

description of the context or setting in which the research will be conducted.

Also explain why this setting was chosen.

Research method

• The research design will influence your decisions about research methods.
• Research Method includes the steps of population and sample, data

collection, ensuring rigor and data analysis