Similarities and Differences Between Case Studies and Phenomenological Research - Assignment Example

Work Questions Number Faculty Work Questions Q1. Similarities and differences between case studies and phenomenological research A phenomenological research describes various individuals meaning of their experiences they have lived off a phenomenon or concept. The Case study is a research involving the study of an idea done through more than one cases in a bounded setting (Brennen, 2013). Similarities Case studies and phenomenological research have a standard primary process of researching, which begins with the research problem. After research problem, the question follows, and the other parts of data, which will be followed by analysis of data and finally the report of the research comes later. These methods of study use similar data collection approach. This research includes the interviews, observations, audiovisual materials and documents (Vagle, 2008). Differences There are fundamental variations of between the two methods of research. They first differ in what they are indented to present. They again differ in their interdisciplinary backgrounds, and they can be applied in an area of study (Brennen, 2013). The two research methods they also have a similar approach in the sense of using interviews, where they have an in-depth study of the idea. Some of the key differences are as illustrated below. Characteristics Phenomenology Case study Focus It focuses on the essence understanding of the experience It focuses on an in-depth development of the description and analyzing one or more cases of study The problem type which is best suited to the design It is suited to situations which need to essence description of a phenomenon which existed It is suited to cases which require an in-depth case or cases understanding Disciplinary background It deals with drawing from psychology, education, and philosophy. It deals with the drawing from the political science, law, and medicine. Analysis unit It deals with studying many individuals who shared a common experience some time back It deals with analyzing the program, an event, and many individuals that more than one. Q2. Differences of grounded theory research from other forms of qualitative research Grounded theory moves beyond the description and discovers or generates a theory and an abstract of the analytical scheme of the whole process. The theory does not come out of the shelf, but it is produced as compared to other research methods. The method involves the development of theory grounded in the data, which is obtained from the field. The other methods of research do not require the data collection from the field. This method of study requires the grounding of the views of every participant. The study is suited to the sociology approach of any discipline (Klenke, 2008). The research begins with the study problem identification, where it uses literature models. Research questions of this method are focused on the comprehending the individuals experience. The data analysis in this method of study uses different stages. For the case of open coding, the one who is studying will form the groups of the data, which is to be studied by segmenting it. The other methods of study do not involve this procedure. In the case of axial coding, the one who is, analyzing the data will assemble the data to very new ways after open coding. This step is not found in the other methods of study. In selective coding, the person considering the idea will make a line, which connects the categories. Again, one uses the hypothesis or the proposition, which is specified and predicts the relationships. For other research methods, this procedure is not applicable (Urquhart, 2010).Finally, the person doing research can be able to develop and portray a matrix, which elucidates the historical, social and economic influences. The results from this method of study after data collection and its analysis will give a theory. The other methods of study do not provide a method after finalizing the data analysis. Research design goes hand in hand with the problem statement. Q3. Relationship between the research design and the problem statement chosen The problem statement is the issue, which is found in the literature, practice or theory that triggers the need to study. It summarizes the study’s context and the primary problem, which is sought in the study to address it. It tends to identify the variable and population of the research. Usually, it is stated unambiguously and clearly in either one or two paragraphs. The research paper always starts with the problem statement. The formulation that the design of the research will be gotten from the research problem. A clear research problem and its purpose will dictate and direct the entire project. The elements of the research paper such data collection, data analysis, and recommendation will great depend on the problem statement. The research problem forms the primary question that the researcher wants to work out by performing the research. Thus, for one to come with good research design, it all depends on the problem statement. Thus, the problem statement should be clear to enable the researcher to come up with a good design for doing the study (Alias & Hashim, 2012). The research problem is the center of focus when one is formulating the research questions, which also determines the research design. Sometimes one can start a research and find that the initial problem statement was inappropriate. When this happens, and the one who is studying does not rectify the problem if the project proceeds, it can become annoying (Maxwell, 2013). This aspect may result in less attractive outcomes. Thus, the problem statement is essential the whole formulation of the study. The problem statement will influence the built up of the study. Thus the Q4. The components of a phenomenological study The phenomenological research has various components that have different implications and importance. The first part is the introduction, which gives the proper understanding of the whole concept, which is intended to be done. The introduction provides the proper approach to the research. It is essential to get to understand the whole concept from this first part of the study. The second part is the method used for the studying either a single case or many samples which are selected for study (Maxwell, 2013). The other component is the analysis; this is where researchers will tend to analyze data and be able to give the findings. If data is organized well, the analysis will be very efficient. The other component is the reporting part. The detailed comments, which are made during the study, are reported at this stage. Then the study will have a list of the research sources at the end. Procedures 1. The initial part of the process requires the researcher to identify a research problem to be studied. 2. The study’s interest is identified. 3. The research specifies and recognizes the larger philosophical assumptions. 4. Data is then collected from the experienced individuals; participants are asked broad and general questions. 5. The data is analyzed, and the crucial statements are used to write the description of the qualified persons. 6. From the textual descriptions the person who is doing the study, writes the composite description. Challenges 1. The participants should have at least experienced the all the phenomenon in the question. 2. The participants of the study need to be carefully selected. 3. The personal experiences of a different individual can be hard to implement. Overcoming the challenges To overcome the above challenges the researcher should have a prior assessment of the participants and sort out the ones whom can be able to participate effectively in the study. Where there is a language barrier, the person carrying out the research should get an interpreter (Miller, 2012). Q5. If a researcher wants to investigate then the effect of the 2010 murder of the student at Northern Illinois University, one should use a method, which can be able to get the reliable data effectively. For this study, students, parents and parents the participants of the study. There is also the fact that the same place was a shooting spree in 2008. The study will involve an approach with the can allow reports from different individuals to be gotten, given, in this case, there are students, students and faculty which are participating and have diverse experiences. Again, the method of study should be able to investigate and explain the happenings, which took place some time ago (Giorgi, 2009). The best approach for this study is the phenomenological research method. The process will help in getting the different experiences of various people and will be contrasted to get the actual and the reality of those diverse experiences. This method has some advantages over the other methods. These benefits include; 1. The phenomenological method of study will help understand the human emotions like pain, rejection, caring, concern, powerless, effort and anger. 2. Quantifying the human emotion is impossible; the phenomenological method will give the qualitative proportion of the humans feelings. 3. The method of phenomenological approach is very flexible in the study as compared other methods and most suitable for exploring human experience. 4. This approach of the method of study attempts to uncover the hidden meaning in the phenomenon. 5. The phenomenological research method is critical, rigorous and a systematic way of study. Q6. There are three methods of data collection methods, which include. 1. Interviewing Interviews are fact-finding interactions in a situation where a person asks questions as the other responds. Interviews give researchers a clearer understanding of someone’s experience and background. In considering the kind of information being sought, the interviews may be formal or informal. Informal ones elicit conversations by finding responses, which may give rise to unexpected or unplanned path (Miller, 2012). Structured interviews involve a big deal of scheduling, planning and preparing. It has strict observance of the rules for maintaining objectivity, asking same questions and withholding opinions. Unlike the informal type, where interviewers tend to work tirelessly to establish rapport, the formal interviewers tend not to interpret respond nor modify questions to the interviewee. Formal interviews incorporate tools like questionnaires to collect the required information. From this, the written or oral results from the interviews are accepted. Interviews are used when one wants to get in-depth information on insights, perceptions, or experiences. They can also be used when evaluating personal differences between the interviewees experiences. Again, the interview can be used as a follow-up of the other methods. There are three advantages of using interviews. One can gain context and insight on the topic, gives a chance to the interviewee to describe what is crucial to them,and it is useful when gathering stories and quotes (Keats, 2008). This method is limited by the following ways; prone to interview bias, time-consuming, intrusive to the interviewee. 2. Observation The observation is an intuitive process, which allows persons to collect information of others by viewing their actions. Observer’s role may vary as per the degree of involvement. Information collecting tools can differ according to the gathered data. Informal mechanisms of observing include log entries, field notebooks, and journals. The formal mechanisms of observing include audiotapes, videotapes, rating scales and checklist (Miller, 2012). Observation is used when one wants to guide and identify relationships, when the one wants to feel how people interact. There are other situations when we apply observation, as when the researcher wants are known to the cultural members and when one wants to get the questions to be asked of the participants. There are some advantages of using observation, which include getting access to the culture of the participants, getting the detailed description and give an opportunity to view and participate in unscheduled events. This method has the following limitations; the researcher may not be interested in want is going on in the society. 3. Questionnaires It is used when other forms of data collection are impossible. The questionnaire method is used when resources are limited, when one wants to get data bout beliefs and when is not crucial to protect privacy. It has some advantages, which include getting information from many people within short duration of time, it is practical, can be scientifically analyzed and can be done by any number of people without considering the data reliability or validity. This method has the following limitations; lacks validity, there is no way to measure the truthfulness of the data and the correspondent may forget (Gillham, 2008). Q7. Face to face interviews involves synchronous communication place and time. Because of the synchronous communication, the interviews may capitalize on those advantages of cues. Social cues like intonation, voice and body language of the interviewee can give the research extra information, which can be added the interviewers verbal answer. The researcher may get the wrong impression from the interviewee, for instance if the researcher may be an obstacle to the interviewee and may great disturb the interviewer at the time of the study. The research may behave in a manner to direct the respondent, thus interfering with an accuracy of the study. This method may affect the data collected if anonymity is needed. The researcher may lack enough resources, which include money and time to conduct the interview; this may result in the inadequacy of the study, which affects the research (Fletcher, 2009). The researcher may become emotional while performing face-to-face interview, this will affect the correspondent’s reaction, which affects the information obtained from the study. There is the coverage error, which affects the interviews where there are no many comprehensive sampling lists. Again for the face-to-face interviews, there could failure of disclosing some information by the corresponds. For instance in areas like when one is supposed to give personal details, the researcher presence may affect the correspondent like a case of studying HIV/AIDS, this studies requires confidentiality (Seidman, 2013). To overcome this challenge, there has been the invention of computer-assisted self-interviewing where the correspondence goes through the survey questions over the computer screens. They enter their responses into the computer. The correspondents give more socially undesirable facts, attitudes, and behaviors. Again, for the cases where the researcher may affect the interviewee response, they can conduct the interview via telephone. The telephone interviews also reduce the aspect of interfering with the interview validity. Social cues are substantially avoided by this method. Q8. There is a common misconception on the issue of the sample on sampling the qualitative research that the numbers do not matter a lot in attaining maximum sampling strategy. However, small sizes can be too small to ensure claims of achieving either qualitative inquiry or informational redundancy or may be too large to allow deep, case-oriented study of the qualitative research (Miller, 2012). To determine enough sample size in qualitative research in a matter of experience, and judgment in evaluating the information quality collected for the purpose. Most sample sizes do not fit the qualitative research, which they are intended to perform. The scope and the nature of the researcher will influence the choice of the sample sizes, which will be used. Qualitative researchers typically face a great challenge when choosing their research until it is published. There is no certain way of determining the number of sample sizes in the qualitative research. The following factors affect the sample size in qualitative research. They include scope of the study, quality of data, the number of interviews taken by participants, use of shadowed, study design, qualitative method used and amount of information used. In a survey, the random sampling allows transferability via the principle of the study sample is statistically representative of the bigger population (Seidman, 2013). Thus, the findings can be extrapolated to the same population. The research is supposed to ensure the claims they make are useful at any level. Q9. When the one who is doing the research is a participant in the research, one may affect the results in the following ways. If a male or female researcher have access to many informations as they meet with different setting, people or areas of knowledge, they can be limited to the extent they give results. When a researcher should make sure that he or she comprehends the sexuality, gender, class, ethnicity and any theoretical methods or approach that can affect the observation, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. If the research does not put the above into consideration then results may be affected and give the wrong impression (Maxwell, 2013). Either for the researchers who participate in the study to the it means they are immersed in an unfamiliar culture to research others lives through full-time or member resident, they normally face challenge of some of the participants not being cooperative. This problem affects the results obtained in the study in one way or another. The research also faces the challenge of the new structural characteristics, which may inhibit the total acceptance in the new environment. This study will adversely affect the ultimate results the researcher intended to get from the population. The population where the researcher is conducting the study may fail to give the one considering the trust, which one deserves for effective study. This aspect will affect the quality of information ones is expected to get from the population. There are several of ways, which can be applied to mitigate this problem. They include the researcher should try not to disrupt the normal activity of the society. The researcher should be more or less taking the position of an observer than the participant to get the right information effectively. The research is also should be ethical in his or her undertakings and gain entry to the population in order to get the right information (Duke, 2008). Q10. Triangulation is a method of using more than one way or approach when doing an investigation of a question of research for the purposes of enhancing confidence in the research findings. Most of the social studies are found on the application of a single study method and for that, case may suffer due to limitations, which accompany the method or a particular application of the same. Triangulation offers an enhanced confidence. It is one many rationale used for the multimethod study. The word is derived from the surveying field, and it refers to the application of the multiple numbers of triangles to map onto a particular area (Klenke, 2008). Triangulation is associated with measurements. There are various examples of data triangulations. For instance, there is data triangulation that involves data gathering via a number of sampling strategies and slices the data at various situations and times as well as different varieties of the people. In addition, an investigator triangulation involves many researchers in the field of study to collect and interpret the data. Another form of data triangulation is called the analysis triangulation, which is also referred to as the data analysis triangulation. It uses two or more methods of study to analyze the obtained data. This form of triangulation method analysis data and validates it. This process study data triangulation for both completeness and validation reasons since it can analyze both quantitative and qualitative data (Salkind, 2010). The other triangulation method is methodological which uses more than two in the research of the same phenomenon that is investigated. This type of the research occurs at the level of data collection and research design. This method is commonly used in the field of social sciences. There is the theoretical triangulation, which entails the usage of many theoretical methods of to analyze and interpret data. Q11. Ethical considerations are addressed at societal or individual level. The way a person is affected by the conduct of others warrants moral concern. The risk to cause harm to a person is essential when deciding the type information to reveal and how to show it. Giving the genetic information, it possesses ethical consideration to many individuals like family members. The individual feel that they are vulnerable to the impacts of disclosed information on matters of family relationships and privacy. The individual’s interest is very much related to societal and family interests. There is also the way they society guards their information determines the level of disclosure of the information. The laws and regulations governing the society will hinder some disclosure of some information (Huizer, 2009). To balance ethical considerations, solutions that are more flexible are derived from to help in accommodating the societys interest. The ethical considerations will reflect on the type of the society one may be dealing with. The laws the organization uses will also determine the life the community. From the laws, one can describe the ethos of the society, which expresses the ethics of the society. Thus, standards will demonstrate the imperative considerations that determine the decisions made by the community. In order to minimize ethical considerations, the research should ensure that the entire participants are well informed of the essence of the research (Maxwell, 2013). The researcher should ensure that he or she understands the risk, which may be accompanying research to be taken. There is also an aspect of the researcher to understand the benefit from the study and let the participants know their benefits from the research. The members should be made to feel free in participating in the study. Finally, the participants should not be compelled to give or disclose information but one should seek their consent of participation. Q12. When performing a qualitative research, there are aims and objectives which one wants to fulfill. There are other factors, which determine the type of method to be used for data collection. These factors include time, money, the terrain, the nature of the people where the study is to be done and the degree of the accuracy of the information, which is required. There are four methods of collecting qualitative data (Maxwell, 2013). These methods entail; individual interviews focus groups, and action research. For my case, I would prefer to use the interview as my method of collecting data from the qualitative research. Interviews are more efficient and explore the views and the beliefs of the correspondent to the latter. Interviews will provide deeper of understanding the subject under the study. Interviews are most appropriate in the cases where there is very little information which is known about the research subject. They provide a sufficient amount of information as compared to the other methods of data in the qualitative research. Interviews can be taped and recorded for future use. I also prefer meetings because of their nature of flexibility, which enables one to reschedule the interview to suit convenience. Interviews have other advantages, which trigger my preference. These advantages include. They provide high quality and credible information and face validity as compared to the other methods of data collection. They allow the person is analyzing them to probe for information in order to get the relevant information, and the interviewer interprets the questions to the correspondent to get to understand to give the intended response (Bryman & Burgess, 2010). The interviewer has a chance to apply his or her knowledge, skills or expertise to explore the unexpected and unusual themes or ideas that are raised by participants. Finally, interviews are easier to undertake since they do not require a lot of standardization; the interviewer is the one to decide the scope of the research. 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