Comparing The Writing Styles, Data Collection And Analysis Process Example For Students

Comparing The Writing Styles, Data Collection And Analysis Process Outline1 Introduction2 Summary of research designs3 The role of the researcher4 The purpose and role of literature5 Data collection and analysis6 Analysis of writing styles7 Conclusion Introduction In order to understand human experiences, qualitative researchers ask how and why as opposed to how much or how many. Inasmuch as there are so many diverse types of people, groups, and organizations to investigate, there are varied methods as to which a researcher might use to learn about them. The purpose of this paper is to provide a general overview of five research designs and to compare and contrast the writing styles, data collection and analysis process, as well as the role of a researcher, of each research method. Summary of research designs Narrative research is rooted in the study of stories told by participants about specific events, or a series of events. This type of study focuses on one individual, sometimes two and relies mostly on interviews as the method for collecting data (Creswell, 2013). There are many types of narratives, some dating back to the beginning of civilization. These approaches include: a life history, an oral history, biographical study, and an autoethnography (Creswell, 2013). Phenomenology Research focuses on shared experiences of participants as it relates to a specified phenomenon. Researchers listen to the stories of participants, grouping material, identify themes, and analyzing that data to make inferences about the phenomenon (Campbell, 2011). There are two major types of phenomenological research: hermeneutic and transcendental (Creswell, 2013). Hermeneutic phenomenology refers to the interpreting of texts of lived experiences. This concept can be summed up as â€Å"understanding human action in context† (Willis, 2007, p.104). Throughout this type of study, researchers will look for themes. Transcendental phenomenology, however, does not necessarily focus on the interpretation, but more on descriptions presented by participants (Creswell, 2013). Grounded Theory is a method of qualitative research that has its roots in sociology and is used by many researchers in the fields of social sciences, including education. This method focuses on the development of a theory based on the actions or process of a group of people. There are two distinct schools of thought in how the process should occur: systematically, or more of a constructivist approach. Either approach, data is collected by interviewing participants, generally 20-60, and then the data is analyzed by a series of coding processes: open, axial, and selective. When all is said and done, the researcher will have developed a theory (Creswell, 2013). Ethnography research has its roots in early 20th-century cultural anthropology, but has since expanded to more diverse fields of study. An ethnography details a group of people that share a culture. Most studies involve large groups of people (however, not a requirement), over a long period of time. Data are collected by extensive observations, even to the point of researcher immersion. The published study will include extensive details about patterns of values, behavior, and language of the shared-culture group. Beyond reporting the details, the research will make inferences regarding the behaviors and interactions of the group members (Creswell, 2013). The study of ethnography is so vast that it has its own academic journal. Published by SAGE Journals, Ethnography is a peer reviewed journal that provides ethnographic findings, theories, and critiques (SAGE 2016) . Made popular by famous psychologists, case studies involve the intentional study of real-life, current contexts, over a set amount of time and the collection of in-depth data including interviews, observations, and documents (Creswell, 2013). This focus of the case could be based on an individual, small group, or an organization, depending on the research question. The role of the researcher In all methods of qualitative research, the researcher’s personal experiences, biases, and prejudices must be addresses. Even their personality may affect the outcome of the results. So it is critical that the researcher use sound data to ensure quality of the research process and valid results (McCusker Gunaydin, 2015). In each method of design, the researcher spends a great deal of time interviewing participants, and sometimes, immersing themselves in the lives of the participants. There are, however, some distinct differences between the different design methods. Narrative: the researcher, as in any method, plays the important role of a listener. In this case, however, the researcher pays attention to details that are sometimes overlooked in other methods, such as the pacing and rhythm in which the participates tells their story. Also, the researcher will generally not interrupt the speaker with question as is often the case in other design methods (Sandelowski, 1991). Phenomenonology: in this type of study, the researcher must bracket themselves in order to remove an possibility of bias, assumptions, or prejudices based on personal experiences with the subject matter (Thompson, 2016). Essay Development ProcessEthnographic studies examine a shared culture through the analysis of behavior, language, and interactions of participants. The data collection is gathered through thorough fieldwork and consists of interviews and artifacts (Creswell 2013). The researcher must report the data exactly as the participant shares it, but must analyze it scientifically. The notes are intensely specific, consisting of what was said, descriptions of the participants as they are speaking, rituals, time, and symbols (Kuttner Threlkeld). Case Study data collection includes interviews, observations, documents and audiovisual materials. Analysis includes a detailed description of the case, examining themes and placing them in chronological order (Creswell, 2013). Depending on the goal of the research, the study can include a holistic examination of the data or it can include an analysis of subcategories within the case, which is called embedded analysis (Yin, 2009). Analysis of writing styles Narrative studies are written by a method called â€Å"restorying† in which the researcher listens to and observes participants, as well as examines artifacts and documents, in order to gather key ideas. The researcher will then arrange the details so that the narrative unfolds chronologically. In fact, narratives often follow the plot structure of a novel with an introduction, climax, conflict and so on. It would also include useful information regarding setting, characters and themes. There is however, some debate as to whether a narrative analysis should be written as a narrative itself. Ultimately, it depends on the intended audience (Clandinin Connelly, 2000). Phenomenological studies are written once themes emerge. The researcher uses the themes to compose a description of the phenomenon, based on the data collected from the participants. The description is intended to illuminate common experiences so that the audience has a better understanding of what the participants have experienced (Creswell, 2013). In a grounded theory approach, the researcher will write more than a description or narrative, but move on to the next step and actually develop a written theory, explaining a process or action (Creswell, 2013). Ethnographies are written so that the end result is a better understanding of culture; and sometimes the researcher will study groups that have been marginalized by society in order to effect positive change (Creswell, 2013). They are generally written in narrative form, with a thematic analysis, and conclude with a description of how the system within the culture works (Fetterman, 2010). Case studies chronicle relevant events, include a thematic analysis, and an interpretation of the meaning of the case. Oftentimes, the researcher reveals a lesson learned based on the case (Creswell, 2013). Conclusion After looking at the myriad of methods and processes a researcher must consider when developing a research plan, there is no clear formula to determine which is right. It is best to consider the purpose and audience and let those factors dictate which method is best.