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FYA

Qualitative methods


A very quick introduction to qualitative research. Covers basic types of qualitative methods, and when to use qualitative methods. For a longer introduction, visit MB 870, a PhD course on qualitative methods.

 

It should be noted "qualitative" (and its contrast term, "quantitative") can be applied to both data and analysis. There are both qualitative and quantitative data, and there are both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, and the two can be mixed and matched. Also, the distinction between quantitative and qualitative methods is fuzzy. Pretty much all quantitative work includes a great deal of qualitative inference and interpretation.

 

Topics

  • Ethnography and participant observation

  • Text analysis: (a) Grounded theory and (b) Content analysis

  • Coding & measurement

Handouts

Articles & Books

  • James Spradley. The Ethnographic Interview. Harcourt Brace Jovanovitch College Publishers. 0-03-044496-9 (whole book)
  • Krippendorf, K. 1980. Content Analysis: An Introduction to its Methodology. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications. (entire book) -- oops, forgot to put this on the syllabus as a required book. so won't hold you to reading this
  • Strauss & Corbin. Basics of Qualitative Research. Sage.

Links

 

Optional

  • Gersick, Bartunek & Dutton. 2000. Learning from Academia: The importance of relationships in professional life. Academy of Management Journal 43(6): 1026-1044. [^pdf]
  • Jang, H. & G.A. Barnett, "Cultural Differences in Organizational Communication: A Semantic Network Analysis," Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique, 44, 31-59, 1994 [PDF] {simple illustration of one kind of content analysis}
  • Sutton, R.I. and A. Rafaeli. 1988. "Untangling the relationship between displayed emotions and organizational sales: The case of convenience stores." Academy of Management Journal. 31(3):461-487. [pdf{useful cautionary tale about what happens when you don't do your ethnographic homework}
  • Jehn, Karen "Ettie". 1997. A qualitative analysis of conflict types and dimensions in organizational groups. Administrative Science Quarterly 42: 530-557. [^pdf]
  • Reynolds, P.C. (1991). "Bloody Stumps." Chapter from Stealing Fire:  The Atomic Bomb as Symbolic Body. Palo Alto, CA: Iconic  Anthropology Press. [pdf] {fine example of really bad qualitative research}

 


Send mail to sborgatti@uky.edu with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2008 by Steve Borgatti. Last modified: 09/10/09

 

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