Research Topics: Qualitative Research

Comparisons of Qualitative Research Designs

Comparisons of Qualitative Research Designs               Among the five approaches of qualitative research, Mathew has chosen case study while James preferred phenomenology. The two papers relate on the process of how they are going to conduct their respective studies. For Mathew’s paper, there are three activities which include interviews, observations of the participants and document analysis through visiting history records of the research participants. Through such an approach, Mathew purports in investigating in-depth the correlation between a violent environment and cruelty to animals. The research will draw on the experiences of people who have experienced the phenomenon firsthand.   On the other hand, the phenomenological approach of James will be grounded on interviews of the participants. James’ study aims to explore how the criminal justice system and medical profession impact and affect the experience of rape victims leading to secondary trauma. According to Holloway (1997), the basic difference of the two methods is the purpose of data gathering and analysis. For the case study method, it derives data from contextual explanations while the phenomenological approach draws data from experiences of the respondents.   Further, both papers will embrace a contextual analysis of specific contemporary incident or event. Contextual analysis is simply an analysis of a text which could assist in assessing that text within the context of its setting. Through this contextual analysis, it would be plausible for both researches to combine the features of formal analysis such as social, political, economic, philosophical, religious and aesthetic conditions in place at the time and place when the text was created (Behrendt, 2008). In Mathew’s paper, it was emphasised that it will be used in analysing the number of cases while in James’, it was implicitly stated through the written description of the participants’ experiences.     Interview of participants is what is common to both papers. According to Padgett (2008), qualitative interviewing is defined by its intensity and by a researcher-participant relationship. Padgett (2008) describes the effects of qualitative interviewing as ‘unintentional interventions.’ Nonetheless, such effects could be also detrimental for both the researcher and the participant due to the fact that interviews are founded on empathy and trust. In the words of the writer, “qualitative interviews are steeped more often bring therapeutic effects that leave participants gratified at being able to speak their minds and use their own words” (p. 122). As such, the harmful effects of qualitative interviews are more likely to come from ending the relationship rather than from its continuation.   The purpose of Matthew’s research is basically to determine the interplay between growing up in a violent environment and animal cruelty and to provide an in-depth contextual analysis of the phenomena. The paper also purports on building on the responses of firsthand experiences. This study does not intend to generalize the findings but rather implicate the cause and effect relationships. Through an analytical case study, Matthew’s paper also purport in investigating what are the elements of a violent environment which could effective lead to the influences of animal cruelty. As such, the study’s purpose is not only on collating data from respondents but also through structured observation and history records.   Primary and secondary data collection will be both incorporated for the purpose of being able to provide sufficient discussion for the readers. The process will assist them in understanding the issue more as well as those variables that involve with it. There is a need for descriptive survey of the population because it is important in understanding the audience. Descriptive survey is also important in determining the magnitude of the problems, and the cause and effect relationships between variables (Commonwealth of Learning 2000). Semi-structured interview schedule will be developed. Semi-structured interviews could be used in probing the answers of the respondents. Probing can be done when there is the necessity for the interviewees for further explanation or building on the interviewees’ responses.      The literature reviews, on the other hand, which are to be presented in the second chapter of the actual paper, will be regarded as the secondary data. Published articles from journal papers including both online and journal papers sourced in the library as well as different books relating to the subject and magazines and newspaper articles and official statistics will be the secondary sources of the research.     Aside from gathering empirical data, comparative contextual analysis of the literature will be adopted. Comparative contextual analysis refers to the method of comparative research whereby contextual analysis of similarities and differences is possible. Qualitative data analysis will be used to collect relevant themes from the survey and interview responses and categorize them accordingly. From those themes, the study will develop insights regarding the subject.     References   Behrendt, S. C. (2008). Using contextual analysis to evaluate text. Retrieved on 30 January 2009, from http://www.unl.edu/.   Holloway, I. (1997). Basic concepts for qualitative research. Iowa: Iowa State University.   Padgett, D. K. (2008). Qualitative Methods in Social Work. London: Sage Publications.               Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Comparisons of Qualitative Research Designs

Comparisons of Qualitative Research Designs Among the five approaches of qualitative research, Mathew has chosen case study ...

How does growing up as an adolescent in a violent environment make you become cruel to animals? – LAY SUMMARY

How does growing up as an adolescent in a violent environment make you become cruel to animals? – LAY SUMMARY               Newark, New Jersey will be the location of this research specifically South Ward. Newark is the largest and second most diverse cities in New Jersey. People of various descents populate the neighborhoods including African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Italians, Jamaican, Haitians and Ecuadorians among other. Newark is divided into five political wards by which these people generally identify themselves with although there are specific neighborhood names as well. South Ward was chosen because of the fact that among the five wards this ward comprises poor and crime-ridden areas and low income districts. Although hard to admit, the prejudice is that in this kind of violent environment, juvenile delinquencies are observable, making it a suitable location for the study. The gatekeeper for this research is identified as the closest (in proximity) Juvenile Detention Center. New Jersey has 17 juvenile detention centers spread across the state and are being administered by county boards/commissions, county executives/managers and local sheriffs/police chiefs, while few counties share detention center services. It was also reported that approximately 900 male and female juveniles are being held in detention daily (Detention, 2006).   Approval of the juvenile center will be accomplished. It is through the center that names of juvenile will be retrieved. If possible, list of juveniles who commit violent acts against animals will be collected and among this list interview will be conducted. Interviews will include personal questions as well as hypothetical, reflective and probing ones. I will also conduct a focus group interview about the subject and participants will be also taken from the list retrieved from the center. If the center will allow me, I wish to interview the parents of these individuals in order that I could confirm the legitimacy of their claims and also to build up on the responses of the persons I will be interviewing. A representative of the juvenile center will be contacted to assist me with these undertakings while also to avoid personal bias, prejudice and subjectivities that I may directly or indirectly impose. Written documents will be accomplished including participation consent forms of both adolescents and their parents. I will hold responsibility in the entirety of this research which will be conducted at approximately three months to do all the activities.     As originally planned, thematic analysis will be used for interview. Analyzing by theme, this type of analysis is highly inductive as the themes emerge from data and are not imposed by the researcher or evaluator. Background reading can form part of the analysis process. Thematic analysis is always accompanied by comparative analysis. For the qualitative analysis of the responses, content analysis will be used, a process which is more mechanical where analysis takes places after data has been collected. In this evaluation, there are two approaches to content analysis as the questionnaire will include open-ended questions. The first is through preparing a list of categories and the second is letting the categories emerge from the data, enabling the researcher and/or evaluator to quantify the responses (Boyatzis, 1998, p. 25). In the latter part of the research, decision analysis method will be implemented with the help of the juvenile center. Decision analytic methods are primarily used in health care research towards the development of sound clinical interventions, policies or programs. It is of my best belief that it is in this sense that this research will contribute and benefit the gatekeeper which is to design policies and intervention programmes which are evidence-based, basically.   I will also hold the responsibility of communicating results which I will accomplish in three ways. First is through written reports. The final report will be divided into three sub reports including the program antecedents, program implementation and program results. In addition, summary tables and technical appendix documents will be provided. Prior to final reporting, prerelease reviews of drafts and feedback workshops will be conducted with the help of the juvenile center representative. The final written report will be published in medical journals accessible to users and electronically via putting the findings on a database or dissemination network accessible to both users and other stakeholders. There will be also informal discussions of the findings with relevant stakeholders. Hopefully, the findings can be also reported in local newsletters especially that of the law enforcement in order that more audience will be reached. Through this way, I would be able to convey the message of the necessity of making our environments more livable specifically for the children during their development stage.   The research will abide by the regulations outlined in the University’s ethical approval process as well as those will be imposed by the gatekeeper which is the juvenile detention center. Ethics approval will be sought for all interview questions that I will be using for the respondents. The research will include primary data but will not include any personal information on individuals. The respondents of the survey will be able to choose whether to identify themselves or remain anonymous. Before doing interviews, I will check them with my instructor and the center representative and before getting interviews recorded, I will ensure if it is acceptable by person to be interviewed. Participation consent forms and interview consent forms will be also accomplished. I will ensure that the data will be kept confidentially. I will establish with the data providers the use of my data and will ask their permission in case of publishing data. Further, care should always be given so that the interviewees can be comfortable and is in an excellent condition when doing an interview. As a researcher, my prime role is to make the respondent feel at ease during the interview, refraining from pestering him/her with regards to answers. The interviewer must also see to it that confidentiality is fostered between the researcher and the respondent. I will make save the findings of the research in Thumbnail retrievable only by me and my instructor and after 6 months all materials will be destroyed.   References Boyatzis, R. E. (1998). Transforming Qualitative Information: Thematic Analysis and Code Development. UK: Sage Publications, Inc.   Detention. (2006). State Juvenile Justice Profiles (SJJP). National Center for Juvenile Justice. Pittsburgh, PA: NCJJ. Retrieved on 20 January 2009, from http://www.ncjj.org/stateprofiles/profiles/NJ06.asp. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

How does growing up as an adolescent in a violent environment make you become cruel to animals? – LAY SUMMARY

How does growing up as an adolescent in a violent environment make you become cruel to animals? – LAY SUMMARY Newark, Ne...

Qualitative Data Analysis

Group Activity In this study, much has been realized and learned by our group in terms of analysing transcripts. Right from the beginning we have learned the value of perseverance in order to achieve the goal of out activity.   As this activity considered the qualitative analysis, specifically the analysis of transcripts, we have learned on how to identify the most important and essential data that can be included in the study and we are able to develop coding to make sure that the analysis adheres to the goal of the study. As this study employed the qualitative technique, we have learned how to be keener and observant on the data to be analysed. We have developed a framework that we can use to interpret the collated data.  Our group members have gain the necessary information that had made the activity successful.    The approach used by the group for this study also helped us to become more open for adjustment and refinement of ideas as an inquiry proceeds.   Through this, we are able to consider idiographic descriptions and emergent themes rather than on categorical frameworks and very specific hypothesis.  Moreover, we also learned how to gather pertinent data from various sources, specifically for the secondary data, analysed it through decoding and interpret it for the purpose of the activity.  Through this transcript analysis, we are able to select our coding methodology and design our data analysis in line with the research questions. We are able to choose our codigin approach, that is, the coding identical transcripts. Herein, we are able to decode the given data individually them made a comparison and reliability analysis to ensure that the objective are being followed and achieved. It is said that through this, we are able to determine what will be best for our data analysis. Individual Activity During the research work, I learned that qualitative method suggests a more realistic feeling of the setting of the study which cannot be acquired solely from numerical data and statistical analysis in quantitative approach.  I also learned that qualitative research permits flexibility in accomplishing data gathering, data analysis, and interpretation of collated date information. Accordingly, qualitative method permits the researcher to present and show the phenomenon being analysed in a more holistic manner. Also, this method enables the social interaction with the research participants using their own language and terms. The used of qualitative approach by the researcher it enhanced descriptive capability using unstructured and primary data.  One of the important factors to be considered in choosing qualitative research when answering a research question is the information or data to be used, which should be pertinent and also the decoding approach for transcripts.  In addition, another important factor to consider is the use of the themes and the consideration if the researcher would use his own point of view for answering the question or the consideration of comparison of the idea and view of other people.   Based on the given strengths and advantages of qualitative approach, it can be said that there are factors in qualitative approach which are very important and there are other factors which make it inferior from quantitative approach. It is said that qualitative approach can be inferior from quantitative in a way that bias of ideas are more exposed in qualitative which have greater influence on the analysis and interpretation of the data affecting the result of the study. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Qualitative Data Analysis

Group Activity In this study, much has been realized and learned by our group in terms of analysing transcripts. Right from the beginn...

Purposive Sampling Essay

PURPOSIVE SAMPLING         Purposive sampling and qualitative research is synonymous or interrelated; if you are going to conduct a purposive sampling you may want to identify first your objective of how and why are you doing this sampling so that the target audience can easily be gathered while you are still planning to do the research to qualify a successful research sampling. Plan about your questionnaire, will it be interesting or long winding think about how it should attract attention and how it will not bored them and if they will your sampling may not be successful but you will simply be wasting your opportunity.        Basically this is not just a marketing or advertising practice or program but it can also be associated in the activity of students conducting a purposive sampling and that is how it is related to qualitative research education. Purposive sampling may include any or a combination of the following sampling strategic approach that the student may need to learn to be successful in their project. The examples below are some often used purposive sampling method but there are more methods that you can use depending on students requirement in educational research.         Criterion sampling – May require an audience criteria to be included in the research, for example if they are going to research about the Child labor in Nigeria. They may need to chose only children who already exposed to a child labor case and children who are going to school and have a normal life are all excluded.       Intensity sampling – Is definitely a good purposive sampling method that may include range of severity of topics for example is a child in elementary class statistic of who gets the average grade, who gets the poor grade and who are the honor students in the class or in their school year by level. They may also be ranked according to academic subject or course.           Extreme or Deviant sampling – A learning method that requires an extreme methodology or research and awareness about facts and people, student will learn from unusual interest,  example are the most devastating effect of climate change, or the strongest people in the world, the most unusual job in the universe etc.       Typical sampling – This is just an illustration of typical and usual case study or research and nothing unusual. Examples are; Student hobby, Family lifestyle, Best medical practices or a popular sport in a certain country and others.         Maximum variation sampling – This sampling methods requires a purposeful variation of interest and a wide topic and more research method is involved. Example is the people of Antarctica and their living pattern. As you can see from the title alone show the variation and diversity of topics.           Critical case sampling – This kind of sampling requires an evident and expert view of the subject matter and their pertinent data must be the result of experimentation and actual manifestation of the topics involve. Example is what kind of insect can withstand life longer without food, or which animal is stronger.       Disconfirming or negative case sampling – This kind of sampling requires the researcher to extend their research to draw back or re-analyze the subject matter to re invent another theory of research to prove that it may change from its behavior. Most of the time this kind of sampling may come from failure stories to give an opportunity to depend their status. Example is the dowry in India that kills women, or the negative treatment of guardians and parents from their children in New Zealand.             Expert sampling – Much safer than critical sampling this kind of sampling is already proven to research and interview personality who have already marked an existence in their expertise. Therefore they need to find an expert in their field to open new doors of opportunity to the audience who may learn their advice.       Opportunistic sampling – This may be taking an opportunity of unexpected events or people to be interviewed. Or a follow up that is not scheduled and basically taking responsibility to things that are coming their way in a flexible manner.       Convenience sampling – Is basically the easiest way to research and interview. This kind of sampling can save time and money and students can start in modesty. Example; they will interview any ten people on the streets or researcher is allowed to interview any students from Hackle Berry streets.       Chain sampling – This kind of sampling commonly addresses relevant issues that people can identify and refer another qualified people of the same interest; they can give richer information and when they do, the new person can also give more information till it become a chain of information. Example is the people on the mountain can give information about where they  live and when they goes there another people will tell their lifestyle and so on.               Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Purposive Sampling Essay

PURPOSIVE SAMPLING Purposive sampling and qualitative research is synonymous or interrelated; if you are going to conduct a purp...

Animal Cruelty and Human Violence: A Qualitative Study

Advanced Methods in Research Animal Cruelty and Human Violence How does exposure to physical abuse as an African-American young male induces them to become adult offenders of animal cruelty? 1. Introduction to the problem             This paper will present an overview of the study of how exposure to physical abuse could eventually lead to becoming adult offender of inflicting various forms of cruelty to animals. The research will particularly focus on African-American young male.  Establishing the causality of exposure of physical abuse with adult offending of animal cruelty among young African-American male is the main purpose of this research. Interviews, structured observation and document analysis are the methodologies that the researcher will employ to arrive at the in-depth investigation on the relationship between the two variables. Through this study, it is hope that the prevalence of physical abuse and adult offending as animal cruelty could be address and how these issues impact criminal justice.             In finding out how exposure to physical abuse could likely to result in adult offending like animal cruelty. Physical abuse will be defined in this context as an abuse that involves contact that is intended to cause feelings of intimidation, pain, injury and physical suffering and/or harm.  Animal cruelty, on the other hand, is the intentional infliction of suffering and/or harm to animals as an end in and of itself. There is the existence of a recurrent problem that is the influence of exposure to physical abuse that could cultivate pessimistic and unconstructive outlooks leading to inflicting animal cruelty. Criminality of these young males in the future will definitely cause changes in criminal justice systems thus it is a requirement to address the issue now prior to making the problem more severe. With this, in what ways and to what extent does exposure to physical abuse influences acts of animal cruelty. It would be also important to determine the specific behaviors that will be developed because of iterative exposure to physical abuse. Whether animal cruelty reflects a practice of future offending among young African-American male is not known. Thus, it would be also critical to know how these young males perceive their acts. Lastly, how does local police force and court address the issue and what are they doing in behalf of the offenders. Whether young males committing animal cruelty are treated as victims or perpetrators or both will be also determined. This research will be significant to better understand the interplay between the experiences of witnessing physical abuse and animal cruelty. Promoting awareness of the relationship between the two could simply alert the criminal justice practitioners as animal cruelty could be regarded as an indicator of aggressive behaviors that could likely result in serious offending in the future. Aside from future criminality, the behavioral manifestations of violence and aggressiveness of young African-American male could be also established through this study. Maximizing literatures about physical abuse and animal cruelty is central to this research especially that upon the completion of the course, I will assume a role in the criminal justice practice. 2. Background of the problem/topic             Because animal cruelty is perceived to be a sign of future interpersonal violence, cruelty to animals is considered a dangerous psychopathology. Inflicting pain or hurt to animals is a channel by which young males, in particular, perform to release own painful or hurtful feelings brought by various levels of exposure to physical abuse. Animal cruelty, usually of pets, occurs in places such as in homes and in neighborhoods where physical abuse is prevalent. The problem is that the prevalence of animal cruelty is not treated seriously although there are previous researches that there is a strong correlation between exposure to violence and animal cruelty. However, it is not yet known in what specific ways exposure to physical abuse could lead to animal cruelty. The confluence between the two as taken from the perspectives of the young African-American males is the main theme of the research. The effects of repetitive witnessing of physical abuse leading to cruelty to animals as an element of externalizing problems as experienced will be discussed in the actual study. A framework will be developed in three overlapping elements: exposure to physical abuse, animal cruelty and implications to criminal justice practice. This framework will also reflect how the study will be conducted which will start from investigating the exposure to various forms of physical abuse. Next, how such an exposure led to animal cruelty will be the second phase. A separate yet distinct investigation is the implications of exposure to physical abuse and animal cruelty to criminal justice practice will be the third phase. The first two parts will involve the participation of young African-American males who will be interviewed and observed while the last part will involve interviews of criminal justice practitioners. Figure 1 Framework of the Study Various studies that were conducted since the 1980s reflect the fact that the myriad of problems relating to exposure to physical abuse and animal cruelty as a resultant was a problem already and the very same problem still exists today. Characteristics of physical abuse are not known particularly those leading to adult offending with animal cruelty as the most common. Determining the factors leading to animal cruelty which stems from exposure to physical abuse could lead to long term objectives of reducing the number of future criminals by means of treating animal cruelty as an indicator. There is the necessity then of investigating and analyzing exposure to physical abuse and animal cruelty as an adult offense. Physical abuse often has negative and short long term effects to children which are manifested through inflicting cruel acts to animals. Animal cruelty therefore is abuse-related. As objects, animals are abused signifiers of violence between humans. There are two main rationales as to why children commit animal cruelty. The first focuses on the psychological and sociological characteristics of children or assaultive children, that is, who assault animals and the other on the developmental relationship between the abuse of animals by children and adolescents and, subsequently, their eventual maturation into violent adults. Animal cruelty is now included in the description of conduct disorder. Assaultive children appear to be overwhelmingly young, male, and of normal intelligence and are themselves often physically abused at home. Assaultive children often live in a family situation of spouse abuse. Other researches focus on the relationship between the abuse of animals in childhood and adolescence, on the one hand, and the concurrent and/or consequent development of antisocial, aggressive, or criminal tendencies among adults on the other. Particular focus should be given on young African-American males. African American families are more frequently expose to violence and many forms of abuse compared to other minority groups such as Caucasians. Child physical abuse and neglect, for instance, were evident in poor, less educated African-American families. National survey of children and adolescents estimated physical rates for African-American families that is slightly higher above those Caucasian families. Family victimization level for African-American children is also six times higher than national prevalence estimates. African-American parents also make use of belts, cords, straps and switches to punch their children. Further, partner abuse is also apparent in African-American family settings. African-American women are 1.23 times were more likely to experience abuse that Caucasian women and more than twice as likely to be victims of severe violence (Lutzker, 2008). Animal abuse is a signifier of violence between humans as animals represent as objects that signify the presence of a psychologistic defect of human character particularly for children who can be considered as assaultive (Bierne, 2003). Further, the relationship between the abuse of animals in childhood and adolescence, on the one hand, and the concurrent and/or consequent development of antisocial, aggressive, or criminal tendencies among adults on the other is common that it cannot be ignored (Ascione, 1993). Established patterns of behavior in the adolescents are developed in their childhood which is greatly influenced by the immediate environment. Violence towards animals tends to exist when there is violence particularly toward children. The vortex of violence almost always points to the fact that cruelty to animals is a sign that the child or the adolescent has been exposed to violence or abuse (Boat, 1995). More often than not animal abuse is linked to domestic violence (Faver and Strand, 2003). Assaultive children often live in a family situation where abuse is apparent although the frequency is not known (as cited in Bierne, 2003). Thereby, there is a developmental relationship between the abuse of animals, extent of violence exposure and eventual maturation into violent adults. Animal cruelty is also now associated with multiple personality and dissociative disorders. Nevertheless, what makes analysis difficult is the fact that the question of why some children assault animals has not yet been subjected to sociological analysis. In what ways and to what extent does growing in a violent environment makes an adolescent cruel to animals is not known. This is particularly true in the criminological discourse wherein animal cruelty brought by precedent exposure of violence receives little attention. Beirne (2003) acknowledge this fact by stating that scholarly studies of animal abuse remain virtually non-existent and that the topic is completely ignored in criminology textbooks. Miller and Knutson (1997) found out that prisoners have been exposed to animal cruelty as children and it is a prevalent behavior in sexual murderers as well (Ressler et al, 1986). As such, it is worth stressing that animal abuse enters criminological discourse here as a signifier of violence between humans (Bierne, 2003). Precisely because animals remain inadequately theorized in criminology, there is a necessity to determine how animal cruelty and physical abuse could lead to interhuman violence. The causations will be determined in three aspects, the first being the linkage between exposure to physical abuse and animal cruelty among young African-American males. Animal cruelty is symptomatic of a violent personality that was honed due to repetitive exposure to physical abuse. However, conduct disorder of children leading to animal cruelty is increasingly becoming common and the pattern is alarming. Second, the same violent practice witnessed by the young African-American males could be the main reason for inflicting cruel acts to animals. This could be considered as antisocial personality disorders which lead to the development of aggressive behaviors. Third, animal cruelty is embedded on both family and child factors. Animal abuse is often coupled with discovery of human abuse. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Animal Cruelty and Human Violence: A Qualitative Study

Advanced Methods in Research Animal Cruelty and Human Violence How does exposure to physical abuse as an African-American young male i...

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