J Grad Med Educ. 2015 Dec; 7(4): 669–670. Editor's Note: The online version of this article contains a list of further reading resources and the authors' professional information.
The ChallengeEducators often pose questions about qualitative research. For example, a program director might say: “I collect data from my residents about their learning experiences in a new longitudinal clinical rotation. If I want to know about their learning experiences, should I use qualitative methods? I have been told that there are many approaches from which to choose. Someone suggested that I use grounded theory, but how do I know this is the best approach? Are there others?” What Is KnownQualitative research is the systematic inquiry into social phenomena in natural settings. These phenomena can include, but are not limited to, how people experience aspects of their lives, how individuals and/or groups behave, how organizations function, and how interactions shape relationships. In qualitative research, the researcher is the main data collection instrument. The researcher examines why events occur, what happens, and what those events mean to the participants studied.1,2 Qualitative research starts from a fundamentally different set of beliefs—or paradigms—than those that underpin quantitative research. Quantitative research is based on positivist beliefs that there is a singular reality that can be discovered with the appropriate experimental methods. Post-positivist researchers agree with the positivist paradigm, but believe that environmental and individual differences, such as the learning culture or the learners' capacity to learn, influence this reality, and that these differences are important. Constructivist researchers believe that there is no single reality, but that the researcher elicits participants' views of reality.3 Qualitative research generally draws on post-positivist or constructivist beliefs. Qualitative scholars develop their work from these beliefs—usually post-positivist or constructivist—using different approaches to conduct their research. In this Rip Out, we describe 3 different qualitative research approaches commonly used in medical education: grounded theory, ethnography, and phenomenology. Each acts as a pivotal frame that shapes the research question(s), the method(s) of data collection, and how data are analyzed.4,5 Choosing a Qualitative ApproachBefore engaging in any qualitative study, consider how your views about what is possible to study will affect your approach. Then select an appropriate approach within which to work. Alignment between the belief system underpinning the research approach, the research question, and the research approach itself is a prerequisite for rigorous qualitative research. To enhance the understanding of how different approaches frame qualitative research, we use this introductory challenge as an illustrative example. The clinic rotation in a program director's training program was recently redesigned as a longitudinal clinical experience. Resident satisfaction with this rotation improved significantly following implementation of the new longitudinal experience. The program director wants to understand how the changes made in the clinic rotation translated into changes in learning experiences for the residents. Qualitative research can support this program director's efforts. Qualitative research focuses on the events that transpire and on outcomes of those events from the perspectives of those involved. In this case, the program director can use qualitative research to understand the impact of the new clinic rotation on the learning experiences of residents. The next step is to decide which approach to use as a frame for the study. The table lists the purpose of 3 commonly used approaches to frame qualitative research. For each frame, we provide an example of a research question that could direct the study and delineate what outcomes might be gained by using that particular approach. TABLEMethodology Overview How You Can Start TODAY
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Supplementary MaterialFootnotesThe views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, or the US government. References and Resources for Further Reading1. Bogdan R, Biklen SK. Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theories and Methods. 5th ed. London, UK: Pearson;; 2006. [Google Scholar] 2. Corbin J, Strauss A. Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications;; 2008. eds. [Google Scholar] 3. Bergman E, de Feijter J, Frambach J, Godefrooij M, Slootweg I, Stalmeijer R, et al. AM last page: a guide to research paradigms relevant to medical education. Acad Med. 2012;87(4):545. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 4. Howell KE. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Methodology. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications;; 2013. [Google Scholar] 5. Denzin NK, Lincoln YS. The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications;; 2011. eds. [Google Scholar] Articles from Journal of Graduate Medical Education are provided here courtesy of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education What is the importance of choosing an appropriate qualitative research design?A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources. This allows you to draw valid, trustworthy conclusions.
Why is it important to choose an appropriate research design Brainly?Answer: Choose the right study design is the most important decision to make any determining the methodology of any research study . this is important for the way in which the study will be conducted, especially, the sampling and the data analysis study design are different from qualitative and quantitative research.
Why is it necessary to choose a research design defined your answer?The function of a research design is to ensure that the evidence obtained enables you to effectively address the research problem as unambiguously as possible.
Why is it important to choose the appropriate kind of research type in different topics or study?Since your research will dictate the kinds of approaches you follow, it is crucial to choose research methodology to underpin your work and methods you use in order to collect data. The correct choice of methodology in research allows you to collate required information and accomplish the final goals of the study.
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