Formulate a Strategy for Data Collection

Qualitative Research Procedures and Participant Selection

On the research methodology and design, you must determine the appropriate data collection methods to use. For example, if you are conducting a phenomenological study, you are likely to visit with participants individually for a prolonged period of time, or perhaps multiple times as well. You will collect narrative and observational data, along with other evidence to ensure immersion in each participant’s world. Another example would be an ethnographic study of an indigenous group or tribe; in this example, you might have to become embedded with the group, participate in group activities or rituals, and make clear observations of events and interactions.

In Week 1, you developed a pair of research questions for which you now must collect data to generate answers. This week’s resources contain explanations on how this could be accomplished. Research is designed to answer questions related to a real-world problem or an issue of theoretical relevance. The goal is to generate answers to research questions that are convincing and demonstrate the effective use of the scientific method by the researcher. Regardless of the method or design, all research should be highly structured, highly modulated, precise, and focused. Your research design is the plan that you will use to carry out your investigation: how will you select participants, what interventions will you choose to make, what are you measuring, and how will you approach questions? Fundamentally, your research design limits the plausible interpretations of the outcome of the events.

Data collection conversations, such as interviews and focus group discussions, should be recorded for optimal capturing and transcription of the data. Voice recording applications such as internet meeting platform recorders, cell phone recorders, thumb drive recorders, or even cassette recorders can be used to record the data collection conversations. You will need to obtain the participants’ authorization in writing to record the data collection conversations. This could be a part of the informed consent process.

In your dissertation, you will have to write succinctly and clearly to demonstrate your data collection plan. Some sage advice—write this part of your research plan like a recipe:

(a) define and describe the ingredients,

(b) explain how the ingredients should be combined or manipulated for optimal effect, and

(c) richly justify the expected outcome.

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