QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Dr Jo Neale Reader in Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research Addictions Department IOP March 2014.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Dr Jo NealeReader in Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research

Addictions DepartmentIOP

March 2014

Outline

PART 1: What is qualitative research? PART 2: Collecting data for a simple qualitative

interview study PART 3: Coding, analysing & writing up qualitative

interview data

Part 1: What is qualitative research?

What is qualitative research?

Seeks meaning & understanding of particular social phenomena Allows topics to be explored in depth & detail Uses relatively small sample sizes Utilises methods which are flexible & sensitive to social context Enables participants to be open & reflective about their

experiences Focuses on people’s subjective experiences & opinions Recognises that research involves judgements & values Uses theory for understanding & interpreting the social world

Types of qualitative method

Interviews Focus groups Observation Ethnography Biographical methods Analysing documents (e.g. letters, diaries, case notes,

meeting minutes) Analysing images or film

Quantitative v qualitative

Quantitative methods tend to be deductive (seek to test theory or ideas using previously established categories of data)

Qualitative methods tend to be inductive (build insights or theory using categories generated from their own data)

For many years quantitative & qualitative researchers each believed in the superiority of their own approaches

More recently some of the rigid boundaries between quantitative & qualitative researchers have begun to relax

Increasing acceptance of, & enthusiasm for, mixed methods research

Research stages

Choose a topic Review the literature Refine the research question(s)/ aim(s)/ objective(s) Design the study (write a proposal/ protocol) Prepare any fieldwork & secure all of the necessary

ethics & governance approvals Conduct the research Organise & analyse the data Write up & disseminate the findings

Developing a qualitative research question

1. A broad topic area2. A clear research problem3. A focused research question OR study aims & objectives

Read/ review the literature Reflect Brainstorm ideas Discuss Utilise theory Be realistic & narrow it down

Good research questions

Interesting Relevant/ important Feasible Ethical Concise/ clearly delineated Answerable

Green in Gilbert (ed.) 2008

Examples of qualitative studies

‘Drug users’ views & experiences of community pharmacy services’

‘Experiences of non-fatal drug overdose’ ‘Good practice towards homeless drug users’ ‘Recreational drug driving’ ‘Drug user involvement in treatment decision-making’ ‘Barriers to the effective treatment of injecting drug users’ ‘The everyday lives of recovering heroin users’ ‘Delivering online treatment to homeless drug users living in

hostels’ ‘Mapping relationships in emergency hostels & night shelters

to improve resettlement & treatment outcomes’

Questions

Part 2: Collecting data for a simple qualitative interview study

What is a qualitative interview?

Very common method of data collection in qualitative research Aka: ‘depth interviews’, ‘in-depth interviews’, ‘open-ended

interviews’, ‘informal interviews’, ‘semi-structured interviews’ Verbal interaction between a researcher & an interviewee

(participant, respondent, informant) Aims to shed light on the research topic or question from the

viewpoint of an expert ‘insider’ Commonly conducted face-to-face, but can be conducted by

telephone, email or video Format tends to be described as unstructured or semi-structured

Strengths of qualitative interview studies

Produces detailed contextual information Prioritises the participant’s perspective Good for investigating topics about which relatively little is known Valuable when researching sensitive issues & complex

behaviours

Weaknesses of qualitative interview studies

The subjective nature of in-depth interviewing makes it susceptible to criticisms of bias

In-depth interviewing can be extremely time-consuming to undertake

It is very easy for the inexperienced & unskilled researcher to conduct a very poor in-depth interview

Researchers can struggle to know how to analyse the large quantities of unstructured narrative data that interviewing tends to produce

Preparing for a qualitative interview study

Be clear about the central aims of the study before you start Ensure you have good knowledge of the existing literature Think about who should be interviewed (sampling) & how you

will recruit them Prepare a topic guide (interview schedule) Prepare an information sheet about the study & any necessary

consent forms Secure research approvals (ethics & governance) Think about when & where to interview (including how to dress) Think about safety & well-being Negotiate access to participants Conduct one or two pilot interviews

Exercise

Look carefully at handout 1. It is a topic guide for a study that was conducted a few years ago. The aim of the study was to provide new

information on how to improve injecting drug users’ access to services

Before the interview starts

Check recording equipment Give participant an ID number or code Record time, date & place of interviews, plus any other notable

circumstances Introduce self & study to the interviewee Go through information sheet & consent procedures

During the interview Conduct the interview in a conversational manner Use the interview schedule flexibly so key issues are covered,

but allow the interviewee time to reflect & raise new issues Probe for clarification, depth & detail Communicate interest in, & respect for, the interviewee Listen carefully Interviewee should talk most Never make judgemental comments or gestures Avoid expressing own opinions

Ending the interview

Check whether the interviewee has anything else they want to add

Thank the interviewee & turn off the recorder Avoid rushing off in case the participant wants to talk further Once the interview is completely over & the interviewee has

left, record any private observations, thoughts & feelings

Questions

Part 3: Coding, analysing & writing up qualitative interview data

Data management

Transcribe, anonymise & log

Transcribing (handout 2)

So to start off, would you be able to tell me a bit about your use, about your drug use and um…a bit about your life in general?

Uh…where do you want me to start? From the beginning if you like. I started using drugs like…I started smoking cannabis when I was thirteen

and I gradually moved on to heavier drugs with the crowd I used to hang around with.

Yeah. I jut got deeper and deeper into it. I tried to get help but the only way I got

off it is going to prison. Right. I tried to get maintained and things like that and you have got to wait like

six or seven weeks, you have still got to be using until you get maintained. I don’t want to keep using. I have been trying to stop for ages. I have been taking drugs for…like I have just said since I was thirteen years old.

Coding

Code (index) the transcribed data, usually with a software package (e.g. Nvivo, Atlas/ti, MAXQDA)

Does not analyse the data Helps to sort & order the data Can help to identify emerging themes 4 key stages

1. Devise coding frame, with on-going refinements (handout 3)

2. Upload interview transcripts

3. Tag interview text segments to codes

4. Retrieve text segments/ output/ codings (handout 4)

Analysing

Techniques include: Thematic analysis; Constant comparative method; Analytic

induction; Narrative analysis; Grounded theory; Content analysis; Framework

Common key processes of analysis include: Identifying important phrases, patterns & themes; isolate

emergent patterns, commonalities & differences; look for consistencies in the data; test those consistencies against a formalised body of knowledge in the form of constructs or theories

Be systematic, rigorous & complete

Analysis example

Consistent with Framework (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003) Read & re-read retrieved text segments whilst noting key topics

& themes Start at the top of the retrieved segments for a given code &

work down them line by line Jot down themes as they occur and record interviewee number

& details in square brackets at each occurrence of a theme Note any good quotations (handout 5) Rationalise and re-group headings throughout the process Look for patterns & connections across the emerging themes Seek to engage with broader literature, policy & theory Produce a summary sheet (handout 6)

Publication example

Neale, J., Sheard, L., & Tompkins, C. (2007) ‘Factors that help injecting drug users to access and benefit from services: a qualitative study’, Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 2, 31.http://www.substanceabusepolicy.com/content/pdf/1747-597X-2-31.pdf

Questions & discussion

Examples of published qualitative research

Neale, J., Nettleton, S. and Pickering, L. (2011) ‘What is the role of harm reduction when drug users say they want abstinence?’, International Journal of Drug Policy 22 (3), 189-193.

Neale, J., Nettleton, S., Pickering, L. and Fischer, J. (2012) ‘Eating patterns amongst heroin users: a qualitative study with implications for nutritional interventions’, Addiction 107 (3), 635-641.

Stevenson, C. and Neale, J. (2012) ‘”We did more rough sleeping just to be together”: homeless drug users’ romantic relationships in hostel accommodation’, Drugs: education, prevention and policy 19 (3), 234-243.

Neale, J. and Stevenson, C. (2012) ‘Routine exposure to blood within hostel environments might help to explain elevated levels of hepatitis C amongst homeless drug users: insights from a qualitative study’, International Journal of Drug Policy 23 (3), 248-250.

Neale, J., Nettleton, S. and Pickering, L. (2013) ‘Does recovery-oriented treatment prompt heroin users prematurely into detoxification and abstinence programmes? Qualitative study’, Drug and Alcohol Dependence 127, 163-169.

Neale, J. and Stevenson, C. (2013) ‘A qualitative exploration of the spatial needs of homeless drug users living in hostels and night shelters’, Social Policy and Society 12, 533-546.

Further reading

Creswell, J.W. (2007) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. London: Sage

Gilbert, N. (ed.) (2008) Researching Social Life. London: Sage. Green, J. & Thorogood, N. (2004) Qualitative Methods for Health

Research. London: Sage. Mason, J. (2002) Qualitative Researching (2nd edn). London: Sage. Matthews, B. & Ross, L. (2010) Research Methods: A Practical Guide

for the Social Sciences. Harlow: Longman. Neale, J. (Ed) (2009) Research Methods for Health and Social Care.

Basingstoke: Palgrave. Ritchie, J. & Lewis, J. (eds) (2003) Qualitative Research Practice: A

Guide for Social Science Students and Researchers. London: Sage.