11

Practical Research 1
Quarter 3 – Module 6A:
Characteristics of Qualitative
Research
Practical Research 1 – Grade 11
Quarter 3 – Module 6A: Characteristics of Qualitative Research
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work
of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or
office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit.
Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of
royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this module are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from
their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim
ownership over them.

Published by the Department of Education – Region XI

Regional Director: Evelyn R. Fetalvero, EdD, CESO IV

Assistant Regional Director: Maria Ines C. Asuncion, EdD, CESO V

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Annalynne S. Obis
Editor:
Reviewer: Apple May A. Tañega, Ronnie M. Vales, Bryan L. Cancio
Illustrator:
Layout Artist:
Template Developer: Neil Edward D. Diaz
Management Team:
Reynaldo M. Guillena
Jinky B. Firman,
Marilyn V. Deduyo
Alma C. Cifra
Aris B. Juanillo
Elsie E.Gagabe

Printed in the Philippines by ________________________

Department of Education – Division of Davao City

Office Address: E. Quirino Avenue, Davao City

Telephone: (082) 227 4762
E-mail Address: [email protected]
 11
Practical Research 1
Quarter 3 – Module 6A:
Characteristics of Qualitative
Research
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to
use this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress
while allowing them to manage their own learning at home.
Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as
they do the tasks included in the module.

For the learner:

As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own
learning. Take time to read, understand, and perform the different
activities in the module.
As you go through the different activities of this module be
reminded of the following:
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on
any part of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in
answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer Let’s Try This before moving on to the
other activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking
your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are
done.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this
module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always
bear in mind that you are not alone. We hope that through this
material, you will experience meaningful learning and gain deep
understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

1
Information about this ADM learner’s material
I. Objective: The learner demonstrates
Ia. Content Standard understanding of the value of
qualitative research: its characteristics.

The learner is able to decide the

Ib. Performance Standard suitable qualitative research in
different areas of interest.

Ic. Learning Competency The learner describes characteristics of

qualitative research.
(CS_RS11-IIIb-1)

II. Content / Topic Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Hello, learner!
I would like to welcome you to the second
content of our curriculum which deals with
qualitative research and its importance to daily life.
Previously, you shared your knowledge on research
and differentiated it from a mere inquiry in seeking
for knowledge.
Today, we will discuss the characteristics of
qualitative research through this module. Qualitative
research usually takes place in soft sciences like
social sciences, politics, economics, humanities,
education, psychology, nursing, and all business-
related subjects (Baracenos, 2016). Things are
studied in their natural setting with the views,
feelings, and attitudes of the people involved in.
Thus, the results you will come up from this type of
research are personal, deep and contextualized.
With this, you will able to develop your social
being and deep understanding about others. So,
open your minds to the features of qualitative
research and may you will be able to produce one in
your chosen field which is helpful to your
community. Please do not hesitate to ask your
teacher for any question in your mind. Enjoy the
tasks!

2
 At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. identify the characteristics of qualitative
research; and
2. describe the characteristics of qualitative
research.

Introduction
Every day, you encounter people with different life perceptions,
capabilities and styles; things that you cherish always; places you like to
explore; and events that are phenomenal: these have influenced your whole
being a lot positively or negatively in some ways. You find them interesting,
intriguing, and/or amazing for these have been a big impact to your daily
life. Consequently, you are prompted to gather facts and draw conclusions
about them. This paves your way to qualitative research because basically
you look for the reasons they exist and how they affect you.
From the word “quality”, you will search for significant features these
people, things, places and events that make them valuable to you. Thus,
qualitative research helps you find the reality of their daily existence and
how they influence you and the community you live in as well.
Gentles et al. (2015 in Techo, 2016) defines qualitative research as a
study that seeks to understand social life of a targeted population in their
natural setting. In this study, the researcher can find problems that affect
the subject individually and as a community. Then, he or she will ask
questions to find out why those problems occur and find solutions the
people can lessen them.

I suppose you are now prepared for today’s lesson.

So, let us start!

3
(Activity 1) PICTURE IMPRESS!
Instruction: Look at the picture below. Give your impressions on it and
answer the questions.

1. How do you describe the image?

_____________________________________________________________________
2. What do you feel about it?
_____________________________________________________________________

Great try! Can you relate to the view you have just
seen? If you love nature, this activity can be easy to
you.

(Activity 2)
Guide Questions:
1. What key words did you use to describe the picture?
______________________________________________________________________

4
 2. Why did you use those words to describe the picture?
______________________________________________________________________

Lesson: Characteristics of Qualitative

Research

Characteristics Defined
Characteristics are unique qualities and traits a person, place, thing
or event has which are different from others (Webster Dictionary, 2020).
They may describe their faculties, abilities, capabilities, aptitudes and
attitudes externally and internally or both of the subject.

Characteristics of a Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is generally subjective because we describe
people, things, places and events through the views, feelings, and actions
certain people toward them through their experiences about them in their
own setting. Explicitly, Techo (2016), DepEd (2016), Baraceros (2016) and
Roller (2017) describe qualitative research as the following
(SCADPNINHS):

1. Subjective. Assumes each case is special and unique as it respects and

captures the details of the individual cases being studied.
Example: Experiences of people of Cebu City of the Covid-19 outbreak
is different from other places as it has the most increasing number of
cases in the Philippines.
2. Contextualized. Data gathered show subject(s)’ understanding and
interpretation of the world as experienced in their environment.
Example: People in Cebu City experience strictest measurement of
community quarantine as Covid-19 infection is severely rampant in their
locality.
3. Active/Flexible. The researcher will be able to discover the appropriate
research design with the right methodologies as it reveals itself
according to the research objectives as he or she goes through the
process and/or situations change. It avoids getting locked into rigid

5
 designs that eliminate responsiveness and pursues new paths of
discovery as they emerge.
Example: A death of a Covid-19 victim can be narrative if the
researcher would like to describe the sequential experiences of a Covid-
19 victim from infection to death. It can be a case study if the
researcher would like to study the experiences of the victims differently
from each other.
4. Dynamic. The researcher gets attention to the system and its process
assuming change is constant whether the focus is on an individual or an
entire culture.
Example: During the data gathering, the families did not allow the
researcher to interview the victims, instead of focusing them, he or she
may focus to the experiences of the front liners that may change the
research problem, design and instrumentation, and methodologies.
5. Personal (contact and insights). The researcher has direct contact with
and gets close to the people and their situation under study; his or her
personal experiences and insights are critical to understanding the
phenomenon.
Example: To give more insights of the Covid-19 pandemic in Cebu, the
researcher may interview the victims, their families and the front liners
and take videos and photos of the present situations in the locale to
elicit answers to the questions.
6. Narrative. Detailed, thick description, inquiry in depth, direct
quotations and visual presentations like pictures, drawings, audio tapes
and video tapes narrates perspectives and experiences of the subject(s)
of the topic discussed.
Example: To analyze and interpret the Covid-19 pandemic, the
researchers may narrate their observation and interviews of the
patients with their families and the front liners and/or use of data from
the Department of Health through narratives, pictures, videos, and
graphical presentations.
7. Inductive. It analyzes details and specifics of the data to discover
important categories, dimensions, and interrelationships begin by
exploring genuinely open questions rather than testing theoretically
derived hypotheses.
Example: Covid-19 infection can be prevented through wearing a face
mask, social distancing and community quarantine, thus, social
interaction in lessened.
8. Neutral/Emphatic Neutrality. The researcher‘s passion is to
understand the world in all its complexity – not proving something, not
advocating, not advancing personal agenda, but understanding; the
researcher includes personal experience and empathic insight relevant

6
 to the data while taking a neutral nonjudgmental stance toward
whatever content may emerge.
Example: To interpret the data, the researcher may add his own
experiences of the pandemic in his or her locality for as long as they
are connected to the data and they are valid, which are backed up
with evidences and official statements.
9. Holistic (perspective). The holistic perspective of the subjects on the
event under study is understood in its complex system more than the
sum of its parts. It can discuss their mental, spiritual, emotional,
social, and physical aspects on it.
Example: The researcher may include the mental, spiritual, emotional,
social, and physical struggles of the Covid-19 victims in the data
collection, analysis and interpretation.
10. Social constructivist. The results of the qualitative research can
pave way to personal and societal changes. They give better ideas on
how to lessen the societal conflicts and struggles.
Example: The findings of the Covid-19 pandemic in Cebu City can be a
great learning to other localities on things people should do and not to
do in this struggle.

I am happy that you understand the concepts of each

of the characteristics of a qualitative research now. To
understand more the lesson, please answer the drill.

(Activity 3) MAKING A COMPARISON

Instruction: Fill up the phrases to complete the idea on the characteristics
of a qualitative research on each item in one sentence only.

1. Subjectivity is different from objectivity in the sense that

____________________________________________________________________.

2. Multiple methods like interviews, observations, and surveys can be

utilized in a qualitative study to ____________________________________.

7
3. Inductive reasoning is applied to qualitative data because
____________________________________________________________________.

4. A study becomes contextualized when participants

____________________________________________________________________.

5. Qualitative data are wordy and visual because

____________________________________________________________________.

Great job! You are getting better at identifying the

characteristics of a qualitative research. Slowly, you will
familiarize all those in the next activities.

1. The characteristics of qualitative research are:

• subjective;
• contextualized;
• active;
• flexible;
• personal;
• narrative;
• inductive;
• neutral;
• holistic; and
• social constructivist.

8
(Activity 4) EXPLORE THE QUALITY!
Instruction: Read the descriptions about the characteristics of qualitative
research and write the best answer in your answer sheet.
1. Narratives and drawings are used to present the experiences of the
participants on the topic studied in the data analysis and
interpretation.
A. active B. holistic C. narrative D. personal
2. The researcher talks to participants and goes with them in the setting
to get more ideas about their situation.
A. dynamic B. holistic C. personal D. subjective
3. The researcher‘s purpose is to understand the situation of the
participants and not to impose his or her ideal views of them.
A. holistic C. subjective
B. neutral D. social constructivist
4. The researcher may change the research design of the study data to
phenomenology to another for as long as it will answer the research
problem.
A. dynamic B. holistic C. personal D. subjective
5. The researcher respects the idea that every person has different
experiences and physical and mental faculties that lead to different
interpretations of the world.
A. subjective B. personal C. contextualized D. neutral
6. The researcher is ready for changes may happen as the data
gathering goes by.
A. active C. neutral
B. dynamic D. social constructivist
7. Research results depend to the experiences and understanding of the
participants on the phenomenon based in their natural setting.
A. active B. contextualized C. personal D. subjective
8. Data are generalized from bits of information that answer the
research questions.
A. active B. dynamic C. inductive D. narrative
9. The researcher studies the whole being of the participants in the
situation.
A. subjective C. inductive

9
 B. social constructivist D. holistic
10. The findings of the study may change the personal outlooks of
the researcher about the situation and apply them to own situation.
A. active C. neutral
B. B. dynamic D. social constructivist

10
 11
Let’s Test Ourselves Let’s Do This
1. C Answers vary.
2. C
3. B
4. A
5. A
6. A
7. B
8. C
9. D
10. D
Analysis
(Answers vary.) Let Us Try
Sample answer: (Answers vary.)
1. Colorful, beautiful, attractive, and healthy
are the words I use to describe the Sample answer:
orchids. 3. I see colorful,
2. I use those words because of their beautiful, attractive,
different and contrasting colors that make and healthy orchids
them attractive to me. They also seem 4. I feel amazed and
healthy because of their blooming flowers joyful on seeing them.
and leaves.
Answer Key
References

Baraceros, E. L. (2016). Practical research 1 (1st ed). Rex Book Store, Inc.

DepEd (2016). Practical Research 1. Teacher’s Guide (1st ed). Department of

Education-Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR).

Grundmeyer, T. A. (2012). A qualitative study of the perceptions of first year

college students regarding technology and college readiness.

Merriam-Webster. (2020). Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Mohajan, H., & Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Munich Personal repec archive

qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related
subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People,
7(85654), 1.

Roller, M. (2017). Qualitative research : A collection of articles from research

design review published. Research Design Review, 3(2), 1–36.
http://www.rollerresearch.com/MRR WORKING PAPERS/Qualitative
Research - 2016.pdf

Techo, V. P. (2016). Research methods-quantitative, qualitative, and mixed

methods. Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) assignment
submitted by: Techo Vincent Powoh Course : Facilitator: July
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1262.4886

12
For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Davao City Division

E. Quirino Avenue, Davao City

Telephone: (082) 227 4762

Email Address: [email protected]

13