Researcher's role in qualitative procedures

Who Is a Qualitative Researcher?

A qualitative researcher is someone who tries to understand people’s

thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Instead of focusing on numbers or
statistics, they answer questions like “Why do people think this way?” or
“How do they experience something?” They explore personal stories, cultural
practices, and social problems to provide deeper insights.

1. Connecting with Participants

The first step in qualitative research is building a good relationship with the
participants.

The researcher must:

Build trust by making participants feel their information is safe and will not
be misused.

Create a friendly and comfortable environment so participants can express

their thoughts freely.

Listen carefully and pay attention to what participants say without

interrupting.

When participants feel comfortable, they are more likely to share honest and
detailed information.

2. Collecting Data

Data collection is an important part of qualitative research. Researchers use

different methods to gather information, such as:

Interviews, where open-ended questions are asked to explore participants’

thoughts in depth.

Observations, where researchers watch how people behave in their natural

surroundings, like at home or work.

Focus groups, where small groups of people discuss a topic and share
opinions.

Diaries or journals, where participants write about their experiences over

time.
the researcher carefully documents this information to ensure nothing
important is missed.

3. Analyzing and Understanding Data

After collecting data, the researcher organizes it to find patterns, themes, or

ideas. For example:

Reviewing interviews or notes many times to find key points.

Grouping similar ideas into categories, like common experiences or opinions.

Understanding what participants’ words and actions reveal about their

experiences.

This helps the researcher make sense of the information and present it in a
meaningful way.

4. Staying Neutral and Fair

A good qualitative researcher avoids adding their personal views or emotions

into the study. This means:

Accepting participants’ answers as they are, even if the researcher doesn’t

agree with them.

Being open-minded and understanding that people have different ways of

thinking and living.

Ensuring their personal background or beliefs do not affect the research

process. This neutrality ensures the research results are accurate and
trustworthy.

5. Ensuring Ethics and Respect

Ethics is about doing the right thing during research. Researchers must:

Get consent from participants after explaining the purpose and process of
the study.

Keep participants’ personal information private and anonymous.

Treat every participant kindly and fairly, no matter who they are. Following
these rules builds trust and ensures the research is done responsibly.

6. Handling Challenges

Qualitative research often comes with unexpected difficulties, such as:

Participants being reserved and hesitant to share their true feelings.
Researchers must patiently encourage them.

Cultural misunderstandings if the researcher and participants come from

different backgrounds. The researcher must learn about these differences.

Technical problems like losing recorded data or incomplete notes.

Researchers need backup plans to handle such issues.

By staying calm and flexible, researchers can overcome these challenges.

7. Presenting Findings Clearly

The final step is sharing the research results in a way that others can easily
understand.

Researchers do this by:

Writing reports that explain the findings in simple language.

Using real quotes or stories from participants to make the findings relatable.

Creating charts, diagrams, or tables to summarize key points.

The goal is to present the information clearly so it can be used to solve

problems or create.

new ideas.

Conclusion:

Qualitative researchers play an essential role in studying human thoughts,

behaviors, and experiences. By building trust with participants, gathering
data through various methods, analyzing information for patterns, and
ensuring ethical standards, they provide deep insights into complex social
issues. Their job is to understand people’s personal stories and perspectives,
while staying neutral and respectful. After overcoming challenges and
organizing findings clearly, qualitative researchers share their results in a
way that can help others understand and solve problems. Through these
steps, qualitative researchers help us see the world from different viewpoints
and deepen our understanding of human behavior.

Components of a Research Proposal

Simple Guide to the Parts of a Research Proposal

A research proposal is a detailed plan that explains what you want to study,
how you will study it, and why it is important. Below are the main parts of a
research proposal, explained in easy wording.

1. Title of the Proposal

The title is the name of your research. It should clearly show what your study
is about and be short and simple.

Example: “How Online Learning Affects High School Students.”

2. Abstract

The abstract is a short paragraph that explains the main idea of your
research. It includes the problem, the purpose, the methods, and what you
hope to find.

Example:

“This study looks at how online learning affects high school students’
performance. It will identify the problems they face and suggest solutions to
improve learning.”

3. Introduction

The introduction gives background information about your research. It

explains why the topic is important, what is already known, and what you
want to explore.

Example:

“Online learning became very popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. It

helped students continue their studies, but it also created new challenges.
This study will explore these challenges and their impact on students’
performance.”

4. Research Questions or Hypothesis

This part lists the main questions your research will answer or the guesses
(hypotheses) you want to test.

Examples:

Question: “Does online learning make students less engaged in their

studies?”
Hypothesis: “Students in online classes perform worse than students in
traditional classrooms.”

5. Objectives of the Study

The objectives explain the specific goals of your research. They are clear and
focused.

Examples:

To find out how online learning affects students’ grades.

To identify the challenges students face during online learning.

To suggest ways to make online learning better.

6. Literature Review

This part looks at previous research related to your topic. It shows what
others have found and why your research is important.

Example:

“Some studies say online learning helps students learn independently, but
others say it can cause stress and lower performance. This study will focus
on high school students, which has not been studied much.”

7. Methodology

This section explains how you will do your research. It includes:

What you will do (e.g., surveys or interviews).

Who will participate (e.g., students or teachers).

What tools you will use (e.g., questionnaires or software)

Example:

“I will survey 200 high school students and interview 10 teachers to

understand their experiences with online learning.”

8. Scope and Limitations

The scope explains what your research will focus on. The limitations explain
what your research will not include.

Example
“This research will study high school students in urban areas. It will not
include students from rural areas or younger children.”

9. Significance of the Study

This part explains why your research is important and how it will help others.

Example:

“This study will help teachers and schools improve online learning so
students can learn better and succeed in their study

10. Timeline

The timeline is a schedule that shows when you will complete each part of
the research.

Example:

January-March: Collect data through surveys.

April-May: Analyze the data.

Reliability and Validity:

Reliability and validity are important ideas in research and testing. They
make sure that your methods and results are correct and trustworthy. Let’s
explore these concepts in detail with easy definitions and examples.

What is Reliability?

Reliability means how consistent and dependable your results are. If you
measure the same thing many times under the same conditions, the results
should stay the same or be very similar.

Simple Example: If a weighing scale gives the same weight every time you
weigh the same object, it is reliable.

Types of Reliability

1. Test-Retest Reliability

This checks if results stay the same when measured at different ti

Example: If a person uses the same thermometer at different times in a day
for the same conditions, the readings should be similar.

2. Inter-Rater Reliability

This checks if different people observing the same thing give similar results.

Example: Two teachers grading the same essay should give almost the same
score if the grading is reliable

3. Parallel-Forms Reliability

This checks if two versions of the same test give similar results.

Example: If there are two sets of questions for a science quiz, students
should score similarly on both if they test the same knowledge.

4. Internal Consistency Reliability

This checks if all items in a test measure the same idea.

Example: A personality test should have all its questions related to

personality traits and not unrelated topics.

5. Split-Half Reliability

This checks if two halves of a test give similar results.

Example: Dividing a 20-question math test into two sets of 10 questions, and
both halves should show similar difficulty levels.

What is Validity?

Validity means how accurate and meaningful your measurement is. It asks,
“Are you really measuring what you think you’re measuring?”

Simple Example: A spelling test should only check spelling skills, not
handwriting or memory.

Types of Validity

1. Content Validity

This checks if the test includes everything it should

Example: A history exam should ask about important events and not include
unrelated topics like geography
 2. Construct Validity

This checks if the test measures the concept it claims to measure.

Example: A happiness survey should measure happiness only and not

something else like stress.

3. Criterion Validity

This checks if your test results match with real-world outcomes or a trusted
standard.

Predictive Validity: Checks if results can predict future performance.

Example: A college entrance test should predict how well a student will do in
college.

Concurrent Validity: Compares your test results with another valid test
done at the same time.

Example: A new fitness tracker showing steps similar to a trusted pedometer

Face Validity

This checks if the test looks valid at first glance.

Example: A math test with only math problems seems valid.

4. Ecological Validity

This checks if results work in real-life situations.

Example: A cooking skills test should relate to how well someone can cook in
a real kitchen.

5. Convergent Validity

This checks if your test results agree with other tests measuring the sarne
thing.

Example: A new intelligence test should give similar results to an existing IQ

test.

6. Discriminant Validity

This ensures your test doesn’t measure something it’s not supposed to.
Example: A test for creativity should not accidentally measure problem
solving skills.

Threats to Reliability

1. Human Error

Mistakes made during testing or recording results.

Example: A researcher writes down the wrong numbers by accident.

2. Inconsistent Conditions

Changes in the environment, like noise or temperature, can affect the

results.

Example: A loud room may distract participants during a concentration test

3. Unreliable Tools

Faulty or inconsistent equipment.

Example: A broken scale showing different weights for the same it

4.Testing Fatigue

When participants get tired, bored, or lose focus, their answers might change

Example: Long surveys causing people to guess answers toward the end.

Threats to Validity

1. Biased Sampling

Using a group that doesn't represent the whole population.

Example: Testing only urban students when studying nationwide education.

2. Measurement Errors

Using tools or methods that don't measure accurately.

Example: A poorly written question confusing participants.

3. Confounding Variables

Factors other than what you're studying affecting the results.

Example: Studying exercise's effect on weight loss but not considering diet.
4. Social Desirability Bias

People giving answers they think are acceptable instead of truthful

Example: Participants overstating their exercise habits to look healthier.

5. Testing Effects

Taking the same test repeatedly can affect results.

Example: Participants remembering answers from previous tests.

Why Reliability and Validity Are Important

Reliability ensures your results are consistent and dependable. If it’s not
reliable, you can’t trust the results.

Validity ensures your results are accurate and meaningful. Without it, your
conclusions could be wrong.

Ensuring Reliability and Validity

1. Improving Reliability

Use clear and consistent procedures.

Train people collecting data to avoid errors.

Test your tools multiple times to make sure they work consistently.

2. Improving Validity

Design tests carefully to include everything important.

Avoid biased or unclear questions,

Use a large and diverse sample to represent everyone.

Compare your test results with trusted standards or real-world outcomes.

Understanding Instrumental Procedures

Instrumental procedures are tools and techniques used to collect data in

research or analysis. These methods help gather reliable and detailed
information from individuals or groups. The main instrumental procedures
are questionnaires, interviews, and tests, each offering unique benefits for
data collection.

1. What are Instrumental Procedures?

Instrumental procedures are systematic methods researchers use to gather

information for studies. They help understand people’s thoughts, behaviors,
and experiences or measure skills and knowledge. These procedures provide
the foundation for making conclusions and solving problems.

Example: A researcher studying customer satisfaction may use a

questionnaire to understand opinions about a product.

2. Using Questionnaires

Questionnaires are written sets of questions given to participants to collect

data. They can be distributed on paper, online, or through email. These tools
are especially useful when collecting information from many people.

Advantages:

Easy to distribute to large groups.

Saves time compared to face-to-face methods.

Can include multiple-choice, open-ended, or rating-scale questions.

Example: A health survey may ask people about their exercise habits and
diet preferences.

3. Designing Effective Questionnaires

To make a questionnaire effective:

Keep it simple: Use clear, direct questions.

Be specific: Ask one question at a time.

Avoid bias: Don’t lead participants to a specific answer.

Use a mix of question types: Combine yes/no, multiple-choice, and open-

ended questions for detailed insights.

Example Question: “How often do you exercise in a week?”

Daily

2-3 times a week

Rarely

Never

4. Conducting Interviews

Interviews involve talking directly to participants to gain deeper insights.

They are personal and flexible, allowing for follow-up questions and detailed
discussions.

Advantages:

Offers in-depth understanding.

Allows clarification of unclear answers.

Builds rapport, making participants feel comfortable sharing more

information.

Example: A journalist interviewing a scientist about a recent discovery.

5. Types of Interviews
1. Structured Interviews:

Use fixed questions and follow a strict order.

Suitable for comparisons between responses.

Example: Market surveys often use structured formats.

2. Semi-structured Interviews:

Combine pre-set questions with open discussion.

Useful for exploring specific topics.

Example: A researcher discussing work-life balance with employees.

3. Unstructured Interviews:

Open-ended conversations with no specific format.

Ideal for exploring broad topics.

Example: A historian asking a war veteran to share their life story.

Interview Techniques
To conduct a successful interview:

Prepare thoroughly: Research the topic and create a list of questions.

Start with simple questions: Make participants feel at ease.

Be a good listener: Pay attention and take notes.

Avoid judgment: Stay neutral and don’t interrupt.

Example: Instead of asking, “Why don’t you exercise?” ask, “What factors
affect your decision to exercise?”

Using Tests for Data Collection

Tests are assessments designed to measure specific skills, knowledge, or

abilities. They are widely used in education, psychology, and research.

Advantages:

Provide measurable and comparable results.

Useful for identifying strengths and weaknesses.

Example: A language proficiency test evaluates speaking, reading, and

writing skills.

7. Types of Tests

There are many types of tests depending on the purpose:

1. Standardized Tests:

These tests follow the same rules for everyone.

Examples: SAT, TOEFL, or GRE.

2. Custom-Made Tests:

Designed for specific groups or purposes.

Example: A company designs a test to evaluate job applicants.

3. Diagnostic Tests:

Used to find strengths and weaknesses.

Example: A reading test shows which parts of a story a student struggles

with.
 4. Formative Tests:

Given during learning to track progress.

Example: Weekly quizzes in a classroom.

5. Summative Tests:

Conducted at the end of a course to evaluate overall learning.

Example: Final exams in school.

6. Aptitude Tests:

Measure natural abilities or potential.

Example: A music aptitude test checks if someone has a natural talent for
music.

7. Personality Tests:

Used to understand traits and behavior.

Example: A test for job interviews to find out if someone is a good team
player.

Administering Tests

To conduct a test:

Explain the purpose: Let people know why they are taking the test.

Set the right environment: Ensure it’s quiet and free of distractions.

Give clear instructions: Explain the rules and timing.

Check fairness: Make sure everyone has an equal chance to perform well.

Example: A teacher gives students a math test and ensures they all have the
same

Amount of time to complete it.