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Psychosocial Distress: A Case Study Of A Male African American Veteran With End-Stage Colon Cancer, Frances R. Nedjat-Haiem, Iraida V. Carrion, Terri Wingate Lewison Jul 2015

Psychosocial Distress: A Case Study Of A Male African American Veteran With End-Stage Colon Cancer, Frances R. Nedjat-Haiem, Iraida V. Carrion, Terri Wingate Lewison

The Qualitative Report

This in-depth single-case-study explored the emergent trauma of psychosocial distress of an older male African-American veteran after being diagnosed with end-stage colon cancer. Using a qualitative case study methodology, three in-depth interviews were conducted which identified the following five themes: (1) the emotional impact of being diagnosed with cancer, (2) experiencing inescapable loss of control and independence, (3) adjusting to nursing home placement, (4) lacking social support, and (5) navigating complicated services. The findings expand our understanding of the need for identifying and managing psychosocial distress. Implications for behavioral health practitioners are discussed.


A Qualitative Analysis Of Athletic Apparel And Equipment Sponsorship Related To Student-Athlete Recruitment, Melissa J. Davies, Katharine A. Burakowski Mar 2015

A Qualitative Analysis Of Athletic Apparel And Equipment Sponsorship Related To Student-Athlete Recruitment, Melissa J. Davies, Katharine A. Burakowski

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study was to extend previous literature on student-athlete college choice by examining part of the recruitment process as a precursor to student-athlete decision-making. More specifically, this exploratory study aimed to empirically examine the extent to which apparel sponsorships affect student-athlete recruitment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten football players at a state-supported NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) institution in the Rocky Mountain region. An inductive approach was used in identifying three emergent themes. These themes suggest that football players at this institution did not hold the apparel and equipment sponsorship as a deciding factor for the …


Authenticity In Constructivist Inquiry: Assessing An Elusive Construct, Patrick Shannon, Elyse Hambacher Dec 2014

Authenticity In Constructivist Inquiry: Assessing An Elusive Construct, Patrick Shannon, Elyse Hambacher

The Qualitative Report

Methodological rigor in constructivist inquiry is established through an assessment of trustworthiness and authenticity. Trustworthiness parallels the positivistic concepts of internal and external validity, focusing on an assessment of the inquiry process. Authenticity, however, is unique to constructivist inquiry and has no parallel in the positivistic paradigm. Authenticity involves an assessment of the meaningfulness and usefulness of interactive inquiry processes and social change that results from these processes. However, the techniques for ascertaining authenticity are in the early stages of development. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe a process for assessing authenticity in a constructivist inquiry. A …


Constructing Grammar Instruction In The Omani Elt System: A Critical Literacy Perspective, Ali Al-Issa Dec 2014

Constructing Grammar Instruction In The Omani Elt System: A Critical Literacy Perspective, Ali Al-Issa

The Qualitative Report

Debate in the literature has been ongoing about whether to teach English language grammar explicitly, implicitly or integrate both approaches to achieve optimal learning. This research paper, hence, discusses this issue from an ideological perspective with a particular reference to the Omani English language teaching (ELT) education system. The paper triangulates data from various semi-structured interviews made with different agents involved in the Omani ELT education system, the pertinent literature, The Philosophy and Guidelines for the Omani English Language School Curriculum, which I will herewith refer to as the National English Language Policy/Plan (NELP), other policy texts and the English …


A Qualitative Analysis Of Students' Perceptions Of Pursuing Pharmacy As A Potential Vocation, Michael W. Firmin, Valerie Bouchard, Jordan Flexman, Douglas C. Anderson Jr. Oct 2014

A Qualitative Analysis Of Students' Perceptions Of Pursuing Pharmacy As A Potential Vocation, Michael W. Firmin, Valerie Bouchard, Jordan Flexman, Douglas C. Anderson Jr.

The Qualitative Report

We present the findings from a phenomenological, qualitative research study that explored the personal constructs of an inaugural class, entering a newly-established direct-entry, preferred admission, pre-pharmacy program at a private, selective, Midwestern university with an enrollment of 3000. The focus of the study was to appraise students' perceptions regarding their rationale for pursuing a future career in pharmacy. The sample consisted of 36 students (26 females, 10 males). Data was collected via in-depth interviews of each student who had enrolled in the first year of the program. Overall, students demonstrated their belief that they would be a good fit for …


What They Left Behind: A Case Study Of Teachers' Experiences With School Improvement At Evergreen Elementary School, Amy Orange Sep 2014

What They Left Behind: A Case Study Of Teachers' Experiences With School Improvement At Evergreen Elementary School, Amy Orange

The Qualitative Report

With the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, an unprecedented amount of pressure has been placed upon schools to increase student achievement. During the 2009-2010 school year, Evergreen Elementary School was in Year Four of school improvement for failing to make Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) in both reading and math. Drawing on observational and interview data from upper elementary school teachers, this paper will explore how striving to make AYP impacted teachers including increased workloads and stress, and how these factors led to teachers leaving the school, with a focus on a single teacher’s experiences.


Positionality: Reflecting On The Research Process, Brian Bourke Aug 2014

Positionality: Reflecting On The Research Process, Brian Bourke

The Qualitative Report

Through this article, the author provides a reflection on the role of positionality in research, following the completion of a qualitative research project. Through the research project, the White researcher sought to explore the ways in which students of color experience a predominantly White university. Drawing on literature and findings from the research project, the author highlights potential challenges and opportunities of being cognizant of one’s positionality. These reflections illustrate the significance of positionality and serve as a reminder of its potential effects on the research process, as well as on participants and the researcher. The manuscript concludes with recommendations …


Qualitative Research In Sport Management: Case Study As A Methodological Approach, Alan Morse, Char D. Mcevoy Aug 2014

Qualitative Research In Sport Management: Case Study As A Methodological Approach, Alan Morse, Char D. Mcevoy

The Qualitative Report

This paper presents qualitative research in sport management and suggests that case study is an appropriate qualitative methodology for research and practice in sport finance. The purpose of qualitative methodology is presented along with the process of a case study. The intention of this paper, for academicians working in sport management, is twofold. The first aspect is for researchers to consider using qualitative case study methodology in instances where such practice will progress the knowledge and understanding of specific situations while invoking a deeper response to research questions. The second facet of this paper focuses on the framework of case …


Studying The Study: Reflections On Exploring The Health And Disability Narratives Of Long-Term Sickness Benefits Recipients In The Uk, Kayleigh Garthwaite May 2014

Studying The Study: Reflections On Exploring The Health And Disability Narratives Of Long-Term Sickness Benefits Recipients In The Uk, Kayleigh Garthwaite

The Qualitative Report

Researching sensitive topics such as sickness and disability can encompass a wide range of demands that must be continually negotiated throughout the research process by both the researcher and research participants. Therefore, a studying the study approach is important when exploring the quality and ethical practice in qualitative research on sensitive issues with vulnerable populations. This becomes especially important within a UK context when considering the negative discourse surrounding the sickness benefits process in the UK. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews with 25 long-term sick and disabled benefits recipients in the UK, the study sought to uncover the health and illness …


Demands And Rewards Of Working Within Multidisciplinary Teams In Pediatric Oncology: The Experiences Of Canadian Health Care Providers, Sonia Gulati, David Dix, Anne Klassen May 2014

Demands And Rewards Of Working Within Multidisciplinary Teams In Pediatric Oncology: The Experiences Of Canadian Health Care Providers, Sonia Gulati, David Dix, Anne Klassen

The Qualitative Report

Pediatric oncology care in Canada is delivered by multidisciplinary teams consisting of healthcare providers with different areas of expertise. Limited information is available on how the multidisciplinary team influences jobrelated rewards, demands, and stress in pediatric oncology. A qualitative approach was adopted to learn about healthcare providers’ experiences of working within a multidisciplinary team in pediatric oncology. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 healthcare providers (13 oncologists, 9 nurses, 5 social workers, and 6 child-life specialists) from four pediatric oncology centres. Topics explored included: demands and rewards associated with how the multidisciplinary team worked; description of one’s area of expertise; …


Real Projects, Virtual Worlds: Coworkers, Their Avatars, And The Trust Conundrum, Michael F. Lohle, Steven R. Terrell Feb 2014

Real Projects, Virtual Worlds: Coworkers, Their Avatars, And The Trust Conundrum, Michael F. Lohle, Steven R. Terrell

The Qualitative Report

This qualitative study informs project managers of the impact that the authentic projection of coworker identity via avatars has on trust and potential project management success when teams use virtual worlds to collaborate. By exploring the common experiences and reactions of potential virtual team participants to a demonstration that showed how to customize avatars and use them to communicate with others, it facilitated the development of a grounded theory that confirms whether the projection of authenticity via avatars is an antecedent of team trust and real project management success. Real management success was the main objective, since it is vital …


Graduating Black Males: A Generic Qualitative Study, Edward E. Bell Feb 2014

Graduating Black Males: A Generic Qualitative Study, Edward E. Bell

The Qualitative Report

Black males face a difficult educational battle. Across America, graduation statistics for Black males are sobering. The purpose of this study was to explore why Black males drop out of school and to examine the current employment status of the study participants. The research took place in rural North Carolina. Fifteen Black American male high school dropouts took part in a snowball sample. This study was qualitative and used open and axial coding. Findings from this study may provide guidance and directions for school and community leaders to help Black males stay in school through graduating.


Social Marketing Strategies For Stigmatized Target Populations: A Case Example For Problem Gamblers And Family Members Of Problem Gamblers, Kimberly A. Calderwood, William J. Wellington Dec 2013

Social Marketing Strategies For Stigmatized Target Populations: A Case Example For Problem Gamblers And Family Members Of Problem Gamblers, Kimberly A. Calderwood, William J. Wellington

The Qualitative Report

Advertising theory and accompanying research literature are in their infancy when it comes to advertising services to stigmatized populations. We know very little about what messages will impact potential clients of services and what messages could even be harmful to potential clients and to society’s shaping of social issues. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the views of problem gamblers and family members of problem gamblers in developing 10 foot by 20 foot billboards to promote a local problem gambling service. Participants identified issues such as photographs of money being a trigger to gamble, guilt and shame …


Spirituality In The Last Days Of Life In Persons Born In Japan, Gloria Duke Nov 2013

Spirituality In The Last Days Of Life In Persons Born In Japan, Gloria Duke

The Qualitative Report

End - of - life care is encumbered with many complex issues that can impede quality of life, especially in populations for which little is known. This study addresses spirituality and preferences for last days of life in persons born in Japan and living in eastern and south central Texas. Descriptive, qualitative methods were used for data collection and data analysis. Two major themes emerged for spirituality: Spirituality as Culture and Universality of Spirituality, and three major themes reflected preferences for the last days of life: Environmental Peace and Comfort, Interconnectedness, and Communication is Key. Nurses and health care providers …


A Qualitative Exploration Of Emerging Adults’ And Parents’ Perspectives On Communicating Adulthood Status, Jessica F. Jablonski, Sara Dettinger Martino Sep 2013

A Qualitative Exploration Of Emerging Adults’ And Parents’ Perspectives On Communicating Adulthood Status, Jessica F. Jablonski, Sara Dettinger Martino

The Qualitative Report

In this study the authors examine parent - child communication in Emerging Adulthood. Thirty - seven college students and one or both of their parents completed written questionnaires assessing whether the parent had verbally communicated or did some action to acknowledge the Emerging Adult’s maturity. Communication about changes in the parent - child relationship, as well as the Emerging Adult’s decision - making abilities, obligations to the family, and financial responsibilities were also assessed. The responses to the open ended questions were qualitatively analyzed using grounded theory. The findings indicated that the Emerging Adults’ and parents’ responses were very similar, …


Native Speakers As Teachers In Turkey: Non - Native Pre - Service English Teachers’ Reactions To A Nation - Wide Project, Abdullah Coşkun Jul 2013

Native Speakers As Teachers In Turkey: Non - Native Pre - Service English Teachers’ Reactions To A Nation - Wide Project, Abdullah Coşkun

The Qualitative Report

Although English is now a recognized international language and the concept of native speaker is becoming more doubtful every day, the empowerment of the native speakers of English as language teaching professionals is still continuing (McKay, 2002), especially in Asian countries like China and Japan. One of the latest examples showing the empowerment of the native English speakers comes from Turkey planning to embark on a project to hire 40.000 native English - speaking teachers (NESTs) to collaborate with the local non - native English teachers (NNESTs) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes in Turkey. This study tries …


“A Highly Accessible Text :” A Review Of Pat Bazeley’S Qualitative Data Analysis: Practical Strategies, Susan Zholl Jul 2013

“A Highly Accessible Text :” A Review Of Pat Bazeley’S Qualitative Data Analysis: Practical Strategies, Susan Zholl

The Qualitative Report

Pat Bazeley’s book advances the procedures of qualitative data coding and analysis. Her work provides a highly accessible framework for both new and seasoned researchers to consider in the analysis of interview, survey, photo and video data collected in qualitative studies. In her work Bazeley acknowledges the use of technology to support data analysis (i.e., NVivo), but also promotes the use of more traditional paper - and - pencil methods. This text would be a great addition to a graduate level course in qualitative research.


Discourse Analysis: Examining Language Use In Context, Stephen Baffour Adjei Jun 2013

Discourse Analysis: Examining Language Use In Context, Stephen Baffour Adjei

The Qualitative Report

Discourse analysis is paramount in the negotiation and construction of meaning of the social world. Dis cursive psychologists believe that truth is a discursive construction and that the world can be represented in an unlimited number of ways. This paper discusses the importance of context and culture in discursive interactions. The paper discusses knowledge as situated and contingent and thus an explanation of a psychological phenomenon should take into account the context or culture and circumstances of social interactions. The relevance of positioning and intertextuality in discursive interactions and meaning making processes are highlighted. It is further discussed that people’s …


Qualitative Music, Laura E. Beer May 2013

Qualitative Music, Laura E. Beer

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative research has provided a home for innovative approaches to collecting, analyzing, and representing data (Hesse - Biber & Leavy, 2006; Janesick, 2011; Ketelle, 2010). Reflexive journaling, photography and photo elicitation, poetry, video representations, dramatic enactments, visual presentations, and play - writing are but a few of the creative techniques embraced by qualitative researchers in search of ways to help their audiences move beyond reading and into experiencing the data (Collier, 2001; Deacon, 2006). These formats have opened doors to re - inventions of traditional thick, rich descriptions and provided living, intentional metaphors through which a reader can filter data …


Adolescent Dating Violence Prevention And Intervention In A Community Setting: Perspectives Of Young Adults And Professionals, Donna S. Martsolf, Crystal Colbert, Claire B. Drauker Dec 2012

Adolescent Dating Violence Prevention And Intervention In A Community Setting: Perspectives Of Young Adults And Professionals, Donna S. Martsolf, Crystal Colbert, Claire B. Drauker

The Qualitative Report

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a significant community problem. In this study, we examine the perspectives of two groups (young adults who experienced ADV as teens and professionals who work with teens) on ADV prevention/intervention in a community context. We interviewed 88 young adults and 20 professionals. Our research team used Thorne’s (2008) interpretive description methods to determine participants’ perspectives on community views on ADV, community ADV prevention/intervention programs, and ideal ADV prevention/intervention strategies. Participants perceived most communities as being blind to ADV. They perceived prevention programs as unavailable, inappropriate, or impersonal. Young adults indicated that professionals should use a …


Transcription And Analysis Of Qualitative Data In A Study Of Women Who Sexually Offended Against Children, Elizabeth Anne Mcnulty Nov 2012

Transcription And Analysis Of Qualitative Data In A Study Of Women Who Sexually Offended Against Children, Elizabeth Anne Mcnulty

The Qualitative Report

Research on sexual violence is often conducted within the qualitative paradigm. However, many writers have described the lack of specific detail provided with regard to decisions and processes involved in transcribing and analyzing this type of data. In this article, I will provide a description and discussion of the organization, categorization, and analysis of in-depth interviews in a recent study of women who sexually abused children. The study revealed common experiences of sexual and other abuse in the women’s childhood and adult relationships. These experiences created vulnerabilities that appeared to play a significant role in the women’s offenses. Although abused …


Methodological Precision In Qualitative Research: Slavish Adherence Or “Following The Yellow Brick Road?”, John R. Cutcliffe, Henry G. Harder Oct 2012

Methodological Precision In Qualitative Research: Slavish Adherence Or “Following The Yellow Brick Road?”, John R. Cutcliffe, Henry G. Harder

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative research has withstood many challenges on its way to becoming a credible research paradigm, though it remains the case that the paradigm contains ongoing methodological debates. One such debate is, for want of a better expression, the necessity for methodological precision (fundamentalism or purity). While it is accurate that research methodologies are somewhat fluid in that they are refined over time, it is equally correct that some researchers fall into a trap in claiming such fluidity is the reason for their imprecise use of a research methodology. Given that scientific knowledge is inextricably linked to the practice of method …


Examining The Potential Of Combining The Methods Of Grounded Theory And Narrative Inquiry: A Comparative Analysis, Shalini Lal, Melinda Suto, Michael Ungar May 2012

Examining The Potential Of Combining The Methods Of Grounded Theory And Narrative Inquiry: A Comparative Analysis, Shalini Lal, Melinda Suto, Michael Ungar

The Qualitative Report

Increasingly, qualitative researchers are combining methods, processes, and principles from two or more methodologies over the course of a research study. Critics charge that researchers adopting combined approaches place too little attention on the historical, epistemological, and theoretical aspects of the research design. Rather than discounting eclecticism in qualitative research, we prefer to place it on a continuum of integration whereby at the ideal end of the spectrum, the researcher demonstrates thorough knowledge of the approaches being drawn from and a thoughtful consideration of the rationale for combining methods. However, there is limited reflection in the literature on the combination …


Qualitative Research Gains Equality: A Review Of Research Methodology: A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginners, Li Jin May 2012

Qualitative Research Gains Equality: A Review Of Research Methodology: A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginners, Li Jin

The Qualitative Report

In this book review of Kumar’s 2011 edition of Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners, I provide a summary of the book’s main content and a critical review of its content and structure including both the strengths and weaknesses. I conclude that this new edition of the book with Kumar presenting qualitative research as an equal methodology to quantitative research is an appropriate resource for students who are just starting to learn how to conduct empirical research studies. Two suggestions are provided for its future edition: (a) more classic resources about research methodology; and (b) more discussions about IRB …


Avoiding Traps In Member Checking, Julie A. Carlson Sep 2010

Avoiding Traps In Member Checking, Julie A. Carlson

The Qualitative Report

Due to the variations of design and protocol in qualitative inquiry, researchers may inadvertently create problems for themselves in terms of the trustworthiness of their research. Miscommunication between participants and researchers can especially arise from the unique and unpredictable nature of human dynamics. In this paper I contend that such problems, or traps, can easily and at times unknowingly be set during the qualitative process known as member checking, threatening the researcher/participant relationship and possibly the stability of the study. In this paper, I examine member checking through five vignettes personally experienced. These vignettes are preceded by a presentation of …


From "Clueless" To "Completed": A Review Of The Essential Guide To Doing Your Research Project, Angela Yehl May 2010

From "Clueless" To "Completed": A Review Of The Essential Guide To Doing Your Research Project, Angela Yehl

The Qualitative Report

O'Leary (2010) has written her book for the student; however, she delves beyond the "how to" of most introductory research texts. The author works to ground students in the theoretical and foundational aspects of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research, in addition to providing "real world" advice and common scenarios often encountered in the field. From determining an appropriate sample size to navigating political processes in evaluative research, O'Leary stays grounded in the practical, often re-emphasizing the importance of "doability" in planning and conducting any type of research.


A Qualitative Approach To Understanding Audience's Perceptions Of Creativity In Online Advertising, Andrew Mcstay Jan 2010

A Qualitative Approach To Understanding Audience's Perceptions Of Creativity In Online Advertising, Andrew Mcstay

The Qualitative Report

In this paper I seek to inquire upon audience's perceptions of creativity in online advertising - a heretofore poorly understood area. This paper initially outlines current academic understanding of creativity in online advertising, mainly derived from quantitative assessments. It then advances a qualitative methodology including diary-interviews and ethnographic online interviews across 41 participants. My starting point is a critique of the most comprehensive conceptual intervention in the area of advertising creativity - Smith and Yang's (2004) typology of "relevance" and "divergence". I assess to what extent this typology emerges from my participants' data. Two key features of relevance - contextual …


More Tools For The Synthesist’S Toolbag In Harris Cooper’S Research Synthesis And Meta-Analysis: A Step-By-Step Approach (4th Ed.), Carla Hansen Dec 2009

More Tools For The Synthesist’S Toolbag In Harris Cooper’S Research Synthesis And Meta-Analysis: A Step-By-Step Approach (4th Ed.), Carla Hansen

The Qualitative Report

The need for research synthesis grows along with the volume of contemporary published scholarship. Reporting such synthesis warrants rigorous guidelines for preparing these important, information-rich documents that make statements concerning the state of knowledge about a topic, gaps in knowledge, or the aggregation or integration of primary research. Cooper’s revised and expanded fourth edition of Research Synthesis and Meta­Analysis: A Step-by-Step Approach (2010) provides these needed guidelines with special attention given to the threats to validity at all steps of the research synthesis process.


Decoding Coding Via The Coding Manual For Qualitative Researchers By Johnny Saldaña, Robin Cooper Oct 2009

Decoding Coding Via The Coding Manual For Qualitative Researchers By Johnny Saldaña, Robin Cooper

The Qualitative Report

The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers by Johnny Saldaña is a valuable resource for novice and experienced qualitative researchers alike, offering a clear, comprehensive explanation of codes and coding methods and the role they play in qualitative research. This explanation includes a discussion of writing analytic memos and a detailed list of First Cycle and Second Cycle coding methods. The book also includes useful appendices with samples of data and exercises for readers to practice coding.


Measure Twice And Cut Once: A Review Of Clark And Creswell’S Mixed Methods Reader, Steven R. Terrell Mar 2009

Measure Twice And Cut Once: A Review Of Clark And Creswell’S Mixed Methods Reader, Steven R. Terrell

The Qualitative Report

The Mixed Methods Reader is an edited book that presents the reader with a synthesized introduction to the philosophy, history, methodology and practice of mixed methods research. The first section presents the reader with a series of 14 foundational articles, with a second section presenting nine carefully chosen exemplar articles demonstrating best practices in the field. The editors did a remarkable job in combining theory and application with the inclusion of a framework throughout the text which includes discussion questions, visual diagrams and introductory comments for each article. This creates a synthesis and ease of use that guarantees this text …