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Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies

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Articles 3451 - 3480 of 4566

Full-Text Articles in Sociology

Ouch! Recruitment Of Overweight And Obese Adolescent Boys For Qualitative Research, Zachary Morrison, David Gregory, Steven Thibodeau, Jennifer Copeland Aug 2012

Ouch! Recruitment Of Overweight And Obese Adolescent Boys For Qualitative Research, Zachary Morrison, David Gregory, Steven Thibodeau, Jennifer Copeland

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study is to examine the complexities of recruiting overweight and obese adolescent boys for qualitative research, discuss specific recruitment considerations for this population, and offer guidance to researchers interested in recruiting overweight adolescent boys. Three overweight adolescent boys and six community professionals participated in this study. Data collection methods included fieldwork observations (60 hours) and person-centered interviews (N=9). Emergent themes revealed that establishing trust, understanding the sensitivities of discussing obesity, and considering adolescent boys’ fears of sharing personal information may have enhanced recruitment success. Researchers should consider the importance of building relationships with professionals who can …

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Catastrophes And The Role Of Social Networks In Recovery: A Case Study Of St. Bernard Parish, La, Residents After Hurricane Katrina, Carrie E. Lasley Aug 2012

Catastrophes And The Role Of Social Networks In Recovery: A Case Study Of St. Bernard Parish, La, Residents After Hurricane Katrina, Carrie E. Lasley

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the experiences of St. Bernard Parish, La., residents as they coped with the impact of the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. An estimated 50,000 St. Bernard Parish residents relocated to a new home one year after Katina in 2006, and many of those residents moved again. This study examines the effects of the decisions of St. Bernard residents to relocate or to return on their social connections. The utility, adaptability and durability of social networks of these residents will be explored to enrich our knowledge about the social effects …

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Numeric Estimation And Response Options: An Examination Of The Measurement Properties Of Numeric And Vague Quantifier Responses, Mohammad T. Al Baghal Aug 2012

Numeric Estimation And Response Options: An Examination Of The Measurement Properties Of Numeric And Vague Quantifier Responses, Mohammad T. Al Baghal

Survey Research and Methodology Program: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Many survey questions ask respondents to provide responses that contain quantitative information. These questions are often asked requiring open ended numeric responses, while others have been asked using vague quantifier scales. How these questions are asked, particularly in terms of the response format, can have an important impact on the data. Therefore, the response format is of particular importance for ensuring that any use of the data contains the best possible information. Generally, survey researchers have argued against the use of vague quantifier scales. This dissertation compares various measurement properties between numeric open ended and vague quantifier responses, using three …

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Finding A Way Out Of The Ethnographic Paradigm Jungle, Subhadip Roy, Pratyush Banerjee Jul 2012

Finding A Way Out Of The Ethnographic Paradigm Jungle, Subhadip Roy, Pratyush Banerjee

The Qualitative Report

In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop a hybrid ethnographic paradigm, taking the best points from the different approaches of ethnographic research. The pioneering proponents of ethnography differed in their conceptualization of the method, resulting in the development of three distinct schools of thought-holistic, semiotic and behavioristic. These three ethnographic paradigms have their respective benefits and shortcomings. Following any one of these approaches may lead to only partial comprehension of the phenomenon by the ethnographer. This study wished to address this issue by developing a best practice approach, which will have the virtues of all the three …

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A Grounded Theory Of Connectivity And Persistence In A Limited Residency Doctoral Program, Steven R. Terrell, Martha M. Snyder, Laurie P. Dringus, Elizabeth Maddrey Jul 2012

A Grounded Theory Of Connectivity And Persistence In A Limited Residency Doctoral Program, Steven R. Terrell, Martha M. Snyder, Laurie P. Dringus, Elizabeth Maddrey

The Qualitative Report

Limited-residency and online doctoral programs have an attrition rate significantly higher than traditional programs. This grounded-theory study focused on issues pertaining to communication between students, their peers and faculty and how interpersonal communication may affect persistence. Data were collected from 17 students actively working on their dissertation in a limited-residency educational technology program. The resultant theory indicated that students felt communication between themselves and peers is possible but not common. Students also indicated that dissertation supervisors are readily accessible but longer than expected response times may contribute to a lack of student success. The results suggest the development and effective …

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From “Bitch” To “Mentor”: A Doctoral Student’S Story Of Self-Change And Mentoring, Brian T. Gearity, Norma Mertz Jul 2012

From “Bitch” To “Mentor”: A Doctoral Student’S Story Of Self-Change And Mentoring, Brian T. Gearity, Norma Mertz

The Qualitative Report

For several reasons, the process of writing and completing the doctoral dissertation has been identified as the most frequent road block for many promising scholars. The goal of this study is to help improve doctoral student dissertation completion by focusing on the crucial, central concerns of effective student writing, faculty mentoring, and the student-advisor relationship. Using an experimental, evocative autoethnographic approach, the following study shows the struggles and successes of a doctoral student managing himself, the university, “life”, and most importantly, his doctoral dissertation chair. The findings weave together strategies from storytelling (e.g., plot, characters, and scene) with the personal …

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Interviewing The Interpretive Researcher: An Impressionist Tale, Rebecca K. Frels, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie Jul 2012

Interviewing The Interpretive Researcher: An Impressionist Tale, Rebecca K. Frels, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

The Qualitative Report

In this manuscript, we describe the use of debriefing interviews for interviewing the interpretive researcher. Further, we demonstrate the value of using debriefing questions as part of a qualitative research study, specifically, one doctoral student’s dissertation study. We describe the reflexivity process of the student in her study and the debriefing data that were coded via qualitative coding techniques. Thus, we provide an exemplar of the debriefing process and the findings that emerged as a result. We believe that our exemplar of interviewing the interpretive researcher provides evidence of an effective strategy for addressing the crises of representation and legitimation …

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When Language Lies: Truth, Silence, And Codes Of Deception, Tammy C. Cline Jul 2012

When Language Lies: Truth, Silence, And Codes Of Deception, Tammy C. Cline

The Qualitative Report

What does an autoethnography look like? How do you conduct reliable qualitative research when you are both the researcher and the researched? Where do you find truth as an adult when you discover your life as a child was full of secrets? In his book "A Need to Know: The Clandestine History of a CIA Family”, author H. J. Goodall (2006), tells the story of his personal journey investigating his own life growing up with a father who was a counter-intelligence offer in the cold-war era. While this narrative is an engaging and readable account, it is also a work …

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Homicide By Neighborhood: Mapping New York City’S Violent Crime Drop, Preeti Chauhan, Lauren Kois Jul 2012

Homicide By Neighborhood: Mapping New York City’S Violent Crime Drop, Preeti Chauhan, Lauren Kois

Publications and Research

Researchers, scholars, and policymakers interested in the falling rate of violent crime in New York City (NYC) have attempted to pinpoint causes of the welcome trend. Discovering the causes of the city’s crime drop may lead to important lessons for the city itself and may influence policy and practice throughout the state, nation, and perhaps other countries. Researchers have suggested a host of mechanisms that may explain the dramatic decline in violence, but two factors—misdemeanor policing and the transformation of drug markets—continue to receive the most attention. This report focuses on these factors in relation to gun-related homicide rates. It …

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My Sister, Our Stories: Exploring The Lived Experience Of School Leavers Through Narrative And Poetics, C. Amelia Davis, Jennifer L. Pepperell Jul 2012

My Sister, Our Stories: Exploring The Lived Experience Of School Leavers Through Narrative And Poetics, C. Amelia Davis, Jennifer L. Pepperell

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of two adult female siblings who are both school leavers. Through the use of thematic narrative analysis, sibling narratives and poetic re-presentations, their stories were developed. These stories represent the participants’ experiences of prior schooling and their current commitments to education. While each story conveyed a profound similarity in terms of prior schooling, contrasting narratives were illustrated through description of transitional moments and sibling relationship. The analysis also explored the intersections of race, gender, and social class within educative moments of the life experiences of the participants.

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Being An Insider Researcher While Conducting Case Study Research, Sema Unluer Jul 2012

Being An Insider Researcher While Conducting Case Study Research, Sema Unluer

The Qualitative Report

It is crucial for social researchers to clarify their researchers’ roles, especially for those utilizing qualitative methodology to make their research credible. The purpose of this paper is to examine the advantages and disadvantages of the researcher’s insider role, an instructor, occupied within case study research on the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the teaching-learning process at the School for the Handicapped (SfH) in Turkey. In this respect the author will demonstrate and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being an insider-researcher considering the researcher’s role, determining the case, the aim and research questions of the study, …

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Increasing Drug Arrests After 1980 Had Disproportionate Effect On Women, Jeffrey A. Butts Jul 2012

Increasing Drug Arrests After 1980 Had Disproportionate Effect On Women, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Drug arrests increased faster for adult women and were nearly double the rate for men of the same age from 1980, though men still outnumber women in this category. This databit shows the arrest rates for women from 1980 to 2010 for youth, young adults, and older adults in drug sales/manufacture and possession.

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Qualitative Analysis Techniques For The Review Of The Literature, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Nancy L. Leech, Kathleen M. T. Collins Jul 2012

Qualitative Analysis Techniques For The Review Of The Literature, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Nancy L. Leech, Kathleen M. T. Collins

The Qualitative Report

In this article, we provide a framework for analyzing and interpreting sources that inform a literature review or, as it is more aptly called, a research synthesis. Specifically, using Leech and Onwuegbuzie’s (2007, 2008) frameworks, we delineate how the following four major source types inform research syntheses: talk, observations, drawings/photographs/videos, and documents. We identify 17 qualitative data analysis techniques that are optimal for analyzing one or more of these source types. Further, we outline the role that the following five qualitative data analysis techniques can play in the research synthesis: constant comparison analysis, domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, componential analysis, and …

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“I Am Not The Same After My Erasmus”: A Qualitative Research, Selami Aydin Jul 2012

“I Am Not The Same After My Erasmus”: A Qualitative Research, Selami Aydin

The Qualitative Report

No data has been found about the influences of the ERASMUS program on Turkish pre-service teachers of English who participated in the ERASMUS Mobility Program. Thus, in this study the researcher aims to evaluate the ERASMUS Mobility Program regarding its contributions to the progress of Turkish pre-service teachers of English and the problems they encountered during the process. The sample group of the study consisted of 23 pre-service teachers and a background questionnaire, interviews, group discussions and essay papers were used for data collection. The results indicated that the ERASMUS process has some significant benefits to language skills and professional …

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Work And Career Experiences Of Men From Families Without College Experience, Marianne Woodside, Melinda M. Gibbons, John Davidson, Christine Hannon, Jeffrey R. Sweeney Jul 2012

Work And Career Experiences Of Men From Families Without College Experience, Marianne Woodside, Melinda M. Gibbons, John Davidson, Christine Hannon, Jeffrey R. Sweeney

The Qualitative Report

A dearth of research exists exploring the career and work development of adult men and the influence of family-of-origin on that development. In this qualitative study, the researchers used a phenomenological approach to examine the career and work experiences of men whose parents have no education beyond high school and the influences of family on these experiences. We describe five constituents: (a) what work is like; (b) preparation/education; (c) who or what influenced them; (d) how to act at work; and (e) challenges/opportunities/choices; and one essence: mottos from father, which articulate the meaning of the experience of work and career …

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Interpretive And Critical Phenomenological Crime Studies: A Model Design, Karen Miner-Romanoff Jul 2012

Interpretive And Critical Phenomenological Crime Studies: A Model Design, Karen Miner-Romanoff

The Qualitative Report

The critical and interpretive phenomenological approach is underutilized in the study of crime. This commentary describes this approach, guided by the question, “Why are interpretive phenomenological methods appropriate for qualitative research in criminology?” Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to describe a model of the interpretive phenomenological approach, illustrating its effectiveness in qualitative studies of criminology. The discussion illustrates the components of interpretive phenomenology approach and procedures of data analysis. These methods provide experiential data that highlight the effects of incarceration of juveniles as adults. Data can influence policymakers to reconsider criminal penalties for juveniles and toward enactment of …

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Pioneers Of Youth Justice Reform: Achieving System Change Using Resolution, Reinvestment, And Realignment Strategies, Douglas N. Evans Jun 2012

Pioneers Of Youth Justice Reform: Achieving System Change Using Resolution, Reinvestment, And Realignment Strategies, Douglas N. Evans

Publications and Research

In the past three decades, state and local governments implemented various reform strategies to reduce the youth justice system’s reliance on confinement facilities and serve as many youths as possible in their own homes or at least in their own communities when removal from the home is warranted. The various reform strategies may be conceptualized as relying on three distinct but interrelated mechanisms: resolution, reinvestment, and realignment (Butts and Evans 2011). Resolution refers to the use of managerial authority and administrative directives to influence system change; reinvestment entails using financial incentives to encourage system change, and realignment employs organizational and …

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What Makes Hotel Expatriates Remain In Their Overseas Assignments: A Grounded Theory Study, Zoe Ju-Yu Ho Jun 2012

What Makes Hotel Expatriates Remain In Their Overseas Assignments: A Grounded Theory Study, Zoe Ju-Yu Ho

The Qualitative Report

In this study the researcher uses a qualitative research design to discover what makes hotel expatriates remain in their overseas assignments. In-depth interviews, participant observations, and personal documents are used as data collection methods. Four hotel expatriates are recruited as participants of the study. The collected interview transcripts and fieldnotes are further analyzed through the use of grounded theory. Five selective codes found as the dominant themes in this study are hotel expatriates’ : (a) personality characteristics, (b) motivations to work overseas, (c) challenges derived from overseas assignments, (d) competencies, and (e) roles/identities in overseas assignments. These five main themes …

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Straussian Grounded-Theory Method: An Illustration, Mai Thi Thanh Thai, Li Choy Chong, Narendra M. Agrawal Jun 2012

Straussian Grounded-Theory Method: An Illustration, Mai Thi Thanh Thai, Li Choy Chong, Narendra M. Agrawal

The Qualitative Report

This paper demonstrates the benefits and application of Straussian Grounded Theory method in conducting research in complex settings where parameters are poorly defined. It provides a detailed illustration on how this method can be used to build an internationalization theory. To be specific, this paper exposes readers to the behind-the-scene work to develop a theory on the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises based in transition economies. It describes each step from sampling to coding and then to theory formation, explaining the rationale each step of the way. The readers can therefore see how a theory took shape and develop …

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Getting To Grips With Bricolage: A Personal Account, Christopher Wibberley Jun 2012

Getting To Grips With Bricolage: A Personal Account, Christopher Wibberley

The Qualitative Report

This paper presents a personal account of how a PhD supervisor came to an understanding of an approach to research that was unfamiliar to him. Additionally it addresses the question of what makes the approach, in this case bricolage, an acceptable format for academic work and in particular PhD study. Bricolage is a relatively little used approach to research; therefore, researchers utilizing bricolage as a research design have less exemplary texts to draw on in coming to their own understanding of this approach to research. This paper presents an account of getting to grips with bricolage as a way of …

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Inside The Black Box: Revealing The Process In Applying A Grounded Theory Analysis, Peter Rich Jun 2012

Inside The Black Box: Revealing The Process In Applying A Grounded Theory Analysis, Peter Rich

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative research methods have long set an example of rich description, in which data and researchers’ hermeneutics work together to inform readers of findings in specific contexts. Among published works, insight into the analytical process is most often represented in the form of methodological propositions or research results. This paper presents a third type of qualitative report, one in which the researcher’s process of coding, finding themes, and arriving at findings is the focus. Grounded theory analysis methods were applied to the interpretation of a single interview. The resulting document provides a narrative of the process one researcher followed when …

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Cumulative Risk And A Call For Action In Environmental Justice Communities, H. P. Hynes, Russ Lopez Jun 2012

Cumulative Risk And A Call For Action In Environmental Justice Communities, H. P. Hynes, Russ Lopez

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Health disparities, social inequalities, and environmental injustice cumulatively affect individual and community vulnerability and overall health; yet health researchers, social scientists and environmental scientists generally study them separately. Cumulative risk assessment in poor, racially segregated, economically isolated and medically underserved communities needs to account for their multiple layers of vulnerability, including greater susceptibility, greater exposure, less preparedness to cope, and less ability to recover in the face of exposure. Recommendations for evidence-based action in environmental justice communities include: reducing pollution in communities of highest burden; building on community resources; redressing inequality when doing community-based research; and creating a screening framework …

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Teacher Educators As Role Models: A Qualitative Examination Of Student Teachers’ And Teacher Educators’ Views Towards Their Roles, Mahsa Izadinia Jun 2012

Teacher Educators As Role Models: A Qualitative Examination Of Student Teachers’ And Teacher Educators’ Views Towards Their Roles, Mahsa Izadinia

The Qualitative Report

Teacher Education is considered to be the first and perhaps the most important stage in the professional development of student teachers (Wideen, Mayer-Smith, & Moon, 1998) as teacher educators who work with student teachers during these programs exert significant influence on who students are and will become (Caires, 2007; Chalies, Ria, Bertone, Trohel, & Durand, 2005). This article highlights the impact of language teacher educators’ ideas and beliefs with regard to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and their teaching practices on their student teachers’ beliefs and perceptions about their role as language teachers. 20 Iranian language student teachers …

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Strategies For Engaging Undergraduate Nursing Students In Reading And Using Qualitative Research, Judith A. Spiers, Pauline Paul, Diana Jennings, Kathryn Weaver Jun 2012

Strategies For Engaging Undergraduate Nursing Students In Reading And Using Qualitative Research, Judith A. Spiers, Pauline Paul, Diana Jennings, Kathryn Weaver

The Qualitative Report

Teaching undergraduate nursing research courses can be challenging. There is substantial research explicating why this is so, but little has been written about strategies to enhance students’ ability to engage in and learn about research, especially in the context of large classes offered over brief periods of time. An important role for those who teach research is to communicate their experiential successes, as these may be of value to other colleagues in the field. In this paper, we share some creative teaching strategies. These strategies include games, cross word puzzles, and projects based on common multimedia data such as commercial …

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The Perceived Effect Of Time On Hiv/Aids Identity Incorporation, Lisa M. Baumgartner Jun 2012

The Perceived Effect Of Time On Hiv/Aids Identity Incorporation, Lisa M. Baumgartner

The Qualitative Report

Individuals experience disease in a variety of contexts. In this study, I examined how the temporal context (e.g., historical time, social time, chronological age and the passage of time) affected the incorporation of the HIV/AIDS identity into the self. I used semi structured interviews to collect data from 36 individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Historical time did little to influence the initial reaction to the diagnosis. Chronological age shaped the initial reaction to the diagnosis for some participants. Social time affected immersion in the HIV/AIDS community and the passage of time influenced the integration of the HIV/AIDS identity into the self. …

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The French Prison System: Comparative Insights For Policy And Practice In New York And The United States, Lila Kazemian, Catrin Andersson Jun 2012

The French Prison System: Comparative Insights For Policy And Practice In New York And The United States, Lila Kazemian, Catrin Andersson

Publications and Research

Despite many differences between French and American correctional practices, the two countries have common challenges as well. This report offers a brief overview of the French prison system and describes how the elements of that system compare with the policies and practices of corrections agencies in New York and the United States.

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The Perceived Effect Of The Sociocultural Context On Hiv/Aids Identity Incorporation, Lisa M. Baumgartner Jun 2012

The Perceived Effect Of The Sociocultural Context On Hiv/Aids Identity Incorporation, Lisa M. Baumgartner

The Qualitative Report

Contexts influence the experience of disease. In this study, I examined how the sociocultural context (e.g., race, class, gender, and sexual orientation) affected the experience of living with HIV/AIDS and the incorporation of the HIV/AIDS identity into the self. I interviewed 36 individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Findings indicate that race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation affected access to HIV/AIDS resources and/or the disclosure of one’s HIV-positive status that, in turn, influenced the integration of the HIV/AIDS identity into the self. Additional research concerning the impact of gender on the HIV/AIDS identity corporation process is warranted.

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Unexpected Winners: The Significance Of An Open-List System On Women’S Representation In Poland, Sheri L. Kunovich Jun 2012

Unexpected Winners: The Significance Of An Open-List System On Women’S Representation In Poland, Sheri L. Kunovich

Sociology Research

Scholars have debated the impact of open-list systems on women's representation. While some argue that open lists provide a unique opportunity for voters to overcome parties' bias against women, others argue that they create additional barriers. I examine several mechanisms that impact women's representation within Poland's open-list system. Results suggest that 1) voters shift women's original list placements positively across all parties over three elections; 2) these shifts are more pronounced when women's overall presence on the list and list placement are lower, regardless of party; and 3) positive shifts often result in the election of substantially more women than …

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Using Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (Caqdas) To Re-Examine Traditionally Analyzed Data: Expanding Our Understanding Of The Data And Of Ourselves As Scholars, Linnea L. Rademaker, Elizabeth J. Grace, Stephen K. Curda May 2012

Using Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (Caqdas) To Re-Examine Traditionally Analyzed Data: Expanding Our Understanding Of The Data And Of Ourselves As Scholars, Linnea L. Rademaker, Elizabeth J. Grace, Stephen K. Curda

The Qualitative Report

As diverse members of a college of education evaluation committee one of our charges is to support faculty as we document and improve our teaching. Our committee asked faculty to respond to three qualitative questions, documenting ways in which interdepartmental and cross-department conversations are used to promote reflective thinking about our practice. Three of us investigated the use of CAQDAS to provide an additional level of analysis and how we learned more about ourselves as scholars through this collaboration. Our findings include recommendations regarding the use of CAQDAS to support collaborative efforts by diverse scholars.

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Hemiplegia In Men: A Case Study, Zenobia C.Y. Chan, Gary C.T. Wong May 2012

Hemiplegia In Men: A Case Study, Zenobia C.Y. Chan, Gary C.T. Wong

The Qualitative Report

Hemiplegia, or paralysis of one side of the body, is caused by injury or illness (for example, a stroke), and leads to other disabilities. People with hemiplegia are limited physically in their daily activities. This limitation affects their social well-being and thus can lead to depression. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review on hemiplegia in men. A single case study of a man with hemiplegia living in Hong Kong is also presented here. A critical discussion of the signs and symptoms of “male-type” depression and humanising attitudes towards men with hemiplegia follows. Critical areas in rehabilitation, social support, and …

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