Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons^™

Designing Research To Produce Usable Knowledge From Archives That Have Significant Ethical And Privacy Constraints, Kelsi Semeschuk

The Qualitative Report

Archives are sometimes imagined to be dusty repositories of historical documents. The considerations of care and ethical practice at the heart of qualitative research with active participants may not seem relevant. However, when archives contain sensitive information about people, living or no longer living, and those people cannot be consulted about the use of the materials, significant ethical issues arise. This paper offers innovative ways of balancing a desire to explore the treasures of a highly sensitive archive with rigorous attention to the rights and interests of those whose stories the archive holds. Based on research with a video archive …

A Review Of The Edited Collection, Narrative Research Now: Critical Perspectives On The Promise Of Stories, Kristina Lainson

The Qualitative Report

Narrative Research Now: Critical Perspectives on the Promise of Stories, edited by Ashley Barnwell and Signe Ravn (2024), is a compelling and engagingly written collection of research projects, or stories, that showcase use of narrative in research. This review, written through the lens of a narrative therapy and community work practitioner-researcher, asks what resonances and points of interest the collection may hold for the narrative therapy and practice research field. Congruent themes highlighted include nuanced ethical caretaking, concern for matters of social justice, bringing forth subordinated knowledge, centering lived experience, paying attention to the politics of representation, and researcher transparency …

Society Of American Foresters (Saf) Academic Publications As They Relate To The Curriculum Standards For Saf Forestry Program Accreditation: A Content Analysis, Lisa M. Bentley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Goals that impact decision-making components within academic programs in the university system have the potential to define and change the direction of a field of study, and, with that, should be thoughtfully approached with a certainty of evidence that supports responsible paradigms in forestry education. Periodic revision of the standards for accreditation by SAF influences institutional expectations that result in shifts in forestry education and should be consistent with professional forestry standards. The methodology utilized in this research contextualizes data from a sociological perspective intentionally as a method to holistically integrate data as evidence to support the interpretation of Society …

Understanding The Transitional Needs Of Servicemembers To Veterans: A Focus On Mental, Social, And Behavioral Health, Marieann C. Raguso

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to fill the gaps on the transitional American veterans’ lived experience using their own voice. The reconstruction of an American Veteran’s identity after transitioning back into civilian life is a process with many challenges. Transitional practices often fail to help veterans to acculturate back into the civilian world. This includes the formulation of identities and associations. There is a lack of consistency in military transitional practices leading to identity loss and the formulation of mental and behavioral disorders. The aim of this study is to examine the lived experiences of veterans who have transitioned back …

Methods In Environmental Studies, Erika Dunagan, Maya Mendoza, Posey Graber, Alex Cullins, Emma Mcginnis, Ally Nepomuceno, Isabella Buchan

Featured Student Work

This publication is a collection of undergraduate research conducted in the Methods in Environmental Studies course at the University of San Francisco in Fall 2024. The student-led projects explore the intersections of place, policy, ecology, and cultural identity through applied environmental research methodologies. Topics include a decolonial examination of the Forest Park Mound Group and Indigenous resilience in St. Louis; a comparative study of Navajo cosmology and ecological justice; a social and environmental impact assessment of Costa Rica’s National Decarbonization Plan; a psychogeographical analysis of Golden Gate Park and its impact on the psyche, emotions, behaviour, and health of urban …

Stories Of Mothering: Autoethnography Of Generational Sexual Abuse, Karen D. Barley Dr

The Qualitative Report

Being a mother is both rewarding and challenging and most women seek to be the best mother that they can be. Despite best intentions, many find their ability to ‘mother’ has been tempered by their own mothering. This autoethnography encapsulates a series of vignettes describing poignant and melodic memories of my mother; and explores her neglect and inability to protect me because of sexual abuse in her life. Within my family heritage there has been a craven cycle of abuse that has perpetuated a lineage of multigenerational family sexual violence. This cycle has affected the mothers in my family’s ability …

Collaborative Creative Inquiry: An Arts-Informed Approach To Transdisciplinary Research, Natalia Balyasnikova, Meghan Bruce Kumar, Yecid Ortega, Melanie Wong

The Qualitative Report

This paper presents Collaborative Creative Inquiry (CCI) as innovative arts-informed approach to transdisciplinary research. Moving away from conventional qualitative research paradigms, we adopt a reflexive stance to introduce CCI as a process that challenges static narratives and fosters inclusivity within the research process. Through critical introspection, we describe an iterative five-step CCI approach, elucidating its unique process and methodological underpinnings. Drawing upon vivid personal illustrations, we offer vignettes to illustrate the application of CCI in practice and showcase opportunities for collaborative knowledge generation with co-creation. We conclude by reflecting on insights we gained through our CCI process and inviting others …

The Experience And Identity Interview: Narrative Therapy In Research Interviewing, Janet E. Conti, James T. M. Calder, Rebekah Rankin

The Qualitative Report

In this paper we introduce “The Experience and Identity Interview” (EII) and demonstrate ways that this qualitative research interview can be used to engage participants in talk that scaffolds between their experiences, the meanings they ascribe to these, and their identity (re)negotiations. In doing so, there is scope to generate rich interview data that addresses a range of research questions. Drawing on the paradigm of narrative therapy, the EII generates a collaborative dialogical space wherein both researchers and research participants may co-contribute to the unpacking of normative discourses that shape participants’ usual ways of speaking about their lived experiences, thereby …

Exploring The Incommensurability Of The Interview In Postqualitative Research: A Narrative Practice-Informed Approach, Sarah Strauven

The Qualitative Report

My starting point in this paper is the question of whether the interview, as a method to contribute knowledge, has become incommensurable and thus superfluous within post-qualitative research frameworks. I take seriously the critiques posited by scholars in the field of post-qualitative inquiry and seek to clarify the generative possibilities of aligning interviews with a post-structural paradigm. My incorporation of narrative practices into this exploration not only grounds the discussion in a narrative practice-based methodology but also offers readers practical ideas for addressing the challenges of paradigmatic congruency. This approach signals a methodological innovation, and I propose a practical process …

Narrative Practice Research Network Special Issue Introduction: Qualitative Research Meets Narrative Therapy And Community Work: A Confluence Of Practice And Politics, David Denborough, Claire Nettle, Sally St. George, Dan Wulff

The Qualitative Report

This special issue, a collaboration between The Qualitative Report and the Narrative Practice Research Network, is a rich and diverse collection of papers linking Narrative Therapy/Community Work and qualitative research. In four sections, authors explore narrative practice research innovations, practitioners doing research and influencing practice via Research as Daily Practice, insider knowledge/insider research towards broader social movement politics, and research in service of broader change. The special issue organizers and contributors hope this collection leads to more conversation and collaboration.

Continuing To Become Other: Responding To The Complexities Of The Shifting Subject In Qualitative Research Through A Narrative Therapy Lens, Sarah Penwarden

The Qualitative Report

According to anthropologist Bruner (1987), “stories may have endings, but stories are never over” (p. 17). This notion, of people continuing to tell and retell their life stories to craft preferred ways of living, is a key concept within narrative therapy (Denborough, 2014). However, this concept of the subject whose stories change over time is, at face value, a challenge to the validity of qualitative research data which is seen as enduring over time. Bearing in mind St. Pierre’s (2021) call to continue to reinvent qualitative research in line with the poststructuralist moment, I consider what it might offer qualitative …

Time Travelling With Ron Chenail, Sally St. George, Dan Wulff, And David Denborough: An Interview About Connecting Histories Of Family Therapy, Narrative Therapy And Qualitative Research, David Denborough

The Qualitative Report

Dear Readers, we have a question for you: Do you know about the origins and history of the journals you decide to submit your manuscripts to for publication? We are most pleased to present to you an interview with the three Co-Editors-in-Chief of TQR (Ron Chenail, Sally St. George, and Dan Wulff) and David Denborough of the Dulwich Centre delving into the origins of TQR in the early 1990s. The roots of TQR were intertwined with family therapy authors and practitioners (Tom Andersen, Michael White, and many others) and that continues today. We think that you will find these historical …

Cognitive Interviewing Within A Mixed Methods Practice: Utilization And Methodological Exploration Of Cognitive Interviewing, Jack Riley Hebner

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cognitive interviewing (CI) is a memory-enhancing technique used to extract more valid data from participants by addressing cognitive needs. Present research applied CI to program evaluation, theorizing that more quality data would be retrieved, especially when utilizing a mixed methods approach. The program chosen to further explore this technique and provide potentially invaluable evaluation data was the Educational Psychology Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (EDPS). The sample consisted of 32 individuals, consisting of graduate students and faculty across all programs.

The overall evaluation focused on inter-program and inner program understanding which is operationalized as the ability to relay how …

Rape Beyond Fantasy: Exploring The Influence Of Booktok's Erotica And Dark Romance Literature On Young Adult Perceptions Of Consent And Boundaries, Teagan Bailey Fortune

Master's Theses

Advances in technology and media, particularly TikTok, have had a significant impact on the younger generation. BookTok, a community that emerged from TikTok, is a platform where users can promote, share, and discuss book recommendations, using “spice level” or chili emojis to indicate the rating of explicit content. While recommendations often focus on erotica and dark romance fiction, concerns arise when such content glamorizes and normalizes rape culture, especially for young adults (YA). The normalization of toxic relationships can potentially influence YA perceptions of consent and boundaries. This study explores how YA perceive rape culture and consent in erotica and …

Examining The Use Of Problem Transformation Methods In Multi-Target Regression, Bradley Ryan Smith

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Although the impact of machine learning methods in the educational sciences has been limited, recent opportunities have emerged that can benefit from these flexible methods capable of predicting both linear and non-linear relationships. One emerging area of interest, multi-target regression (MTR), is concerned with the simultaneous prediction of multiple, continuous target variables and is an extension of traditional supervised learning. Problem transformation methods are a subset of MTR methods that seek to exploit the dependencies amongst targets using stacking, chaining, ensembles, or combinations of the three by expanding the Single-Target approach. This is accomplished by using one or more base-learners, …

Exploring Mindfulness Within Leadership Development: A Phenomenological Study, Amardeep Kaur

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Leadership is a key to success in a complex, rapidly changing world. While scholarly and organizational interest in mindfulness is growing within the leadership and leadership development space, it remains largely unexplored from the leader's perspective. This phenomenological study explored how leaders perceived and described their mindfulness experiences within their leadership development. This exploratory research used a transcendental phenomenological approach (Moustakas, 1994) to capture their self-expression through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Day's (2000) conceptual framework on leader and leadership development guided the study. The participants were recruited from organizations based in the U.S. that offer mindfulness-based programs, snowball sampling techniques, and …

Demystifying Research Paradigms: Navigating Ontology, Epistemology, And Axiology In Research, Lynette Pretorius

The Qualitative Report

A sound understanding of research paradigms is crucial for developing coherent and philosophically grounded research designs, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. This paper offers an accessible overview of the most common research paradigms: positivism, post-positivism, constructivism, social constructionism, interpretivism, pragmatism, and critical realism. These paradigms differ in their approaches to ontology (the nature of reality), epistemology (the nature of knowledge), and axiology (the role of values in research). The paper also discusses the methodological and ethical implications of these paradigms. Reflexivity and ethical responsibility are emphasised, where researchers must account for how their own biases and values influence …

Generating A Reflexive Ai-Assisted Workflow For Academic Writing, Corey W. Johnson, Trena M. Paulus

The Qualitative Report

Digital research workflows are study designs that intentionally consider the use of technology in meaningful and reflexive ways. While most scholars use digital tools and spaces in their research process, doing so has consequences that are infrequently considered in an intentional way. Especially in this age of generative AI, technology integration into research studies will have an even greater impact and consequences on study outcomes. This paper documents one digital research workflow, the academic writing process, to demonstrate how inviting generative AI to be a writing partner can be done in a reflexive manner. Drawing on Paulus and Lester’s (2023) …

“Engaging With Paradigmatic Stances In Social Science Research”: A Book Review Of Bunmi Omodan’S Research Paradigms And Their Methodological Alignment In Social Sciences, Norma R. Romm Prof.

The Qualitative Report

IIn the book, Research Paradigms and Their Methodological Alignment in Social Sciences, Bunmi Omodan explores in depth the philosophical foundations of five paradigms (which he points out are not fixed or univocal in their content), namely positivism; interpretivism/constructivism; transformative paradigm; postcolonial Indigenous paradigm; and pragmatism. Examples of the kinds of research questions, research designs, and attendant data collection and analytic processes, as well as ethical positions, that align with paradigmatic positions are presented to us. At the same time, we are urged to “engage with critiques and debates surrounding each paradigm” (Omodan, 2024, p. xii). The book thus hopes …

A Qualitative Study Of Iranian Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Digital Diversified Education, Seyed Mohammad Reza Marvasti Zadeh, Azizollah Dabaghi Varnosfadrani Advarnosfadrani, Mohammad Amiryousefi

The Qualitative Report

Because Iran is a country of learners of diverse languages, socio-economic classes, genders, and ages, digital diversified education seems appropriate to address needs in English language education. However, there is a notable gap in research on teachers’ perceptions about this type of education. To fill this gap, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Iranian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding a diverse digital education. Data were collected via an open-ended survey with 30 EFL teachers, both male and female, who were selected through convenience sampling. Analysis revealed several key themes, including the utilization of diverse …

Harmony In Progress: Exploring Motivation’S Role In My Piano Learning And Practice Journey, Junyu Tao, Jane Southcott, Renee Crawford

The Qualitative Report

This autoethnography explores the role of motivation in the piano learning and practice journey of the first author. The study is underpinned by understandings of how motivation evolves from extrinsic influences, such as parental support, teachers’ guidance, and peer influence, to intrinsic motivation that drives personal growth. Using a reflective and collaborative approach incorporating narratives, we examine key moments and emotional landscapes as the first author reveals the transformative power of motivation in shaping her piano learning experience. Our findings highlight the critical role of self-determination in fostering sustained engagement and success on the path of piano learning and practice. …

The What’S What And The Who’S Who Of Psychobiography, Ronald Chenail

The Qualitative Report

Joseph G. Ponterotto’s 2025 book, The Psychobiographer's Handbook: A Practical Guide to Research and Ethics, not only serves as an excellent introduction and practical methodological guide to psychobiography, but it also introduces readers to the leading psychobiographers from around the world via the 22 captivating profiles distributed throughout the book. Starting with his self-reflective introduction Ponterotto brings us inside the psychobiography craft by combining technical design and data management skills along with a relational awareness of the researcher to the historic subject. Lastly, the structure of this book can also serve as a template for anyone wanting to create …

Tale Of Transitions: Experiences Of A First-Year Ph.D. Asian Student In America, Aakash Kumar

The Qualitative Report

This autoethnographic account narrates my transition as a first-year Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University, USA. Employing Kurt Lewin’s Change Model, I have structured my narrative around three phases: (a) unfreeze, (b) change, and (c) refreeze. The unfreeze phase details the process of unlearning, adjusting to American academic practices, and the initial cultural shock intensified by homesickness. The change phase describes embracing a new identity, integrating into campus and cultural life, and overcoming academic challenges. Lastly, the refreezing phase involves consolidating new beliefs, perspectives, and skills, solidifying the transition to becoming a more confident and competent scholar. This autoethnographic account …

Major Crime Trends Differ In New York City And New York State, Jeffrey A. Butts, Gina Moreno

Publications and Research

Researchers at the John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center analyzed police-reported index crimes across New York State from 2010 to 2024, focusing on trends in violent and property offenses across three regional groups: New York City, its surrounding suburbs, and Upstate New York. While violent and property crimes declined statewide through 2020, both surged in NYC and its suburbs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upstate regions showed continued or renewed declines. Per capita crime rates reveal more modest increases in NYC and notable decreases in other areas, underscoring regional disparities in crime trends post-2020.

Synthesizing The Global English-Language Abortion Narrative: A Comparative Analysis Of Media Discourse, Amy L. Adamczyk, Lindsay J. Lerner

Publications and Research

Abortion is one of the most politically divisive topics currently being discussed in the media. No study has yet attempted to make cross-national comparisons assessing the nuances associated with various views on abortion in the English public press. Using an original hand-coded sample of over 800 English-language newspaper articles from 41 countries that mentioned abortion, we examine how country-level influences and newspaper characteristics shape newspaper portrayals of abortion. Our three-level hierarchical models find that democracy and the freedom it engenders increase the likelihood that newspapers discuss laws, policies, and government claimsmakers when abortion is mentioned. When abortion is legal, newspapers …

On-The-Go Dining In America: Comparing Convenience, Service Quality, And Satisfaction In Qsr Versus Gas Station Food, Shiva Jahani, Mohammed Lefrid, Lorie A. Tuma

Journal of Tourism Insights

Purpose

The objective of this multi-group study is to examine the influence of service quality and convenience on customer satisfaction in quick service restaurants (QSRs) versus gas stations.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected online from 552 participants in the USA and analyzed using partial least square structure equation modeling (SmartPLS).

Findings

Service quality and convenience are strong predictors of customer satisfaction in both QSR restaurants and gas station food outlets. In addition, this study concluded significant differences between QSRs and gas stations in terms of these relations.

Research limitations/implications

This study makes a significant contribution to the foodservice and consumer behavior …

Utilising An Indigenous Qualitative Information Analysis Method: An Example Of The Application Of Thought Ritual, Meg M. Kelly, Kelly A. Marriott-Statham, Maria Mackay

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

This paper aims to provide a worked application of Thought Ritual as an Indigenous data (information) analysis tool. Thought Ritual is unique in providing an Indigenous underpinning to Indigenous research and promotes the use of cultural methods to analyse collected information. This worked example explores the use of Thought Ritual and dissects the four stages of the analysis tool: (1) connection, (2) diversity, (3) interaction and (4) adaption. Thought Ritual can be difficult to apply due to ambiguity with the associated stages. Due to the recent development of Thought Ritual, there remained limited application of the tool. This worked example …

(Un)Know Thy “Self”: Interconnected Consciousness And Different Ways Of Knowing, Laurel Waterman, Karyn Cooper

The Qualitative Report

This paper draws on preliminary data from a qualitative study in curriculum and pedagogy, “Stories of Teaching about Consciousness: An Inquiry into Worldviews and Wellbeing.” An emerging theme is the concept of the self and how it entwines with perspectives on consciousness. Analyzing consciousness and the self through The Five Contexts framework reveals assumptions at the heart of research and education that often go unquestioned. We wonder, what might alternative perspectives on consciousness and the self offer to researchers and educators? The study aims to inform a larger project of “consciousness education,” defined as education about perspectives on the source …

Ai-Enhanced Qualitative Research: Insights From Adele Clarke’S Situational Analysis Of Ted Talks, Natalija Mazeikiene, Judita Kasperiuniene

The Qualitative Report

This study explores the integration of ChatGPT-4 into the qualitative research process, focusing on the methodology of Situational Analysis by Adele Clarke and analysing TED Talks transcripts. Findings show ChatGPT's ability to process data quickly in initial coding, formulating broader categories reflecting Clarke's complexity of “situation,” recognising human and non-human elements, discourses, debates, and issues, temporal and spatial. In analysing data for different map types (situational, social worlds and arenas, positional), ChatGPT-4 “understands” their different analytical purposes, recognising different levels of abstraction and theoretical structuring. The research highlighted the challenges for generative AI in translating complex theoretical frameworks into situational …

"Traditionalizing" Effect Of Parenthood On First Time Mothers: Insights From A Longitudinal Study, Vilma Ražauskienė

The Qualitative Report

Researchers have documented that transitioning to parenthood may have a "traditionalizing“ effect on the gendered division of housework and childcare. The goal of this research is to enhance an understanding of the factors that influence this change in behaviour and attitudes swaying it to the side of traditional gender roles. To achieve this objective, two waves of individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten women during pregnancy and four to six months postpartum. Although convenience sampling was employed for data collection, the research participants displayed variation in terms of marital status, educational level, number of children, breastfeeding practices, and other …