Introduction to Qualitative Methods/ Ethnography - Dr. Mike Pratt

Which of the following best distinguishes qualitative research from quantitative research?

Use of purposeful and theoretical sampling
Focus on statistical representativeness of samples
Abductive testing of hypotheses
Emphasis on statistical generalization

In designing a qualitative research study:

You can start with any of the these but must eventually address all three
You should always start with a research question
You should always start with a problem in the world
You should always start with choosing the context

What is a recommended ethical practice when engaging with informants in ethnographic research?

Ensure informants receive some form of benefit or value from the research
Use informants’ real names to preserve authenticity
Avoid explaining the research to maintain natural behavior
Select only those informants who are neutral and uninvolved in the culture

What is a defining feature of netnography as compared to traditional ethnography?

Studying online cultures through computer-mediated communication
Focus on verbal-only data
Use of network methodology alongside qualitative methodolgy observations
Complete detachment of researcher from all observations

Why are qualitative research questions often framed as “how” or “why”?

To support theoretical elaboration and process understanding
To enable statistical validation
To estimate population means
To limit interpretation by the researcher

What distinguishes ethnographic interviews from regular conversations?

They involve an explicit purpose and contextual explanations
They are always informal and unrecorded
They focus only on factual data and numbers
They avoid discussing native cultural terms

What is typically the first step when conducting qualitative field observations in ethnographic research?

Conducting open-ended, descriptive observations of the setting
Having a well-defined protocol based on existing theory
Jumping into interviews without context
Focusing observations solely on your pre-existing interests

Why is it useful to revise your research question or site after initial unstructured observation?

To align the study with what can actually be observed
To finish the research more quickly
To reduce interaction with participants
To avoid ethical dilemmas

In ethnographic interviews, contrast questions are primarily used to explore which of the following?

Similarities and differences within cultural practices
Applying universal coding systems
Recalling events in real time
An initial and broad view of the cultural scene

What is one common source of tension unique to participant observation?

Managing multiple roles and the emotional toll of entering and leaving the field
Trying to remember everything without taking notes
Using fake identities to gain entry
Refusing to take part in any activities

What type of interview question should be avoided in ethnographic research?

Questions that can be answered with yes or no
Questions starting with “what if…”
Open-ended questions
Questions that invite stories

What is a verification question typically followed by?

An immediate follow-up question to elaborate
A direct answer from the interviewer
A list of examples
A summary of the interview

What is the first step when analyzing interview data?

Read the data without taking notes
Start coding immediately
Write memos about your expectations
Compare responses across participants

What do in-vivo and first-order codes capture?

Participant’s own words or close meanings
Statistical patterns in the data
The researcher’s interpretation of behavior
Themes found in previous literature

Why is it risky to move too quickly to second-order codes?

You may become too abstract and skip rich details
You may confuse fieldnotes with transcripts
You lose the value of in vivo coding
You might forget your research question

What should a structural question aim to uncover?

How people organize or group concepts
The emotional state of the informant
The physical layout or structure of a place
The biography of the participant

Which of the following are typically not advisable when writing up qualitative research?

All of these
Telling about your data, not showing it
Showing too much data, but not interpreting it
Quantifying qualitative data

What does data triangulation help establish?

Analytical trustworthiness
Researcher neutrality
Statistical significance
Theoretical saturation

How might you best resolve the tension in qualitative writing/ publishing about showing data but being limited to 40 pages or less in text?

Use power quotes in the text and proof quotes in a table
Using theme counts rather than quotes
Use theory rather than quotes
Use long quotes to create a “thick description” of the context you are studying at the exclusion of theory

What is the purpose of creating second-order codes?

To abstract and bundle related first-order codes into broader concepts
To transcribe raw audio data
To check for coding errors
To prepare your findings for quantitative testing

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Introduction to Qualitative Methods/ Ethnography – Dr. Mike Pratt

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