Roles of Researchers in Qualitative Research
Researchers play a wide variety of roles that are crucial to the success of a study in qualitative research. In fact, some of these roles are fundamental to the generation of study findings and analyses. It is the duty of the researchers to archive social and empirical study. The development of recent research has been heavily reliant on earlier research that was saved by earlier researchers while they were conducting their research. The 1973-founded Danish Data Archives made significant logical and methodological contributions to late quantitative research. It's also essential to note that the DDA has only used research materials that academics have compiled using quantitative criteria. It is therefore important for qualitative researchers to help in the archiving of data that would be used later for comparison and reference.
Secondly, the researchers have to help in the qualitative research process when using the qualitative method. The researchers must outline the description of the qualitative research. They must ensure that stages of the research, which includes the mating, transcribing and analyzing. The designing of the methodological procedure is important in the realization of a success in the research process. These include time schedule and the interrelation of stress .Interviewing and transcribing of reports and recordings (Dicks, 2006). The researcher must also be able to develop, competence in the methods because they require correct implementation of specialized skills through an explanation of study free of bias and conduction of proper interviews. Finally, the researcher should develop competence in methods through the assessment of competence in the assumption that one does not have the skills that are required during the research. Talking to a research mentor and attaining the skills that are required in the research is important too. Lastly, the research must also present findings mostly in writing or in posters also sometimes through oral presentations.
Important Issues in Qualitative Research
The broader topic of research is supposed to be well investigated and discussed. Due to that several issues that there are certain issues that are supposed to be discussed whenever researchers are doing qualitative or quantitative research. Some of the issues to be analyzed include the decision-making capacity of the researcher and those involved in the research. This is to include the ability of most of the individuals in the research. For example, a researcher doing his research in the hospital must analyze the decision-making ability of the patients who are being interviewed.
Secondly, communication issues are important aspects of a qualitative research since aspects like interviewing and reporting must be done in a communication strategy. The ability of the potential subjects in the completion of the research or study is as well important. Communication can is verbal or written however, it is important that communication between respondents and the researcher is clear and concise. Finally, a timing of subject for recruitment is as well an important aspect of a successful study. This is because of the hesitation or indication of willing fully participating in a study.it is important that the researcher adjusts the time for subject recruitment given the environmental or participation issues that may arise in the context of the research. Finally, the potential of overusing individual subjects which may create a disproportionate burden for research participation. This can lead to unrealistic result got at the end of the research due to inconsistencies in the event of such a normality.
Types of Bias in Research
Bias in research can be due to lack of clarity in the objectives or intended and purposeful plan. Bias is known to happen to most researchers and it's insane to think that a researcher would come out one hundred percent without the bias in it. The goal to reduce bias is therefore to questions are answered without distortions and illegalities of compromise or influence.
One of the pervasive forms of bias in research is confirmation bias which happens when the researcher forms a hypothesis and uses the respondents to answer the same belief. This happens when the researcher also dismisses evidence that opposes their belief. Researchers are needed to continually do a reevaluation of respondents and their answers and question assumptions and hypotheses that are preexisting.
Culture bias happens when assumptions and subsequent motivations take place because of judgment solely by cultural standards and values. This can be avoided by moving above cultural relativism and showing appreciation for the subjects regardless.
The halo effect is a bias which exposes to one limiting his appreciation for something due to on positive attribute. This can be prevented by ensuring that researchers ask varied questions about a brand so that different answers are got from the respondents before making conclusions.
Ethical and Neutral Stance of Alice Goffman
Alice Goffman maintained an ethical and neutral stance during her research in the city of Philadelphia because of the justified unbiasedness, which was evidenced by the following instances. She did not base her questions on the cultural basis of the research but her questions were naturally based on the African American population in the city of Philadelphia and their relationship with the police. She goes ahead to discuss the role of research boards and is particularly concerned about the relationship of these boards in relation to the nature of ethnography and nature of scientific organizations.
Social Problems in Philadelphia
According to the social research by Goffman, the social problems that are encountered in Philadelphia is due to lack of interaction between the government and the citizens as it is seen that in the same place people live with the fear of being arrested and jailed anytime. Because of the uncertainty that follows it happens that everybody becomes fearful of the future and therefore violence and stealing becomes the order of the day in the place(Liamputtong, 2013). This has a created a problem sociologically in Philadelphia in which there is of committing crimes even among the youths.
Benefits of Qualitative Research
Quantitative research studies are able to define variations and draw conclusions from the observations made. It is, therefore, true that quantitative research would have given Alice the results that she had got from the integration of her research analysis. For example, on the six men she had analyzed their lives after six years same results found would suggest a common interpretation for the answers she gave.
Qualitative research is part of decision-making, which further results in making of public policies. Ethnography, which is the living with individuals during the study helps in full result conformity since ten, the researcher is able to see the needs of the subjects and the respondents and confirm issues that he may have not goy firsthand. Ethnographic research is therefore important in ensuring that individuals who are doing their research are able to get full data and evidence and therefore make valid conclusions on their research.
References
Liamputtong, P. (2013). Qualitative research methods.
Dicks, B. (2006). Qualitative research and hypermedia: Ethnography for the digital age. London: SAGE
