Qualitative Research Methods

    OCR
    GCSE

    Qualitative research methods prioritize the collection of rich, detailed data ('thick description') to uncover the meanings, motives, and worldviews of social actors. Rooted in Interpretivism and Weberian 'Verstehen', this approach rejects the Positivist pursuit of objective, scientific laws in favor of subjective insight. Candidates must evaluate the inherent trade-off between high validity and low reliability/representativeness. Analysis must rigorously apply Practical, Ethical, and Theoretical (PET) criteria to methods such as participant observation, unstructured interviews, and semiology, assessing their utility for investigating sensitive or complex social phenomena.

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    Objectives
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    Exam Tips
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    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for precise definitions of qualitative concepts: validity, rapport, Verstehen, and subjectivity.
    • Credit responses that explicitly link the choice of method to the specific characteristics of the sample group (e.g., vulnerable groups requiring rapport).
    • Evaluations must address practical issues (time, cost, access), ethical issues (consent, harm, privacy), and theoretical issues (validity vs. reliability).
    • High-level responses must distinguish between overt and covert observation nuances, specifically regarding the 'observer effect' versus ethical deception.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for precise definitions of qualitative concepts: validity, rapport, Verstehen, and subjectivity.
    • Credit responses that explicitly link the choice of method to the specific characteristics of the sample group (e.g., vulnerable groups requiring rapport).
    • Evaluations must address practical issues (time, cost, access), ethical issues (consent, harm, privacy), and theoretical issues (validity vs. reliability).
    • High-level responses must distinguish between overt and covert observation nuances, specifically regarding the 'observer effect' versus ethical deception.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡When evaluating a method, use the PET framework: Practical, Ethical, and Theoretical issues.
    • 💡For 'Discuss' questions, ensure you provide a counter-argument; if arguing for validity, acknowledge the lack of generalisability.
    • 💡Explicitly reference the source material in Section A questions; lift details about the sample size or topic to justify your points.
    • 💡Memorize the specific advantages of focus groups: observing group interaction and idea generation, not just 'interviewing multiple people'.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Confusing 'validity' (truthfulness/depth) with 'reliability' (replicability/consistency).
    • Stating generic advantages (e.g., 'it is cheap') without qualifying why (e.g., 'no need to train large interviewer teams' vs 'analysis is time-consuming').
    • Failing to contextualize the method; providing a textbook evaluation of interviews without referencing the specific scenario provided in the source.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Discuss
    Evaluate
    To what extent

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