Qualitative research
Qualitative research focuses on understanding qualities, meanings and contexts through non-numerical data like words, images or observations.
A qualitative researcher interested in how to make the most delicious chocolate chip cookie would take a different approach to the quantitative researcher. They might ask participants to describe the best and worst chocolate chip cookies they’ve ever eaten, and what they liked or disliked about them.
In qualitative research, objectivity is seldom desired or even considered possible. Instead, subjectivity is embraced explicitly, and researchers may include their own perspectives when writing up their papers. They wouldn’t necessarily assume that if someone else conducted the same study they would get the same results due to the complex interplay between the context of the participants and unique positionality of the researchers.
So qualitative and quantitative researchers often have different opinions about whether a study needs to be replicable in order to have integrity.
It’s important not to assume that there’s only one way for research to have integrity, and to understand the importance of different ways of doing research. The cheesecake below might look burnt to someone who is used to non-baked cheesecakes, but will look perfect to someone who is used to baked cheesecakes!
Activity 1:
Allow about 10 minutes
In the activity below, you will have the chance to test your understanding of the terms ‘transparency’ and ‘integrity’ in open research. Read the following vignette, and decide whether it is an example of research that has transparency, whether it has integrity, transparency and integrity, or neither?
Dr. McGonagle is conducting a study on the effects of a new drug on psoriasis. She publishes her methodology, including how participants were selected, how the drug was administered, and how data were collected and analysed. She also shares her raw data and statistical analysis code publicly, allowing others to verify her results or conduct their own analysis. She clarifies in her methodology that she isn’t planning on comparing the new drug to anything else. Make a note of your thoughts in the box below before revealing our comments.
When you are ready, press 'reveal' to see our comments.
Discussion
Dr. McGonagle has been transparent by publishing all the details of her study. However, the results from her research will show less integrity because she hasn’t compared the new drug to anything else. To increase the integrity of her research, she could compare the new drug to an existing drug and/or a placebo.
Quantitative research