Ph.D Qualitative Research

The course discusses the basis for selection of qualitative methods and the strategies for qualitative research.  It reviews the processes involved in planning and designing qualitative studies with emphasis on interpretive studies, phenomenological studies, in depth critical theory, ethnographic studies, historical studies, humanistic studies, action research, grounded theory, case studies, documentary and discourse analysis.  It explores general methodological guidelines and issues of sample selection, access negotiation, credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability and authenticity.  Students are exposed to participant selection (sampling) issues in qualitative research within the context of validity and reliability.  The open nature of qualitative research questions is recognized and implications for this are discussed.  Limitations and plausibility of conclusions of these types of studies are also discussed.

This course seeks to make the student aware of ethical issues associated with qualitative research.  It discusses issues related to informed consent, invasion of respondents’ privacy, compensation of respondents for loss of time as a result of their interaction with the researcher, anonymity of respondents, and acquisition and use of confidential or secret information.  The course also examines ethical clearance/ethics regulatory policies in West Africa and Ghana.  It discusses ethical dilemmas relating to regulatory bodies, political ramification, cultural values and practices in qualitative studies.  Also discussed are standardized procedures for reporting research results and the protection of research participants.

The course provides insights into the various techniques used in analyzing qualitative data while the data gathering is going on.  The importance of iterative analysis of field notes, individual or group interviews, outcome of shadowing and observation is stressed.  The student is exposed to interview data transcription techniques, categorization strategies and processes of deriving themes from qualitative data.  Opportunities are given the student to acquire skills in open coding, axial coding and selective coding techniques.  Interpretation issues such as triangulating data, audits, cultural bias and generalization are discussed.

The course is intended to help students sharpen their skills in writing so as to be able to communicate clearly the outcomes of qualitative studies.  Emphasis is placed on skills in describing and presenting qualitative evidence through anecdotal reporting.  Opportunities are provided for students to criticize published qualitative reports and also engage in review of reports written by their peers through seminars.