Qualitative research can be defined as “Data-gathering
techniques that are focused on the significance of observations made in a study
rather than the raw numbers themselves.”
Retrieved from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Qualitative+Research Strauss and Corbin (1990) define qualitative
research as “any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by
means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification.” (p.17). How can qualitative research benefit me? If I practice qualitative research will I
have a better understanding of my question at issue? To gain a better understanding I analyzed the
journal article Choosing Qualitative
Research: A Primer for Technology Researchers.
As I learned about qualitative research I couldn’t help but
notice some similarities and parallels to critical thinking. Qualitative research is made up of several elements
and like critical thinking uses standards in the evaluation of its data. Within the workplace (or natural setting) the
researcher makes observations and interpretations in order to collect data for
analyzation. When we utilize critical thinking
we make interpretations and use data as well in order to reason through an
issue. In my opinion qualitative research
is critical thinking!
The role of the
researcher in a qualitative inquiry is explored in our readings. Who is performing the study? What are their expectations? In my role as an academic advisor I do not conduct
qualitative research, however my Director does. Our team uses the information she has
collected and analyzed in an effort to perform our jobs more efficiently. We have bi-monthly meetings where this
information is shared and discussed. For
example, she recently conducted a qualitative study to evaluate student
enrollment totals across all of the campuses for the 2012-2013 academic
year. She pulled enrollment data from
each campus, compared it with the previous academic year, and presented the
information to us. The information
gathered was analyzed in an effort to project our enrollment goals for the next
academic year (broken down by terms) as well as to compare our individual
success against the other campuses. She categorizes
the information and how the information impacts different areas of focus with our
students. For instance, once a student
is admitted to the university we reach out to them in an effort to get them to
matriculate, this is the first step.
Once matriculated the goal then becomes to offer continued support to
the student. This effort is performed to
assist the student so that they continuously enroll term after term all the way
through to graduation. The data analysis
collected assists my team with individual goals as well as future expectations of
our performance.
Qualitative research can be conducted through interviews,
recording data, and through observations.
How will the data be collected?
How much data is needed? What
goal needs am I trying to accomplish by conducting this study? As I’ve learned from my critical thinking I
want to approach my research with questions.
Once I have asked myself some of these questions I can reflect on what
it is I want to achieve. I worked in the
restaurant business FOREVER (almost 20 years, to me that is forever). I started at about 16 or 17 as a dishwasher. I worked my way up to cook and eventually
became a server. I even worked as a
restaurant manager but I liked serving the most. I made fast, easy money, had lots of
flexibility, and got to meet pretty girls every day. I did my job really well and was respected by
my employers as reliable, hardworking, and honest. I usually trained new hires and observed how
they worked. I would also supervise the
wait staff as the manager’s “eyes and ears” on the floor. When evaluating staff members I would
passively observe how they interacted with the guests. I would only intervene if a question was
asked they did not know. If a trainee approached
a table, introduced themselves, and only asked “What would you like to drink?”
I would offer some advice. I would let
them know that as a server your job is in sales. It is your job to get guests to spend as much
money as possible for the benefit of the restaurant, but also for the
server. The higher the bill, the higher
the tip (in theory) generally. So I
would suggest to the new hire that next time they approached a table they
suggestively sell an alcoholic beverage (by brand) such as a Heineken or maybe
a Tanqueray and tonic. Followed by a
suggested appetizer. This way instead of
walking away with an order for only two waters you have a bill that is already
$30.00. In essence you have made $6.00
already by just saying hello and getting a drink order. I guess I never knew it but I in was
conducting qualitative research as a server.
I was interviewing guests, recording data, making observations of their
needs, and analyzing all of this data in order to ensure a quality dining
experience. The product of this analysis
increased the amount of money I made. As
I write this I am amused by the fact that the very practice that I am now consciously
learning about, I was unconsciously performing for years!
I learned a great deal about human nature from my many years
of interactions with people as a server.
I especially liked difficult guests because they challenged me to to persuade
them to have a good experience. If a
hostess had a guest that was extremely difficult or demanding they would always
say, “Give them to Diaz!” I had a
reputation for making people take a look at themselves and their actions and
how those actions were not acceptable simply because you were at a restaurant for
dinner. I guess you could say that I
enjoyed the job as sort of a sociological experiment. My only regret in doing it for so long was
that I did not go back to school earlier.
Who knows, instead of learning about qualitative research in my master’s
program right now, I could be conducting qualitative research for my
doctorate? But it’s like the old saying,
“You’re never too old to learn something new.”
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