Qualitative Research in Practice : Stories From the Field - Blogs Unpad
Qualitative Research in Practice : Stories From the Field - Blogs Unpad
Qualitative Research in Practice : Stories From the Field - Blogs Unpad
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<strong>Qualitative</strong> research <strong>in</strong> practice<br />
several stages of data collection, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g focus groups, observation<br />
and <strong>in</strong>-depth <strong>in</strong>terviews with 27 work<strong>in</strong>g mo<strong>the</strong>rs. Here she talks<br />
about <strong>the</strong> three stages of data collection and <strong>the</strong> process of select<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> women to <strong>in</strong>terview.<br />
Focus groups and observation<br />
Angel<strong>in</strong>a: After ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g entry to <strong>the</strong> community, I started to do<br />
some focus groups, partly because I felt that I didn’t<br />
know enough about <strong>the</strong> culture <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Beij<strong>in</strong>g community.<br />
I felt that I needed to know more about <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
way of life, <strong>the</strong>ir perceptions, et cetera, because most<br />
of <strong>the</strong> available literature was from overseas countries.<br />
Even though it talked a lot about social support, I<br />
didn’t learn a lot about how social support is be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
rendered <strong>in</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>land Ch<strong>in</strong>a. So I used focus groups to<br />
alert me to underly<strong>in</strong>g issues that I may not be aware<br />
of. For example, I asked people about <strong>the</strong>ir pattern of<br />
social support, <strong>the</strong> issues <strong>the</strong>y encounter and any<br />
tensions that <strong>the</strong>y experience. I also asked <strong>the</strong>m to<br />
comment on some concepts or ideas from <strong>the</strong><br />
western literature. This helped me to design my<br />
question guidel<strong>in</strong>e, even though I didn’t follow it<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> end, but at least <strong>the</strong> focus groups alerted me<br />
to a lot of issues which I was not aware of earlier ...<br />
The participant observation was also very important<br />
because I felt that, <strong>in</strong> order to understand <strong>the</strong> local<br />
community and its dynamics, I have to know <strong>the</strong><br />
community well. So I lived <strong>in</strong> a local hotel right <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
middle of <strong>the</strong> community, and I tried to observe <strong>the</strong><br />
community at different times. For example I’d get up<br />
very early and wander around <strong>the</strong> community because<br />
<strong>the</strong> community virtually woke up at around five or six<br />
and a lot of people were go<strong>in</strong>g to work and so on. So<br />
I’d go out at different times of <strong>the</strong> day and try to see<br />
<strong>the</strong> pattern of <strong>the</strong>ir daily rout<strong>in</strong>e . . . I’d chat with <strong>the</strong>m<br />
and see <strong>the</strong> pattern of <strong>the</strong>ir daily life and how <strong>the</strong>y<br />
<strong>in</strong>teract, how <strong>the</strong>y chat, what <strong>the</strong> topics of <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
conversations are, what <strong>the</strong>ir concerns are and th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
like that.<br />
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