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Chapter 18Chapter 18

Reading and Writing the Qualitative Reading and Writing the Qualitative Research ReportResearch Report

A qualitative study is not complete until the A qualitative study is not complete until the research report is writtenresearch report is written

Researcher analyzes data and writes the Researcher analyzes data and writes the analysis in back-and-forth reflective stepsanalysis in back-and-forth reflective steps

Writing the report is part of developing the Writing the report is part of developing the interpretation of the datainterpretation of the data

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Characteristics Characteristics of Qualitative Research Reportsof Qualitative Research Reports

Author is a guide Author is a guide – Helping the reader move through unfamiliar Helping the reader move through unfamiliar

interactioninteraction

– Helping the reader see familiar interaction in a Helping the reader see familiar interaction in a new waynew way

Does description and analysis increase Does description and analysis increase readers’ understanding of how humans readers’ understanding of how humans construct and share meaning?construct and share meaning?

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Parts of theParts of theQualitative Research ReportQualitative Research Report

IntroductionIntroduction

Summary of the literatureSummary of the literature

Description of data collection and Description of data collection and analytical techniquesanalytical techniques

Report of the interpretation and analysesReport of the interpretation and analyses

Implications of findingsImplications of findings

Future researchFuture research

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Presenting Presenting the Core Idea or Questionthe Core Idea or Question

Introductory premise to frame what followsIntroductory premise to frame what follows

Provide explanations Provide explanations

– Why researcher was in this particular settingWhy researcher was in this particular setting

– Why this setting is important or interestingWhy this setting is important or interesting

Begin with dramatic quote or field noteBegin with dramatic quote or field note

Or, begin with more traditional literature Or, begin with more traditional literature reviewreview

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Writing about the MethodWriting about the Method

When/where the fieldwork was conductedWhen/where the fieldwork was conducted

Extent of researcher involvement in the Extent of researcher involvement in the interaction environmentinteraction environment

Detailed information about the Detailed information about the participants, context, and sceneparticipants, context, and scene

Steps and methods for analyzing the dataSteps and methods for analyzing the data

Extent to which data were triangulatedExtent to which data were triangulated

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Revealing Identity of ParticipantsRevealing Identity of Participants

Keep your agreement about confidentiality Keep your agreement about confidentiality and anonymity with participantsand anonymity with participants

May need to develop fictitious namesMay need to develop fictitious names

– Sometimes must go beyond simply changing Sometimes must go beyond simply changing name of people, place, and organizationname of people, place, and organization

– But do not camouflage an identity so that it is But do not camouflage an identity so that it is misleadingmisleading

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Presenting the DataPresenting the Data

Because qualitative research produces Because qualitative research produces abundant data –need to judiciously edit abundant data –need to judiciously edit data to a manageable amountdata to a manageable amount

Decide what to tell and how to tell itDecide what to tell and how to tell it

– What is the basic story?What is the basic story?

– Who will do the telling?Who will do the telling?

– Authorial voice?Authorial voice?

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Authorial VoiceAuthorial Voice

RealistRealist– Author narrates in third person; author almost Author narrates in third person; author almost

absent; conveys the view of those observedabsent; conveys the view of those observed

ConfessionalConfessional– Researcher is present; written in first person Researcher is present; written in first person

to reveal researcher’s point of view to reveal researcher’s point of view

ImpressionistImpressionist– Liberal use of metaphors, imagery to tell the Liberal use of metaphors, imagery to tell the

storystory

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Writing Style of the Critical ScholarWriting Style of the Critical Scholar

Foregrounds perspective of disadvantaged Foregrounds perspective of disadvantaged or marginalized groupsor marginalized groups

Exposes inequalities and injusticesExposes inequalities and injustices

Describes contradictionsDescribes contradictions

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Criteria for Evaluating WritingCriteria for Evaluating Writing

Is your manuscriptIs your manuscript– Well written and engage the reader?Well written and engage the reader?– Effectively address multiple audiences?Effectively address multiple audiences?– Present credible and interesting data?Present credible and interesting data?– Ethically and politically accountable?Ethically and politically accountable?

Does your manuscript includeDoes your manuscript include– Reflections on your role?Reflections on your role?– An invitation to participate in the An invitation to participate in the

interpretation?interpretation?

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Organizing PatternsOrganizing Patterns

Sequence of eventsSequence of events– Good for ethnographiesGood for ethnographies

Critical pointsCritical points– Across a number of casesAcross a number of cases

Order of importanceOrder of importance– Major to minorMajor to minor– Minor to majorMinor to major

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Quoting ParticipantsQuoting Participants

Using quotes strengthens analysis Using quotes strengthens analysis

Provide frame of reference for quoteProvide frame of reference for quote

Interpret all quotesInterpret all quotes

Find balance between quotes and your Find balance between quotes and your description and analysisdescription and analysis

Short quotes are better than long onesShort quotes are better than long ones

Use only the best quotesUse only the best quotes

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Drawing and Supporting Drawing and Supporting ConclusionsConclusions

What decisions can be made given the What decisions can be made given the descriptions and analyses presented?descriptions and analyses presented?

Closing paragraphsClosing paragraphs– What has been attempted?What has been attempted?

– What has been learned?What has been learned?

– What new questions have been raised?What new questions have been raised?

Consider statement of personal reflectionConsider statement of personal reflection

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Revisiting Your AnalysisRevisiting Your Analysis

Analytical skills are related to writing skillsAnalytical skills are related to writing skills– Accuracy and exactnessAccuracy and exactness– EconomicalEconomical– Conclusions should be consistentConclusions should be consistent– Conclusions should ring trueConclusions should ring true– Framework apparent to readerFramework apparent to reader– Explain as much of the data as possibleExplain as much of the data as possible– Heuristic and fertileHeuristic and fertile

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Finishing theFinishing theQualitative Research ReportQualitative Research Report

TitleTitle

– Eliminate “A Qualitative Study of . . .”Eliminate “A Qualitative Study of . . .”

Title pageTitle page

AbstractAbstract

– Overall objective of researchOverall objective of research

– Brief explanation of research methodBrief explanation of research method

– Brief summary of resultsBrief summary of results

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Using the APA Style ManualUsing the APA Style Manual

Citing others’ workCiting others’ work– Direct citationDirect citation– Indirect citationIndirect citation

Creating the reference listCreating the reference list– Complete alphabetical list by authors’ last Complete alphabetical list by authors’ last

namesnames– Includes all literature cited in the reportIncludes all literature cited in the report– AccuracyAccuracy