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Qualitative Research - What is it?

After reading the handbook for the second time it became embedded in me that throughout this project we will be conductive qualitative research - but what does this exactly mean?

We've all heard of quality over quantity - but I hadn't really thought of it from a research point of view.

Bhandari decribes Qualitive research as 

'collecting and analyzing non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio) to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences. It can be used to gather in-depth insights into a problem or generate new ideas for research.' (para1. 2020) 

in complete contrast to Quantitive research with uses numerical data to analyse facts and statistics.

To kick start my research into research I started to look at the Kortext book 'Qualitative research in physical culture' and the first thing that stood out to me as the the book is broken up into what the author calls the 7Ps: Purpose, Paradigms, Process, Practice, Politics of Interpretation, Presentation and the Promise of qualitative research. 

Makula and Silk discuss Purpose by asking the following questions and I found myself trying to answer these for myelf...

Why should I be using qualitative research? To map, to critique or to create social change?

Because to find out more about a field in my practice (which happens to be of a physical nature) I need to understand peoples thoughts and choices. Dance is all about expression and feeling which isn't something that can be analysed through numbers

What are the ethical considerations? What kinds of qualitative research are meaningful?

I didn't have an answer to these questions immediately, it was nice to see some familiar words from the handbook here and also to see how much work and thought actually needs to go into this. I am incredibly guilty of the desire to make a start on the proposal and 'get it done' but this has really helped me to dig my heels in and keep going with the research on ethical considerations and kinds of qualitative research and their meaningfulness.

Looking forward to catching up with everyone else's blogs to see what they find.




Bibliography

Markula, P. & Silk, M., (2011), Qualitative Research for Physical Culture, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan

Bharandi. P, (2020), An introduction to qualitative research, [Online], https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-research/, [Accessed 19/02/21]

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Comments

  1. Alice PettiniFebruary 22, 2021 at 11:15 AM

    Hi Georgina, great blog! I loved how you have answered these questions, especially when you said that dance can't be analysed through numbers. Dance is all about meaning, purpose and expression, which is why qualitative research seems like the perfect approach! Thank you for sharing x

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    1. Georgina KnightFebruary 22, 2021 at 11:22 AM

      Thanks Alice, I've also started reading 'Doing your research project' that I know a couple of other people have got stuck into - this has also helped my understanding of why qualitative research is so perfect for our inquiries x

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