•Conducting the qualitative study (continued):
➢As analysis and interpretation progress, the researcher begins to identify themes and categories, which are used to build a descriptive theory of the phenomenon.
➢The kinds of data obtained become increasingly focused and purposeful as theory emerges.
➢Theory development and verification shape the sampling and data gathering process-as the theory develops, the researcher seeks participants who can confirm and enrich the theoretical understanding as well as participants who can potentially challenge them and lead to further theoretical development.
➢Quantitative researchers decide in advance how many subjects to include in the study, but qualitative researchers’ sampling decisions are guided by the data themselves.
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Activities in Qualitative Study
•Conducting the qualitative study (continued):
➢Qualitative researchers are the main data collection instrument and must take steps to ensure the trustworthiness of the data while in the field.
➢The central feature of these efforts is to confirm that the findings accurately reflect the experiences and viewpoints of the participants, rather than the researchers’ perceptions. For example, one confirmatory activity involves going back to participants and sharing preliminary interpretation with them so that they can evaluate whether the researcher’s thematic analysis is consistent with their experiences.