ARAŞTIRMA YÖNTEMLERİ

Qualitative research is defined as a method
where perceptions and events can be pictured in
their natural environments with a holistic and
realistic perspective through use of qualitative data
collection techniques such as observation, interview,
and document analysis.

Qualitative research is defined as a method
where perceptions and events can be pictured in
their natural environments with a holistic and
realistic perspective through use of qualitative data
collection techniques such as observation, interview,
and document analysis. To further clarify, its basic
features can be listed as follows: (1) sensitivity to
natural environment, (2) participatory role of the
researcher, (3) holistic approach, (4) identifying
the perceptions, (5) flexibility in research design,
and (6) inductive analysis.

case study is the most
widely employed design in IR, and this is an
increasing tendency in the field. The efforts to
figure out complex social events or phenomena
can be taken as the reason for this inclination.
A simplified definition of case study could be
the attempt to seek answers to “how?” or “why?”
concerning a current case of interest

Because of the increase in research studies
employing ethnography design in 1980s, this
period is also known as “ethnographic transformation
of global policies” (Varsti, 2008). Stemming from
anthropology and sociology, ethnography is
a research design where a researcher analyzes
common behaviors, language, and action models of
an intact culture within their natural environment
during a long time-span.

Czarniawska (2004) diagnoses narrative inquiry
design as written documents and conversations
interpreted about an event or a course of events
that are chronologically related. Narrative inquiry
is based on sharing experiences about an event or a
chain of events with another or others through any
channel of communication.

Another qualitative research design that can
be employed in IR is phenomenology, which is
rooted in philosophy and psychology and where
participants’ experiences about a phenomenon
defined by them are described. As obvious by
definition, phenomenological research aims to
determine individuals’ own perceptions and
experiences through their own standpoint

The process of conducting a qualitative research includes identifying the research focus or problem, selecting participants, data collection techniques, data
analysis, and reporting.

As a qualitative data collection tool, interview
enables the researcher to gather data that observation
and questionnaire techniques cannot unravel and
to examine the participants’ feelings, opinions,
perceptions, and attitudes.

Employing documents as a
data collection technique in a qualitative research
may produce the following advantages:
• Variety in data collection
• Aid to other data collection techniques
• Quick access
• Direct focus onto the topic
• Low costs

For narrative research design, on the other
hand, Riessman’s (2005) classification is utilized
in general: thematic analysis, structural analysis,
interactive analysis, and performative analysis.

Case study is the most widely employed design in IR, and this is an increasing tendency in the field. The efforts to figure out complex social events or phenomena can be taken as the reason for this inclination. A simplified definition of case study could be the attempt to seek answers to “how?” or “why?” concerning a current case of interest (Gray, 2009; Maoz, 2002; Yin, 2014; Wiener, 2009). According to Yin (2014), case study refers to examination of a case in real life (context) when the boundaries between an event and its context are obscure. The correct answer is A.

Stemming from anthropology and sociology, ethnography is a research design where a researcher analyzes common behaviors, language, and action models of an intact culture within their natural environment during a long time-span. Wolcott (2008) states that ethnography is a study conducted on social behaviors of a definable human group instead of a study conducted on culture. The correct answer is B.

Narrative inquiry basically focuses on human experiences and stories. Relevant literature hosts narrative inquiries under several names such as autobiographies, individual narrations, narrative interviews, life documents, life stories and histories, oral history, ethno-history, ethno-biography, auto-ethnography, ethno-psychology, and personalized ethnography. Czarniawska (2004) diagnoses narrative inquiry design as written documents and conversations interpreted about an event or a course of events that are chronologically related. Narrative inquiry is based on sharing experiences about an event or a chain of events with another or others through any channel of communication.The correct answer is C.

Grounded theory is a qualitative research design aiming to find out a general abstract theory about a process, action, or interaction grounded in participants’ standpoint. Thus, in option E, it is related to grounded theory research design. The correct answer is E.

Grounded theory is one of the qualitative research methods where a series of methods are systematically operated in order to develop an inductive theory (Glaser, 2002). It is defined as a process in which the researcher digs out a general abstract theory about a process, action, or interaction grounded in participants’ standpoint (Corbin and Strauss, 2008). The correct answer is C.

In qualitative research, triangulation refers to the use of more than one method in order to study, define, and explain the problem as comprehensively as possible and to establish necessary credibility (reliability) and validity.The correct answer is A.

Researcher diary can be noted as the most important data source for a researcher administering a qualitative research. Diary can be described as a source of data where the researcher writes down her/his comments, feelings, and opinions about events that s/he observes and hears and where s/he can add her/his reflections about her/his experience (Glesne, 2012). A researcher diary can be conceived as a written log of researcher’s actions, opinions, and feelings during the design, data collection, analysis, reporting, and presentation steps of a given research.The correct answer is E.

Artifacts are another source of help qualitative researchers can use to answer the research questions. They can also be described as physical evidence for qualitative research (Merriam, 2013; Onwuegbuzie, Leech, and Collins, 2010). Artifacts refer to object(s) located within the focal context, and somehow, they appeal to the researcher’s interest. These objects may range from things that people in the focal setting use for their daily routines and rituals to a book, chair, or another piece of decoration in the environment (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2010). Some examples of artifacts that can be used for a research within IR can be historical footsteps in a specific region, or ruins of a battlefield and a communal area. If the aim is to conduct a more contemporary research study, then some examples may include the goods that refugees leave behind in their camps during migration. Artifacts that a researcher would utilize as a source of data depend primarily on the focal phenomenon and the research questions. The corerct answer is B.

In data storage and transfer, it is advised to conceal the participants’ names in your data set for confidentiality reasons. The correct answer is D.

Rigor means care, attention, and diligence displayed during every step of a research process where data about a topic is collected and analyzed, and findings are reported (Stringer, 2008). Rigor of a study is accepted as an indicator of its quality; thus, all necessary steps have to be completed and reported meticulously (MacNaughton and Hughes, 2009; Yin, 2014).The correct answer is B.