EDUR 7130
Educational Research On-Line
Qualitative Research Types:
Phenomenology, Ethnography, Grounded Theory, and Case Study
To help identify the nature of qualitative research, four common approaches to qualitative study are considered below. These four include phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, and case study. Rather than summarize these here, I have linked to a number of short texts that discuss each of these methods of inquiry. Prior to separate discussion of each, first a brief summary highlighting some differences of each is offered.
1. Overview of Phenomenology, Ethnography, Grounded Theory, and Case Study
Johnson and Christensen, authors of Educational Research: Quantitative,
Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches (2007, 3rd edition), provide a summary that
compares phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, and case study in the
following link:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/3_Johnson_summary_qual.lec12.pdf
When reading, study carefully tables 12.1 (aspects or characteristics of
qualitative research) and 12.2 (characteristics of the four methods compared).
2. Phenomenology, and
3. Ethnography
Bresler (no date) provides a description of ethnography (pages 1 to 10) and
phenomenology (pages 11 to 16):
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/5_Qual_Ethnog_Phenon_Bresler.pdf
Examples of Phenomenology
Adams (2010) studies the use of PowerPoint among select university faculty.
She presents a nice overview of phenomenological research as the introduction to
her study. She writes, for example, about the main point of phenomenology:
“Phenomenology is not interested in conceptualizing, theorizing or idealizing
experience, but rather in describing and interpreting experience as it is
lived.” (p. 2)
Be sure to read pages 1 to 4:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/8_Qual_Phenomen_Example_3.pdf
McClelland (1997) interviewed parents in rural areas to learn of their
experiences with schools. He provides a nice introduction explaining the steps
taken to collect data for his phenomenological study (see pages 108 and 109):
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/8_Qual_Phenomen_Example_2.pdf
Nitta et al. (2010) examined rural school consolidation. Their article is
formatted in a fashion similar to quantitative research with well defined methods
sections. They explain the method on page 8, but other important study
characteristics are explained throughout the article, such as sampling (pages 4
and 1). If time is limited, focus on page 8.
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/8_Qual_Phenomen_Example_1.pdf
Examples of Ethnography
Principal Folklore: Rider presents information about the role of folklore
among principals in Alaska in the following 5 page article. Note discussion of
method on pages 15 and 16.
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/5_Qual_Ethnography_Example_3.pdf
Menstruation Taboos: Akins presents a traditional ethnographic study of various
taboos of menstruation in a Kwaio village in the Soloman Islands. This document
is a 5 MB download due to included images:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/5_Qual_Ethnography_Example_2.pdf
4. Case Study
Cout (2003) provides a comparison between case study and ethnography. r?
Some questions to consider about case studies:
(a) How do case studies differ from other qualitative research such as
phenomenology or ethnography? Do case studies differ?
(b) Is case study a form of qualitative research, a form of quantitative
research, or perhaps both?
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/_/print/PrintArticle.aspx?id=111848865
Examples of Case Studies
Mastropieri et al. (2005) examined four cases of co-teaching. Note their
description of data collection and analysis on page 262:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/13_Qual_CaseStudy_Example_1.pdf
Wolfe (2005) studied a writing group to learn how gestures to interact and
communicate. Method for this study begins on page 302:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/13_Qual_CaseStudy_Example2_Wolfe_2005.pdf
Supplemental Readings
How do case study and ethnography differ?
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/_/print/PrintArticle.aspx?id=111848865
http://www.methodspace.com/forum/topics/case-studies-and-ethnography
5. Grounded Theory
While many qualitative researchers view grounded theory as a method of
qualitative inquiry similar to phenomenology or ethnography, researchers
generally use it as a method of data analysis and seldom reference it when
deciding how best to collect relevant data. It can also be used to shape
research purpose and questions because advocates of grounded theory argue that
one should enter qualitative research without preformed theory or ideas,
therefore pre-formed purpose and questions should be minimal. However, it
appears that most researchers who employ grounded theory do so primarily as data
analysis, not research purpose and question formation. In short, in practice
grounded theory appears to play the role primarily as a data analysis method,
perhaps due to the systematic approach it offers.
To understand better how grounded theory is applied, read pages 79 to 85 of the
following:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/9_Qual_Grounded_Explained_4.pdf
Examples of Grounded Theory
To see how grounded theory as a data analysis method can be reported in
actual research, see pages 4, 5, and 6 of Stewart and Abott-Chapman's (2011)
research on student retention in Australia:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/9_Qual_Grounded_Example_4.pdf
As a second example of methods of grounded theory, see pages 344, 345, and 346
of Pitney and Ehlers (2004) study of undergraduate student mentoring:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/9_Qual_Grounded_Example_3.pdf
Supplemental Reading on Grounded Theory
Ng and Hase (2008) provide a nice discussion of grounded theory and also
illustrate coding in grounded theory in their appendix:
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur7130/qualitative/9_Qual_Grounded_Explained_2.pdf