Research Questions That Lend Themselves To A Qualitat 978261

Research Questions That Lend Themselves To A Qualitative Approach Ofte

Research questions that lend themselves to a qualitative approach often address questions about how people construct meaning. In this way, qualitative research questions set the stage for open-ended, inductive inquiry. For this Discussion, review the case study entitled, "Social Work Research: Program Evaluation." Consider the kinds of questions that inform a qualitative approach. Think about the quantitative method described in the case study and consider methods you might use to investigate the effectiveness of a program from a qualitative perspective. By Day 3 Post your explanations of the following: What kinds of research questions lead to a qualitative approach? If you chose to conduct quantitative research in your Week 4 proposal, how might you reframe the research question in a way that lends itself to a qualitative approach? If you focused on a qualitative proposal in Week 4, describe the qualitative research question and explain the rationale for choosing a qualitative approach. Be sure to explain how you might collect the data. Consider which qualitative method (case study, grounded theory, ethnographic research, cross-sectional research, feminist research, or participatory action research) would be most suitable for answering the research question. Case Study entitled Social Work Research: Program Evaluation Major federal legislation was enacted in 1996 related to welfare reform. Financial assistance programs at the national level for low-income families have been in place since the mid-1960s through the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, or welfare reform, created TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Major components of the new TANF program were to limit new recipients of cash aid to no more than 2 years of TANF assistance at a time and to receive no more than 5 years of combined TANF assistance with other service programs during their lifetimes. Major federal and state policy changes aimed at reducing dependency and promoting work among low-income families—along with the varied implementation across counties—offer rich grounds for qualitative inquiry. The case details the implementation and effects of welfare reform in California’s CalWORKs program, highlighting different approaches and outcomes across counties, which underscore how contextual factors shape program effectiveness. This context suggests that qualitative questions could explore how participants experience and interpret the program, or how county administrators perceive and enact policy changes.

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Qualitative research questions are typically designed to explore how individuals or groups interpret, give meaning to, and experience their social reality. These questions are often open-ended, seeking to understand the depth and complexity of human behaviors, perceptions, and social interactions. They focus on understanding the "how" and "why" aspects of phenomena, rather than quantifying variables or establishing causality. For example, a qualitative research question might ask: "How do recipients of welfare programs perceive the impact of policy changes on their daily lives?" or "In what ways do county administrators interpret federal mandates when implementing welfare reforms?" Such questions initiate inquiry into the subjective experiences of study participants and recognize the importance of context and meaning in shaping behavior and attitudes (Creswell, 2013).

In contrast, if conducting quantitative research, the question would likely focus on measurable outcomes or the relationship between variables. For instance, a quantitative question might be: "What is the effect of county-level welfare program implementation on employment rates among recipients?" To reframe this quantitative question into a qualitative one, it could be transformed into: "How do welfare program recipients experience the process of seeking employment under the new policy framework?" This shift emphasizes exploring personal experiences, perceptions, and meanings rather than statistical relationships. Conducting qualitative research allows for a nuanced understanding of participants' perspectives, which is particularly useful in contexts like welfare reform, where individual experiences and institutional practices intersect.

If focusing on a qualitative approach from the outset, a suitable research question could be: "How do low-income families perceive and respond to welfare reformation policies across different counties?" The rationale for choosing a qualitative approach in this scenario stems from the complexity of social phenomena involved. It aims to uncover how the policies are received, interpreted, and enacted by diverse populations within various contexts. Data collection methods would include interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, providing rich, detailed insights into participants' lived experiences (Merriam & Tisdel, 2016).

Grounded theory would be an appropriate methodology for developing a theory grounded in the data about how families navigate welfare policies and economic challenges. Ethnographic research could be used to immerse researchers in the community environments, gaining deeper understanding of cultural and social dynamics influencing welfare participation. Participatory action research might be particularly effective by involving community members as active collaborators to identify issues and co-develop solutions, fostering empowerment and relevance of findings (Stringer, 2014). Overall, the choice of qualitative questions and methods in studying welfare reform emphasizes understanding human perceptions and social contexts to inform policy and practice improvements.

References

• Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications.
• Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.
• Stringer, E. T. (2014). Action research. Sage publications.
• Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
• Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory. Sage Publications.
• Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications.
• Korthagen, F. A., & Kessels, J. (2020). Linking theory and practice in teacher education: Modern possibilities through action research. Journal of Teacher Education, 71(5), 441-455.
• Flick, U. (2018). An introduction to qualitative research. Sage Publications.
• Leavy, P. (2017). Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts-based, and community-based participatory research approaches. Guilford Publications.
• Reason, P., & Bradbury, H. (2008). The Sage handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice. Sage Publications.