Qualitative Research
我的疑惑：What are the reasons that researchers adopt certain types of research methodology,
like qualitative research or quantitative research, instead of other, to find the answer to some
research questions?
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2017). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing
Among Five Approaches. Sage Publications, Incorporated.
· Nature of the Research Question: Qualitative methods are often chosen for
exploratory research, where the goal is to understand complex, subjective
experiences, meanings, or social phenomena. Conversely, quantitative methods are
typically selected when researchers aim to measure or test hypotheses, examine
relationships between variables, or generate generalizable data.
Research Objectives: Studies intending to develop theories or conceptual
frameworks often use qualitative methods, while those focused on testing
established theories or identifying patterns typically employ quantitative methods.
· Philosophical Orientation: Researchers’ epistemological stances influence their
choices. Those aligned with constructivist or interpretivist paradigms may favor
qualitative approaches, while those with a positivist orientation may prefer
quantitative methods.
· Practical Constraints: Time, resources, and access to participants can impact
methodological choice. Quantitative studies may require sophisticated data analysis
software, while qualitative studies need significant time for data collection and
coding.
Before we dive into the details of this research, suppose that you are going to explore
language teachers’ sustained motivation, what specific aspect of language teachers'
sustained motivation that you think is the most intriguing and you would like to do further
research into it?
(1) Sources of sustained motivation; factors contributing to thier motivation;
(2) The longitudinal changes in teachers’ motivation.
...
Based on your research interest, research questions, which state your interest in a more
rigorous and systematic way will be raised?
How will you answer the research questions?
Will you adopt the same research design as the researcher Åsta Haukås /ˈoːsta ˈhæʊkɔːs/
do?
Ss: Yes.
T: Why?
Ss: on the specific questions I raised.
其他小组的疑惑
分析方式：inductive + deductive 的作用？
1. 找到切合的 theme
2. 证明 theory 的解释性
02 Unclear Participants Selection Criteria; Absence of Interview Question List
reliability 信度
validity 效度
04 [Limitations in Source Diversity]
The data in this study comes solely from interviews with teachers. The interviews
provide a focused, in-depth exploration of teachers’ perspectives, which may have
been deemed sufficient for addressing the research questions.
Q1: Triangulation of data is done for the reliability of the study. This study only have
interview data, which is not enough for triangulation. Did this study use other ways to ensure
its reliability?
What are the ways to ensure reliability in qualitative research?
03 Marshall and her team (2022)
Figure 3
Strategies of achieving validity
The author of sample paper used some effective methods to make sure the study
was valid which are worth learning from.
Q: insider & outsider
Engaging in reflexivity
The author had previously worked as a language teacher, but maybe not a German
language teacher, so the researcher holds an insider-ousider perspective. Besides, the
researcher constently reflects along the reaserch even in the writing process, which
offer an valuable researcher's perspective to construct this exploratoty study.
Q2: subjectivity, reflexivity, and positionality 之间的区别？
其他小组 RN 存在的问题：
02
Your reading notes have a clear structure and comprehensive content covering
both the qualitative nature of the article and your critical thoughts. We
appreciate the mind-map you made, which clearly and comprehensively show
both the structure and content of the assigned paper. What’s more, it is
appreciative that you made a detailed introduction of the qualitative research
procedure based on the assigned paper and other literature that you cited, which
shows your extensive reading work. However, the content of the “Qualitative
Nature of the Article” mostly rehash the content of the assigned paper. Perhaps more
attention can be paid to the how the author reported the qualitative research
procedure. You have directly pointed out the strengths of the assigned paper and
illstrated these stengths with examples, which is also appreciative. However, most of
the strengths, like clear paragraph summaries, effective use of linking words and
connection to previous research are just common features of a typical research paper.
Perhaps you can pay atttention to some more unique strengths of this assigned paper
rather than features that share by most of the paper.
Question References Lacking Authority？
来自其他小组的启发
01
Their subjectivity, reflexivity, and positionality significantly influence the research
process and outcomes (Finlay, 2002).
01
写作身份&视角：novice researchers
This transparent and reasoned process can inspire novice researchers. Additionally,
the author seeks to foster teachers’ participation and trust. This is another valuable
lesson.
which enhances our understanding of member checking as novice researchers.
Hooker, T. (2020). Stories of happiness, emotional goals and identity in 21st century
teachers [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. The University of Waikato, New Zealand.
Talbot, K. (2021). Exploring tertiary-level ESL/EFL teacher well-being in the United
States, Japan, and Austria [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Karl-Franzens-
Universität Graz.
Thematic analysis is a flexible method for identifying, analyzing and
reporting themes within data (Braun & Clarke, 2006, p. 79). It involves a
number of choices that need to be explicitly considered and discussed
before data is analyzed or sometimes even collected (2006). This best
explains that the first analytical step was already taken while conducting
the semi-structured interviews (Åsta Haukås, 2024).
Semi-structured interview
The interviewer has the ability to adapt and modify the questions in
accordance with the reactions and behaviors exhibited by the
interviewees.
宏观：
Different articles’ reporting format ← Different methodology ← Different philosophical
stance
Whereas standards for reporting information in the abstract and introduction of a paper are
common to all kinds of research (see Sections 3.3–3.4), there are specific reporting standards
for qualitative research articles, including the Method ( Section 3.14), Findings or Results
(Section 3.15), and Discussion (Section 3.16) sections.[APA7]
微观：
Qualitative research goals: theoretical or pragmatic
1. develop theory, hypotheses, deep understandings;
2. examine the development of social construct;
3. address societal injustices
4. illuminate social discursive practices, i.e., the way interpersonal and public
communications are enacted
Approach to inquiry - the philosophical assumptions that underlie research traditions or
strategies
e.g. the researchers’ epistemological beliefs, worldview, paradigm, strategies, or research
traditions (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Morrow, 2005; Ponterotto, 2005).
For instance, you might indicate that your approach or approaches to inquiry are
constructivist, critical, descriptive, feminist, interpretive, postmodern, postpositivist,
pragmatic, or psychoanalytic. Note that researchers may define these philosophies differently,
and some qualitative research is more question driven and pragmatic than theoretical. You
might also address your approach to inquiry in the Method section
Reporting Styles
Methodology:
participants’ demographic information
Findings
Discussion
The Assigned Article
Understanding the factors supporting language teachers’
sustained motivation until retirement
RQ1. What characterizes the teaching biographies of recently retired and previously highly
engaged language teachers?
RQ2. To what extent can teachers’ sustained engagement be explained by the fulfillment of
their basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness?
Writing Features
疑惑：
Methodology chapter 什么东西写进来，什么则忽略？
Design of semistructured interview 没有写，访谈提纲是怎么设计的？依据什么设计的？问题是否有引导性？
【正文写了 11.2】 The interview questions were developed partly based on interview guides
from two similar interview studies focusing on language teachers’ well-being and teacher
happiness for in-service teachers (Hooker, 2020; Talbot, 2021).
Additional supporting information can be found online in the Supporting Information section
at the end of this article（也没有写）.
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting
information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be
directed to the corresponding author for the article.
asta.haukas@uib.no
Language:
The use of term: sustained motivation(title), sustained engagement(RQ), well-being,
motivation, engagement (LR) 【no clear definition of the term】
Comparison language: 同异,esp.如何写不同的声音
Language for interesting findings:
段落之间的关联：inter-paragraph linking
Methodology:
a qualitative, exploratory approach
· Context and participants:
set in Norway
German language teachers
2024-67=1957
Criteria: They should be language teachers in Norwegian secondary schools, recently retired,
and have a reputation for having been particularly engaged throughout their careers. Three
teachers were selected based on ① suggestions from other language teachers, ② previous
German school students’ positive reports, and ③ the researcher’s own observations during
school visits and professional development courses.
· Research instrument and procedures: an acquaintance interview, meaning that the
interviewer and the interviewees had met earlier and had a prior formal relationship with each
other; semistructured interview (A first version of the interview guide; The final interview
guide addressed the following main themes: (a) background and motivation for becoming a
language teacher, (b) language teacher identity, (c) language teacher motivation, (d) stressors,
and (e) work–life balance.)
· Analysis:
Data: the verbatim-transcribed data set consisted of 30,724 words
Analysis: a combination of inductive and deductive thematic analysis
Thematic analysis: “a method for identifying, analyzing and reporting patterns (themes)
within data” (Braun & Clarke, 2006,p.79).
First analytical step: already taken while conducting the semistructured interview;
Second: own reflections were noted immediately following each interview
Third: transcribe the interviews & take notes during the conding process;
Fourth ...: read the transcripts multiple times & code the interviews in NVivo(identify
themes and subthemes).
The coding of the interview:
1st round: inductive (open, bottom-up coding scheme)
↓ without specifying a theoretical framework, by adding new code as deemed necessary
19 categories, grouped into major themes:
passion for teaching, passion for the subject, relationships, and professional
development.
2nd round: deductive (top-down through the lens of SDT)
using competence, relatedness, and autonomy as the main 4 categories
↓ Comparison of the two rounds of coding: categories and themes from the first round that could be identified as
belonging to one of the SDT themes were merged into them.
presenting and comparing the teacher’s reflections and experiences related to the themes
The final set of themes and subthemes:
autonomy (subject autonomy, collaboration), competence (subject competence, teaching
competence), relatedness (relatedness with students, relatedness with colleagues and leaders), and
advice for other teachers.
Fifth: the final writing of the article
a number of decisions, since it is normally the only way for readers to “understand the
grounds on which it (the study) was undertaken” (Lincoln, 2001, p. 25) and, thereby, to
evaluate its trustworthiness and relevance.
· Ethical Requirement（红色框）: of their choice: language to share their reflections;
pseudonyms
Findings（可以和张虹老师那篇文章对比：inducting 归纳法）:
Agreement → individual teachers’ opinions
Ina, Huldra, Berta
Close Relationship 的两面性
Discussion:
career stories
拓展内容 Researching Features
Assumption in LR: instrumental perspective, human right perspective, economic
perspective, student perspective
Theory Use:
How to use theoretical framework in qualitative research（理论框架在定性研究中究竟起到了什么作用：正面的和
负面的）?
负面：影响作者自己的判断，容易陷入思维定势
正面：带有一定预设的切入，更有目的性的观察
Method Use:
Reliability and Validity Check/ Trustworthniess in qualitative research
Ethical Requirement:
