Principles and Paradigms of Qualitative Research

Key Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is an enquiring, active way of knowing rich human experience and social reality. One of its key features is that it engages with the study of phenomena in a naturalistic setting. Actors are encountered and observed by researchers in their natural environment in an attempt to interpret behavior and meaning in context (Nassaji, 2020). Second, qualitative research aims to get rich, descriptive, and non-numerical information—by means of interviews, observations, diaries, and open-ended questionnaires—capturing participants’ voices and sentiments: Principles and Paradigms of Qualitative Research.

According to Nassaji (2020), this is particularly appropriate when the aim is to investigate the richness and depth of human perceptions. Third, qualitative research is inductive, and themes and theories derive from the data rather than from testing hypotheses that have been formulated beforehand. Fourth, reflexivity matters; researchers acknowledge biases, assumptions, and values throughout the research process. Practicing reflexivity allows openness and ethical integrity.

As Seyyed-Abdolhamid Mirhosseini (2020) discusses, reflexivity facilitates the researcher’s accountability to both the inquiry and findings. Fifth, qualitative research encompasses multiple realities and subjective knowledge, remembering that experiences are constructed socially and differently interpreted by various people and groups. Last, qualitative design is flexible—in the course of conducting the research, researchers can modify questions, refocus or revise methods as new ideas and participant response emerge.

Paradigms Underpinning Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is based on philosophical paradigms that stipulate researcher worldview and facilitate methodological decision. Constructivism is a paradigm that views that knowledge is created from human experience and interaction with others. This is a paradigm of meaning co-construction among the participants and researchers. Another underlying paradigm is interpretivism which is interested in knowing how individuals understand their lived experience.

In addition, Gannon et al. (2022) argue that interpretivism researchers attempt to grasp human action from the perspective of the participant entering their stories empathetically and contextually. Another commonly associated with qualitative research is critical theory, another paradigm that seeks to reveal and challenge social injustices and to allow populations that have been silenced a voice. Research in this liberatory paradigm is a means to empowerment and social justice.

Williams et al. (2022) indicate that research based on critical theory would typically engage participatory approaches alongside a dedication to ethical, action-based conclusions. These paradigms offer more than philosophical guidance—literally, they shape the researcher’s question, engagement with data, and interpretive filter.

My Worldview as a Graduate Researcher

As a postgraduate researcher, I most identify with the constructivist paradigm. My conviction in the subjectivity of human existence and social construction of knowledge is firmly embedded in professional and personal practice. Having experience working in school environments where students’ emotional, cultural, and social circumstances affect learning, I have grown to value the variety of worldviews that shape meaning. Pilarska (2021) suggests that researchers drawing from a constructivist platform need to be adaptable to emergent meaning-making, engaging in dialogues with the participants rather than setting up strict interpretations.

At the same time, I am also guided by critical theory, particularly in addressing questions of equity and inclusion. I recognize that my own assumptions and privileges can be present and influence my research, and I will engage in continuous reflexivity. Employing both constructivism and critical theory gives us a balance for undertaking research that is participatory, ethical, and socially just. This will guide future research design, data interpretation, and dissemination.

References

Gannon, M. J., Taheri, B., & Azer, J. (2022). Contemporary Research Paradigms and Philosophies. Contemporary Research Methods in Hospitality and Tourism, 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-546-320221002

Nassaji, H. (2020). Good Qualitative Research. Language Teaching Research, 24(4), 427–431. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820941288

Pilarska, J. (2021). The Constructivist Paradigm and Phenomenological Qualitative Research Design. Research Paradigm Considerations for Emerging Scholars, 1, 64–83. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781845418281-008

Seyyed-Abdolhamid Mirhosseini. (2020). Designing Qualitative Studies. Springer EBooks, 43–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56492-6_3

Williams, T., Wiles, J., Smith, M., & Ward, K. (2022). Combining action research and grounded theory in health research: A structured narrative review. SSM – Qualitative Research in Health, 2, 100093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100093

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Assignment 1: Explore the Principles and Paradigms of Qualitative Research
You will begin this course by delving into the core principles of qualitative research and the paradigms on which qualitative research is based. Qualitative inquiry is informed by the researcher’s worldview ,which is tied to a specific research paradigm. The “researcher-as instrument” is therefore expected to be fully transparent about their worldview as this will significantly shape the research process from design and choice of methods right up to data analysis and presentation of the study’s findings.

Textbook: Completing Your Qualitative Dissertation by Linda Dale Bloomberg

Read Chapter 3, Choosing a Qualitative Research Design.

The first part of this chapter includes an overview of the field of qualitative research, including history, current landscape, defining features, knowledge claims, and role of the researcher. Also, review the companion website associated with this book for additional related materials.