Qualitative research.

Abstract

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH refers, in the broadest sense, to research that produces descriptive data: people's own written or spoken words and observable behavior. Qualitative methods are rooted, and have a long history. in the social and behavioral sciences. Franz Boas and Jacob Malinowski can be credited with establishing fieldwork as a legitimate anthropological endeavor, beginning lust after the turn of the twentieth century. In socio1o::y. qualitative methods first became popular in the studies of the Chicago school from approximately 1910 to 1940. During this period, researchers associated with the University of Chicago produced detailed participant observation studies of urban life: rich life histories of' juvenile delinquents and criminals, and a classic study by W. I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki (The Polish Peasant in Europe and America, New York. 1927) of the life of immigrants and their families in Poland and Am'erica based on personal documents. Qualitative methods have been used in psychology as well. although to ii much more limited extent, for example, Gordon W. Allport's Use of Personal Documents in Psychological Sciences (New York, 1942) and Robert Coles's Children OJ Crisis (Boston, 1964). [See the biography o. / Boas.] Interest in qualitative methodology waned toward the end of the 1940s and beginning of the 1950s with the evolution of grand theories and quantitative methods. With the exception of William Foote Whyte's Street Corner Society (Boston, 1943). few qualitative studies were taught and read in social science departments during this era.Since the 1960,s there has been a reemergence in the use of qualitative methods. So many powerful, insightful. and influential studies have been published 489

Who Are We Doing Global Software Engineering Research For?

“…No recording equipment was used as it can make participants uncomfortable [27], particularly, when questioning competency [28]. In fact participants might be unwilling to discuss certain topics, might hold back information or might not be completely honest.…”

“…P11 has worked in GSE projects involving 30 developers. Prior to conducting the interviews, we designed an interview protocol as recommended by Taylor and Bogdan [27]. The protocol listed all the interview questions and grouped them according to our areas of interest to include: GSE difficulties, GSE Learning, Use of Consultancy to solve GSE problems, as well as demographic information (as listed in Tables III and IV).…”

Methodological pathways to kinship networks and international return migration

“…Concentration on qualitative design provided the opportunity for probing underlying issues as well as obtaining and understanding the relevant issues. Qualitative method allowed us deep insight into norms, values, beliefs, attitudes and influential socio-cultural ethos that could be probed and teased out in as much depth as possible as against what is achievable in quantitative techniques (Taylor, 2005). Qualitative research design also enabled and allowed us interactive process between the research and those being researched.…”

The Importance of Architectural Knowledge in Integrating Open Source Software

“…Organization E develops hardware and software for safety critical systems. Prior to conducting the interviews, we designed an interview guide [39]. All faceto-face interviews were conducted at the premises of the participants' organizations.…”