GLT: Evaluate the use of case studies in qualitative research Here is a document that has links to information about 5 different famous case studies. We will use this in class to learn about case study methodology. Basically, in order to evaluate the use of case studies, you need to be able to: Define the term “case study” Describe …
Lesson Idea: Understanding Observation Methods (HL – Qualitative)
What you need to know… In order to complete this activity you need know about the different observation methods. You can read more about those observations here. It is important for Paper 3 answers that you can apply your knowledge to examples of research. This is a difficult critical thinking skill and is what separates good answers from excellent ones. …
Introduction to Qualitative Research
Research in psychology can be generally divided in to two major types: Quantitative Qualitative To be it simply, quantiative research deals in investigating human behaviour by looking at numbers and statistics. Experiments, correlational studies, and meta-analyses are some of the quantitative methods used in Psychology. Quantitative research often tries to investigate cause and effects, or correlations between factors and behaviour. Qualitative …
Semi-structured Interviews
Semi-Structured Interview The key to understanding how a semi-structured interview is carried out is to look at the name: it’s semi-structured. This means it has some structure, but there’s freedom. The structure in this interview method comes in the form of the interview guide that is planned beforehand. This guide includes the general themes or topics that the researcher wants …
Focus Group Interviews
A focus group is a small group people (e.g. 5 – 12) who have something in common that is of interest to the researcher. The researcher acts as a facilitator and the participants are encouraged to talk openly about particular topics that are brought up by the researcher. They are encouraged to talk as if they would in a normal …
Lesson Idea: Understanding observational studies
Understanding how psychologists conduct observational studies is a key part to learning about research methodology. Observations are especially common in qualitative research. The following lesson is designed to get students to understand the different types of observation methods. Activity Here are some very brief summaries of real studies that have been carried out using observational methods. Work with a partner …
Qualitative v QuantitativeWhat's the difference?
Psychologists seek to understand the human mind and behaviour. Traditionally, the most common way of doing this was through experimentation. This is because in the 20th century psychologists wanted to adopt a more scientific approach to understanding human cognition and behaviour. But it’s not the only way. In fact, it’s quite limited. In this post, we’ll look at the two …