Research Essay
Qualitative research in pandemic times
Introduction
Covid-19 is a global pandemic that is not only affecting economic, social and health segments but it has also altered how researchers conduct research. The social distancing measures have forced the researchers to re-design their projects and instead of using quantitative research in the form of face-to-face interaction, they are using online qualitative research. In this time of Covid-19, online qualitative research is widely used to understand what people are saying about the issue. Normally, qualitative research focuses on open-ended communication and face-to-face interaction. The researcher interacts with the individual participants and understands their beliefs and opinions about a problem. The researcher gathers detailed information and precise data and at the end of the research, and uses this information to understand the problem thereby reducing generalizability. Despite the effectiveness of qualitative research, academic researchers are engaging in online forums or rather they are working in an online environment. Even though they are enjoying benefits such as cost reduction, gathering information from a larger group, ad time reduction, online qualitative research is associated with many challenges and limitations. The paper will address the practical issues and discuss how the rule of physical distancing at this pandemic time and the use of online qualitative research will affect qualitative research as we know it. However, there is sufficient evidence that researchers can apply other ways such as document analysis methodology to collect data while considering ethical issues. As a result of the Covid-19 crisis, many things will change including how researchers conduct research. Since it is not possible to postpone data collection, researchers should use digital technology and tools that will improve understanding and also maintain scientific quality.
Traditional qualitative research
As we know it, qualitative research provides a textual description of an issue. The researcher gains a better understanding of the complex issue through people's behavior, opinions, and emotions. The researchers use three different methods such as observation- the research examines people in social settings. In depth-interviews-the researcher uses methods such as one-on-one engagement with individuals to discuss sensitive topics. Focus-group- a researcher interacts with a group of individuals and interviews them on issues of concern (STACKS 2017, p. 198). The research uses these methods and they are effective in that the researcher interacts with the participants and understands their views about the issues at hand. The researcher interprets the data gained from interacting with the participants. The importance of qualitative research is that the researcher gains a lived experience from gathering contextual data. (STACKS 2017, p. 198). The data is not statistically generalizable and therefore the researcher provides an interpretive explanation from the data collected.
In qualitative research, Austin & Sutton, (2014, p. 436) adds that clinicians use qualitative research since they address issues in social and interpersonal contexts. In these settings, numerical data is not important but clinicians want to know how patients feel about healthcare. Clinicians can interact with patients and ask them questions related to the health care. Therefore, qualitative research provides a rich description of the information and the clinicians use this information to interpret how patients feel about the provision of care (Austin & Sutton, 2014, p. 437). For example, in addressing the pandemic crisis or other social issues, the researcher deals with the participants' new experiences and interprets what the participant says to find conclusion. Another important point about qualitative research is that researches who lack skills or confidence can overcome the barrier by working with other more experienced researchers (Austin & Sutton, 2014, p. 440). The research can also collaborate with members who have qualitative expertise in reading reports. In general, qualitative research helps understand complex issues since the researches pay close attention and create strong relations with the participants.
Online qualitative research
Having understood the traditional qualitative research, it is important to note that researchers have shifted to digital where they use online qualitative research. The global pandemic has not only affected the lives of common citizens but it has also affected how researchers do their work. In other words, the researchers have adopted a new operating strategy to collect data and understand human experience. Note that during the Covid-19 crisis, people are practicing social distancing and this means that researchers cannot use traditional qualitative research to understand the public health crisis. They are forced to use other methods to stay informed and make effective decisions. Unlike traditional qualitative research, today, researches are taking advantage of technological improvements to gathering data. Online research is providing strong engagement, simplified reporting, rich learning, and other benefits (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 267). Since face-to-face interaction is halted, researchers are using online interviews using computer-mediated communications. Thanks to the communication technologies for enabling researchers to observe participants and collect data.
If the rule of physical distancing remains in the place, it means that researchers will leave the traditional research and focus on online research. In other words, researchers will stop making sense of the world and use the internet. Note that in the traditional qualitative study, researchers use personal experience and reasoning. Researchers are interested in the physical world to gain two perspectives. First, they gain an interpretive perspective that focuses on how a person interacts with the world to create meaning (LAPAN et al, 2012, p. 2). Researchers believe that individuals provide their own perception and they are not influenced by others to explain phenomena. This indicates that in traditional qualitative research, there is a uniqueness and the researcher uses this uniqueness to create meaning and value. Secondly, researchers use a critical perspective in traditional qualitative research. This means that individuals are influenced by the structure of society or society as a whole to say their opinions about an issue (LAPAN et al, 2012, p. 2). In other words, individuals’ lives are directly connected to society, and therefore whatever they say is contributed by the social structures. Another important point is that researchers in traditional qualitative research adhere to the principle of beneficence or in other words, minimize harm and maximize good while dealing with participants. This means that researchers address topics that will bring benefits to the community. They show respect, competency, and confidentiality.
In traditional qualitative research, participants have free choices. They also adhere to cultural norms, they understand the purpose of the research, and they establish trust with the researcher. The researcher gives them respect and in turn, they create a responsive and adaptable environment and this makes it possible to gather sufficient information (LAPAN et al, 2012, p. 3). Another important point is that in traditional qualitative research, participants benefit from the research in that the researchers can address complex issues by showing cultural competency. Note that the researcher acts as an agent of change and for this reason, he or she must have the cultural knowledge to address racism, oppression and other issues (LAPAN et al, 2012, p. 2). The last important point is that the traditional qualitative research promises confidentiality. This means that during the research, the information is gathered and stored by the appropriate authority and therefore, participants and researchers will create an ethical research relationship.
The challenges and limitations posed by taking qualitative research online
The knowledge of traditional qualitative research reveals that the rule of physical distancing and the use of new research methods will abandon the richness of data provided by qualitative research. Despite the advantages of online qualitative research as cost reduction, in-depth data, and gathering data from a large group, there are practical issues that arise from the use of online qualitative research (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 267). Note that in online research, people use online forums to interact with other participates and researchers. It is true that the online forum is easy to use, and is accessible. Users create passwords to keep their data confidential and users can use the platform for 6 months to 3 years. However, online forum is associated with various practical issues especially when addressing the global pandemic. At this moment, online qualitative research is associated with the following challenge and limitations;
Credibility issue
Note that in an online qualitative study, individuals provide a high response about the global pandemic. In the beginning, they show a higher interest in the issue and they are engaged and committed to the discussion (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 270). However, after the 6 months, individuals start to drop out of the online discussion. Another credibility issue occurs as a result of the use of automatic transcripts. Note that in traditional qualitative research, the research creates face-to-face interviews and this helps the researcher understand the participant's emotional status (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 270). However, the automatic transcripts deal with written cures and it is difficult to interpret or to understand the individual facial expression. Note that in traditional qualitative research, there is sustained involvement, or the researcher and the participants interact in the research setting and gain understanding about the issue. The research conducts peer debriefing, member checks, monitor his or her self-perceptions and use different multiple data.
Dependability issues
Note that online qualitative researchers’ users of online forums must create user names and passwords. After 6 months, some individuals do not recall the username or password due to cognitive and psychological effects (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 272). For example, in traditional qualitative research, the data gathered is consistent. However, the data gathered through online research is unreliable due to lack of attention, and poor physical and mental performance. In other words, participates are not consistent and this results in a lack of accurate and complete data.
Confirmability
As we know about the traditional qualitative study, participants provide evidence and reduce personal bias. The researcher can reach conclusion as a result of gathering data from reliable sources. However, online research means that different participants have different ideas and this makes it difficult to reach an agreement (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 272.). In other words, there is no theoretical saturation due to asynchronous interaction. New information keeps on coming at separate schedules and therefore, there is no real-time participation and this makes it difficult to control the data. Therefore, in addressing global pandemic especially at this moment in time, online qualitative research is not appropriate since the research will not achieve theoretical saturation.
Transferability issue
If researchers will continue using online qualitative research, then there will be transferability issues. In traditional qualitative research, the researcher can easily compare the results with the results of other samplers and create generalization (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 273). However, online research produces individualized responses which make it difficult to transfer the results. Note that participants in the online forum introduce new topics which are irrelevant to the posted topic. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve external validity and apply the findings to other settings.
Security issues
There are security and confidentiality issues in online qualitative research. Information is hacked, and non-participating outsiders can access the site without passwords (E.O & Chee 2006, p. 273). Note that many individuals spend a considerable amount of time to submit and read reviews and some of the viewers have hacking skills.
Digital methods and document analysis techniques
The literature shows that online qualitative research is associated with potential concerns. The literature suggests that the researcher can eliminate the barriers and use document analysis to achieve credibility, and eliminate bias. For example, a researcher can use public records. This includes strategic plans, mission statements, and other records. Second, a researcher can use personal documents such as e-mails. Facebook posts, journals, and more. Third, research can use physical evidence such as handbooks, flyers, and more (MERRIAM, 2009, p.140). Before analyzing the documents, it is important to identify the list of text to analyses, analyze skills for research, and consider ethical issues. It is important to note that document analysis can provide rich information and the researchers can review the information severally. The process of analyzing documents is cost and time effective. Also, methods of qualitative research such as focus-group may omit some data but document analysis will provide critical and comprehensive information. However, it is important to be aware that document analysis may contain limited information, especially when gathering information on the current global pandemic (MERRIAM, 2009, p.140). The information may be incomplete and may contain hidden bias. Therefore, one is required to have investigative skills and search for additional documents to find complete and consistent information.
Conclusion
Traditional and online qualitative research plays a significant role in providing rich data and complex issues. Researchers use different research methods and the literature was discussing the qualitative research method. The latter entails the use of opinions and motivations of the participants to gain insight into the problem. Researchers gather data from group discussions, observations, and conducting interviews. However, the global pandemic or the Covid-19 has altered the way researchers do their work. In other words, at this moment in time, researchers are unable to generate non-numerical data from people's attitudes, believes, experiences, and more. Therefore, they have shifted to online qualitative research where they use the internet to conduct the discussion. For example, the group's people use websites to discuss issues. This form of data collection is cost-effective compared to traditional research. However, it is important to note that the high prevalence of Covid-19 cases will force researches to stick to online research to know more about the current issues affecting the world. Yet, the literature finds that online research raises issues around credibility, transferability, confirmability, and dependability. As the Covid-19 increase, online qualitative research will remain a challenge. However, the literature suggests that researchers can use document analysis techniques to gain different perspectives and methodologies about the issue and gain evidence about the issues.
References
STACKS, D. W. (2017). Primer of public relations research. Guilford Publications
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MERRIAM, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: a guide to design and implementation. San
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