KIT714 ICT Research Principles
Practical Qualitative Research Exercise
Type: In-Semester (Individual Assignment)
Task Length: 2,000 words max
Weighting: 20% of total assessment for this unit
Due Date: 11:55pm, 20 April 2020
Submission: Completed Assignments need to be uploaded to MyLO by the due
date.
Description: This practical exercise will engage students in a qualitative research
exercise that will enable them to directly deploy skills, tools and
techniques covered in the unit. Each student will be required to
complete the exercise and prepare a written report that displays their
level of research understanding and competence in qualitative data
analysis and interpretation.
Objectives of Assignment:
• To increase understanding of the skills required to collect, analyse and
interpret qualitative research data;
• To increase understanding of the relationships between data collection, data
analysis and data interpretation when conducting qualitative information
systems research;
• To develop skills and competence in the conduct of qualitative information
systems research;
Background:
Qualitative research comprises 'an array of interpretive techniques which seek to
describe, decode, translate and otherwise come to terms with the meaning, not the
frequency, of certain more or less naturally occurring phenomena in the social world'
(Van Maanen:1983:9 - cited in Ticehurst Veal:1999:94). 'The motivation for doing
qualitative research…comes from the observation that, if there is one thing which
distinguishes humans from the natural world, it is our ability to talk! Qualitative
research methods are designed to help researchers understand people and the social
and cultural contexts within which they live [and work]. Kaplan and Maxwell (1994)
argue that the goal of understanding a phenomenon from the point of view of the
participants and its particular social and institutional context is largely lost when
textual data are quantified.'
(See Myers: http://www.qual.auckland.ac.nz/).
Scenario:
You would like to investigate the experiences of smart phone users with different
types of text input assistance (eg. Predictive text algorithms, autocorrect or no help).
You would like to determine if their preferences for text input assistance is dependent
on a specific situation or other contextual factors.
2
Requirements:
1. In line with adopting a research philosophy with a subjective ontology and an
interpretivist epistemology, describe which Qualitative Research Strategy you
would adopt for this investigation and your reasons for choosing this. Please
state clearly any assumptions that you have made.
2. Describe your plan for data collection. You can choose one or a combination
of the following data collection techniques. Depending on your choice of data
collection techniques, please address the following questions:
a. Interviews
i. What type of interview is appropriate? Describe this type of interview
and justify why you have chosen this.
ii. Develop and present the question frame for this study. Describe the
reasons for the content and specific types of questions that you have
decided to include.
iii. Describe in detail how you will carry out the interview with appropriate
justification.
b. Observations
i. What type of observation is appropriate? Describe this type of
observation and justify why you have chosen this.
ii. Develop and present your observation guide showing what you intend
to focus your observation on.
iii. Describe in detail how you will carry out the observation with
appropriate justification.
c. Focus groups
i. Describe what focus groups are and justify why you have chosen this.
ii. Develop and present a focus group discussion guide showing the topics
that you would like to be discussed in the focus groups.
iii. Describe in detail how you will run your focus groups with appropriate
justifications.
3. What Qualitative Data Analysis technique will you use to analyse the data that
you have collected? Describe this technique and justify why you think it is
appropriate.