1.

If your study is basically qualitative discuss which aspects are or can be

done qualitatively or vice versa.
-- While it might seem unorthodox to mix seemingly different fields, it turns out
to be a common practice. Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods is
neither new nor controversial. It is now known as mixed-method research.
You can combine qualitative and quantitative methods at various points like
data collection and the analysis and interpretation of the data. Results from
one method can be extended or triangulated by using another method. The
prevalent use of quantitative data is to focus inquiry on a discrete set of
variables to test specific hypothesis or research question. In contrast, the data
prevalent use of qualitative data is to open the study through presenting the
large, interconnected complexities of a situation. Thus, each type of data has
advantages and can extend, in certain ways, our understanding of a
researchable problem.

2. Discuss briefly the phenomenological paradigm by citing its theoretical

underpinnings. What makes an inquiry phenomenological?
Phenomenology has its roots in a 20th century philosophical movement based
on the work of the philosopher Edmund Husserl. As a research tool,
phenomenology is based on the academic disciplines of philosophy and
psychology and has become a widely accepted method for describing human
experiences. Phenomenology is a qualitative research method that is used to
describe how human beings experience a certain phenomenon. A
phenomenological study attempts to set aside biases and preconceived
assumptions about human experiences, feelings and responses to a particular
situation. It allows the researcher to delve into the perceptions, perspectives,
understanding, and feelings of those people who have actually experienced or
lived the phenomenon or situation of interest. Therefore, phenomenology can
be defined as the direct investigation and description of phenomena as
consciously experienced by people living those experiences. Phenomenological
research is typically conducted through the use of in-depth interviews of small
samples of participants. By studying the perspectives of multiple participants,
a researcher can begin to make generalizations regarding what it is like to
experience a certain phenomenon from the perspective of those that have lived
the experience.
An inquiry is phenomenological when the data collected is qualitative and will
be better understood if the analysis would include an attempt to identify
themes or make generalizations regarding how a particular phenomenon is
actually perceived or experienced.
3. Discuss the replicability aspects of research. Is it feasible in qualitative
research? Why or why not and discuss whether it is an advantage or a
limitation.
Research is replicable when an independent group of researchers can copy the
same process and arrive at the same results as the original study; hence,
establishing its validity. For example, if someone conducts experiment A and
arrives at conclusion B and you attempt to replicate this experiment but end
up with conclusion C, the experiment is not replicable. The concept of
replicability relates only to a single finding. If a study contains multiple
findings, each finding must be assessed separately. While the failure to
replicate one finding of a study will typically bode badly for the rest, it is not
unusual to have only a subset of findings from a study to be replicable.
Yes, replicability is feasible in a qualitative research. It is one attribute of
research that should be assured by both quantitative and qualitative
disciplines. However, there are certain limitations for qualitative since it is a
potentially contentious issue still. For example in ethnography, replicability is
not necessarily meaningful because the researcher takes on the role of the
research instrument. Most qualitative researchers would not argue against the
need for transparency. Therefore, we focus on transparency criteria and the
extent to which transparency is necessary for three different types of
replication studies: (a) exact replication – using the same population and the
same procedures; (b) empirical replication – using the same procedures but a
different population; (c) conceptual replication – using the same population but
different procedures.