Qualitative Design - Phenomenology, Grounded Theory and Ethnographic Design

Creswell (2014) defined the phenomenology, grounded theory and ethnographic qualitative design as below:

Phenomenology – design of inquiry based on the psychology and philosophy describing experiences of individuals describing phenomenon observed by participants. Usually the phenomenon is experienced by several individuals shared with the researcher. Interviews is the main method of collection for this design method with strong philosophical foundations.

An example of phenomenology is the study over how students experience and understand the presidency of university (Schuemann, 2014). Another example is the phenomenological study of the lived experience of leisure for caregivers in the sandwich generation who care for a parent with dementia (Schumacher, 2010).

Grounded theory – design of inquiry based on sociology where researcher develops a theory of process, actions or interactions in the views of participants. Multiple stages of collection, refinement and interrelationship is required during the research.

VA HSR&D (2011) outlines the basic premises of grounded theory as a way to find theory by approaching data, rather than data with theory. Grounded theory builds hypothesis instead of research which starts with hypothesis. One of the grounded theory research example by VA HSR&D (2011) was to develop theory about how woman veterans become homeless, find out critical junctures for intervention/prevention.

Ethnography – design of inquiry from anthropology and sociology where researcher studies the patterns of behaviors, language and actions of cultural group in natural setting over a long period of time. Data collection is usually based on interviews and observations.

University of Michigan (2016) outlined an example of ethnography where Bill Stumpf was tasked to design the living quarters for nuclear-fallout shelter and he went for two weeks sharing space with naval cadets in a bunker. While living with cadets, Bill was able to identify and observe the day-to-day issues faced by cadets, which needs to be resolved while designing living quarters.

Reference

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

University of Michigan (2016). What is design ethnography? Retrieved from http://insitu.engin.umich.edu/assets/WhatisDE-CoreContent.pdf

VA HSR&D (2011). What is grounded theory, anyway? – an overview with examples from qualitative research on woman veterans. Retrieved from https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/for_researchers/cyber_seminars/archives/sowh-042811.pdf

Schumacher, L. (2010). The caregiver’s journey: a phenomenological study of the lived experience of leisure for caregivers in the sandwich generation who care for a parent with dementia. Retrieved from http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1784&context=etd

Schuemann, K. (2014). A phenomenological study into how students experience and understand the university presidency. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1263&context=dissertations