Part 7 - Philosophy and the place of research methods Now we get to the heart of one of the most contentious issues in QHR. If you’ve followed the series so far, we’ve covered a lot of ground: sampling, generalisability, voice, and the ‘emic’ perspective, but we’re mining the motherlode now when we talk about the place of philosophy and methods in QHR. So let’s be clear from the outset, QHR places far too much emphasis on research methods and nowhere near enough on philosophy. Anchoring a qualitative study in philosophy is perhaps the most valuable thing you can do to a research study. Firstly, it guides every step of the process - every aim, and every question you pose of the … [Read more...] about Qualitative Health Research – A guide for the perplexed
CPN Digest #75
Something for the weekend: WCPT job vacancy: Education Professional AdviserHow to negotiate in government, free online coursePlease handle the artefactsA squishy robot hand that sweatsThe devastating allure of medical miraclesHow hospital care fails disabled bodiesHow my wheelchair changed my lifeThe solidarity of sicknessDisability beyond optimism and pessimism (Thomas Abrams)Bringing kindness to workBeyond professional self-interestA Systematic Review of Digital Badges in Healthcare EducationGender–specific effects of raising Year 1 standards on medical students’ academic performance and stress levelsWill having longer, healthier lives be worth losing the most basic kinds of … [Read more...] about CPN Digest #75
Qualitative health research – A guide for the perplexed
Part 6 - Sampling and generalising The point of this series is not to cover what’s already in dozens of qualitative health research textbooks, but to offer some ‘back room’ insights into the possibilities and limitations of this underused resource. So far I’ve looked at where QHR came from, the concept of criticality, the ‘insider’ or emic perspective, power, and last week, your role as the researcher. Today I want to focus on one of the most common questions people pose about QHR, and that is “How can you possibly generalise from a study when you only have six participants?” This is a great question. Not only because it strikes at the heart of one of the important differences … [Read more...] about Qualitative health research – A guide for the perplexed