STRATEGIES OF RESEARCH DESIGNmost interesting questions become clear only after
we become immersed in the data. We need to
remain open to unanticipated ideas, data, and
issues. We should periodically reevaluate our focus
early in a study and be ready to change direction
and follow new lines of evidence. At the same time,
we must exercise self-restraint and discipline. If we
constantly change the focus of our research with-
out end, we will never complete a study. As with
most things, a balance is required.
Typical qualitative research questions include
these: How did a certain condition or social situation
originate? How do people, events, and conditions
sustain a situation over time? By what processes
does the situation change, develop, or end? Another
type of question seeks to confirm existing beliefs
or assumptions (e.g., do Southern and Northern
Whites act differently around people of other races
as those in McDermott’s [2006] study of working
class neighborhoods in Atlanta and Boston). A lastEXPANSION BOX 2
Sources of Topics- Personal experience.You can choose a topic based
on something that happens to you or those you
know. For example, while you work a summer job at
a factory, the local union calls a strike. You do not
have strong feelings either way, but you are forced
to choose sides. You notice that tensions rise. Both
management and labor become hostile toward each
other. This experience suggests unions or organized
labor as a topic.
2.Curiosity based on something in the media.Some-
times you read a newspaper or magazine article or
see a television program that leaves you with ques-
tions. What you read raises questions or suggests
replicating what others’ research found. For example,
you read a Newsweekarticle on people who are
homeless, but you do not really know much about
who they are, why they are homeless, whether this
has always been a problem, and so forth. This sug-
gests homeless people as a topic.
3.The state of knowledge in a field.Basic research is
driven by new research findings and theories that
push at the frontiers of knowledge. As theoretical
explanations are elaborated and expanded, certain
issues or questions need to be answered for the field
to move forward. As such issues are identified and
studied, knowledge advances. For example, you read
about attitudes toward capital punishment and real-
ize that most research points to an underlying belief
in the innate wickedness of criminals among capital
punishment supporters. You notice that no one has
yet examined whether people who belong to certain
religious groups that teach such a belief in wickedness
support capital punishment, nor has anyone mapped
the geographic location of these religious groups.
Your knowledge of the field suggests a topic for a
research project: beliefs about capital punishment
and religion in different regions.
4.Solving a problem.Applied research topics often
begin with a problem that needs a solution. For
example, as part of your job as a dorm counselor,
you want to help college freshmen establish friend-
ships with each other. Your problem suggests friend-
ship formation among new college students as a
topic.
5.Social premiums.This is a term suggested by Sin-
gleton and colleagues (1988:68). It means that some
topics are “hot” or offer an opportunity. For example,
you read that a lot of money is available to conduct
research on nursing homes, but few people are inter-
ested in doing so. Your need of a job suggests nurs-
ing homes as a topic.
6.Personal values.Some people are highly committed
to a set of religious, political, or social values. For
example, you are strongly committed to racial equal-
ity and become morally outraged whenever you
hear about racial discrimination. Your strong per-
sonal belief suggests racial discrimination as a topic.- Everyday life.Potential topics can be found through-
out everyday life in old sayings, novels, songs, sta-
tistics, and what others say (especially those who
disagree with you). For example, you hear that the
home court advantage is very important in basket-
ball. This statement suggests home court advantage
as a topic for research.