Qualitative Research Proposal:

(Leavy, 2021)

Basic Information:

• Title:

  • Clearly states the main topic, method, and design approach.

• Abstract:

  • 150-200-word overview including the phenomenon, research purpose, methods, participants, setting, and study significance.

• Topic under Investigation:

  • Describes how the topic was chosen, significance, literature influence, and social/political value.

• Literature Review:

  • Reviews prior qualitative studies, theories, and frameworks related to the topic.

• Research Purpose Statement:

  • Clearly states the main topic, problem, participants, setting, methodology, and primary reason for research.

• Research Questions:

  • 1-3 central open-ended questions focusing on exploration, description, or explanation.

Research Plan:

• Philosophical Statement:

  • Discusses the interpretive/constructivist and critical paradigms.

• Interpretive/Constructivist Paradigm:

  • Symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, ethnomethodology, and dramaturgy.

• Critical Paradigm:

  • Postmodernist, poststructuralist, feminist, critical race, indigenous, decolonizing, and queer frameworks.

Genre/Design and Methods of Data Collection:

• Genres:

  • Field Research (Ethnography), Participatory Observation, Nonparticipatory Observation.

• Field Research (Ethnography):

  • Rich descriptions, cultural understanding, participant engagement, gatekeepers, insider–outsider status.

• Field Notes:

  • On-the-fly notes, thick descriptions, summary notes, reflexivity notes, conversation, and interview notes.

• Interview:

  • In-depth, semistructured, oral history, biographic minimalist, and focus groups. Consideration of participant rapport.

• Autoethnography:

  • Self-data, rigorous writing, systematic plan, insider–outsider status, vulnerability, storytelling.

• Unobtrusive Methods (Content Analysis):

  • Systematic investigation of texts, nonliving data, textual, visual, audio, and audiovisual data.

Data Analysis and Interpretation:

• Coding:

  • In vivo, descriptive, values coding. Using participants' language and thematic coding.

• Categorizing and Theming:

  • Grouping similar codes and identifying larger meanings through themes.

• Memos:

  • Detailed descriptions, key quotes, analytic memos, interpretive ideas.

• Interpretation:

  • Utilizes memo notes, identifies patterns, considers anomalies, and uses triangulation.

Evaluation:

• Thoroughness and Congruence:

  • Components' comprehensiveness, fit between questions, methods, and findings, and congruence of data collection and analysis.

• Validity or Trustworthiness:

  • Credibility and rigor in methodology, craft, innovation, vividness, transferability.

• Representation:

  • Suitable formats (journal article, conference presentation, monograph), intended audiences.

Ethics Statement:

• Discussion:

  • Moral/social justice imperative, accessibility, cultural sensitivity, IRB approvals, informed consent, permissions, relational ethics, debriefings, representation, and dissemination of findings.

Reflexivity:

• Addressing:

  • Researcher's place, feelings, impressions, assumptions, attention to power issues.

References, Appendices, Timeline, Proposed Budget:

• Include:

  • Recruitment letter, informed consent, permissions, instruments if applicable.