Woo Tai Kwan
Zulkifli Abdul Manaf
University of Malaya
Kuala Lumpur

Date: 25 October 2001
Time: 4.30-5.00

The thrust of this paper is that the quality of a piece of qualitative research rests fundamentally on the researcher, in particular, the “eye” of the researcher and the “I” which is the researcher. It starts by examining the case of selecting the qualitative research paradigm over other research designs, using the researcher’s current research on the technology adoption process in selected schools as the touchstone for discussion. Four factors determine the selection of the research design- the type of research questions asked, the answers sought the belief platform from which the researcher operates and the skills and strengths, which a researcher brings into a study. Besides examining the ‘why” of qualitative research, the paper also looks briefly into the ‘how”, focusing on issues like choosing critical case study sites, selecting respondents and determining research time frames. It also explores some of the techniques used in non-participant ethnographic observations such as shadowing, observations and interviewing (in particular, the use of one-legged conferences). Problems encountered by the “I” in qualitative research such as gaining access, developing rapport, dealing with cultural compression and researcher fatigue are highlighted. The role of the “eye” in developing hunches and insight is also discussed. The paper also touches briefly on some of the triangulation techniques commonly adopted to reduce the impact of “I” and to strengthen the validity and reliability of qualitative research.