What was new? What did you already know that was refined?

The advanced research computer-mediated discourse analysis LTEC 6516 was my final research class from the doctoral degree program. The course was yet another informative and productive class from Dr. Warren. All the topics covered were new to me. We started with CATMA6 qualitative analysis (computer-assisted text markup and analysis). CATMA is a tool that can analyze text and literary research. CATMA saved a significant amount of work from the CATMA package that would have usually been carried out manually. The application also enables collaboration and exchange the analytical results. Going through the transcripts and analyzing them was something interesting that I liked and collaborating with groups and learning from each other was another successful class participation moment I appreciate.

CMDA (Computer-mediated Discourse Analysis) was another new method this semester. Another new topic of this semester was the narrative research design that would be useful when I start writing my dissertation. Of the advanced qualitative research topics listed, I only knew action research; all others were new, but to list out the preferred method, I had to research through each advanced research method which gave additional knowledge on each qualitative research to pick the preferred one. A qualitative research framework has been used before in the analysis of research LTEC 6511 class that I offered with Dr. Warren. Additional questions helped to build up and refine the knowledge that I already knew. The framework was also aligned with the dissertation proposal.

What methods were you most attracted to and why do you think that is?

Initially, I was attracted to the grounded theory, case studies, and ethnographic research. Going through my research framework for my dissertation, I thought a case study would be ideal. However, with the recommendation from Dr. Warren, I shifted to ethnography. I realized this was more suitable for my research design related to the peoples and cultures and their customs and habits. The method also provides clues on potential sources of conflict or other environmental threats. With this recommendation, the research opened for me to find research study within the US rather than send questionnaires to UNHCR field officers outside of the US, which will probably not be answered or will have issues with the IRB. The data collecting needs different access and interaction through observation and interviewing groups. The digital ethnography would also be that the researcher relies on second-and third-hand information others have collected; this method would be compiling knowledge about the ethnic group without really observing them. Relational ethnography is the research conducted in the field or in person, which means that the researcher needs to be physically present to conduct research.  

Which methods are likely to be ones you use regularly in the future?

I went through ethnographical research extensively by reading previous research papers. Therefore, I will use ethnographical qualitative research for my future research method. Accordingly, whether the information collection is through field study, surveys, focus groups, or remote research, the research questions should be well developed. The more the researcher knows about the group, the better-formulated questions to be drafted. However, these questions should be unbiased and must be relevant to the study.