Recently, while reading the relevant literature, I happened to discover the unique appeal of qualitative research.
This method captures the details of life and tells real human stories through interviews and observations,
rather than just tedious data or models.
This research method not only inspired me on an academic level,
but also helped me find a whole new perspective when thinking about life issues.
Qualitative research: a deeper world
Qualitative research is a methodology used to better understand human behavior and social phenomena. Unlike quantitative research, which requires digitization and quantification, qualitative research focuses on the details and emotions behind the ‘story’. For example, a study on chronic disease showed that relying on numbers alone can make it difficult to uncover why some health policies don’t work in certain populations, while qualitative research can uncover the underlying reasons by listening to the voices of participants.
This approach has given me a new appreciation of academic research – it can be rigorous, but it can also be humane. It’s a way of exploring the real world and a tool for deeply understanding individual experiences.
Case: Voices of Rural Female University Students
When I read the article Negotiating the intersection of the urban-rural divide and gender in contemporary China: Voices of Rural Female University Students, I felt not only academic depth, but also a kind of power. Through interviews with 54 rural female university students, the article shows how they struggle to pursue their goals despite the urban-rural divide and the oppression of patriarchal culture .
I was struck by the story of one of the interviewees: after being teased by her classmates for being a ‘peasant’, she began to study hard and eventually got into a top university with excellent grades. This was not only a challenge to the urban-rural divide, but also a re-definition of her own identity. Stories like these make me realize that academic research can also be touching, and that it can actually convey the situation and struggles of a group of people.
Reflections: Implications for Qualitative Research
However, qualitative research also faces challenges. For example, how do you balance academic rigor with personal perspectives in research? How to ensure that the privacy and emotions of respondents are not compromised? One article on ethical issues mentions that when interviewing women with postnatal depression, researchers need to be extremely careful about the way and pace of the interviews so as not to cause secondary harm to them, and these issues remind us that the original purpose of research is to serve people, not just to be published.
From research to life
Qualitative research has not only changed my perspective on science, it has also inspired me to think about it in my life.
For example, it made me think: how can I make retirement activities for parents more relevant to their interests?
Or, in the field of education, how to improve teaching methods by listening to students?
The answers to these questions may lie in vivid stories rather than cold data.
Conclusion: discover and connect
Qualitative research has taught me that academics should not be at a distance from life, but should be in the serving of humanity. This approach showed me the other side of academia: not only logic and rigor, but also temperature and power. Perhaps, in the future, we will need more research like this to discover these neglected voices and connect the stories behind each individual.
In the future, I also plan to learn more systematically about qualitative research and integrate this passion into my academia and practice…
29 January 2025 at 09:02
Interesting read, I will share it with some students! thanks!.