On the afternoon of March 27, the School of Journalism and Communication launched the Appointment with Mentors—Teacher-Student Exchange Afternoon Tea in Room 108 of Xiushan Hall. Lecturer Li Weijia delivered a lecture titled Qualitative Research: Methods, Characteristics, and Applications. Over 30 graduate and undergraduate students from the School attended the academic session.
Lecturer Li began by introducing qualitative and quantitative approaches to social research. For instance, in terms of ontology, quantitative research focuses on objective facts, while qualitative research emphasizes participants' subjective experiences. Methodologically, quantitative research typically adopts deductive reasoning, whereas qualitative research relies more on inductive logic.
Lecturer Li then delved into qualitative research methods. She explained the concepts and applicable scenarios of methods such as interviews, focus groups, ethnography, and participant observation through real-world case studies. To help students master interview skills, Lecturer Li provided a step-by-step guide from question design to communication strategies with detailed demonstrations. As the lecture drew to a close, Lecturer Li used how people understand VR news as an example to analyze the strategic selection of research methods.
The lecture provided students with a comprehensive understanding of qualitative research methods. Many attendees noted that it helped clarify their research thinking and offered valuable methodological guidance for their future academic research. At the same time, the lecture also inspired their enthusiasm for applying scientific research methods to explore issues in journalism and communication, equipping them with stronger foundations for their academic pursuits.
