Qualitative Research Trends in Graduate Theses in Educational Sciences: A Study from Türkiye


DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59455/qietp.42Keywords:
Qualitative research, educational sciences, graduate theses, research paradigmsAbstract
Purpose: This study provided a comprehensive and longitudinal examination of the expansion and institutionalization of qualitative research methodologies within graduate theses in educational sciences in Türkiye, spanning the years 2000 to 2024.
Metod: Utilizing a systematic analysis of the YÖKTEZ national theses database, the paper traced epistemological, methodological, and institutional shifts that have positioned qualitative inquiry as a central mode of knowledge production. Through a three-phase periodization and an in-depth account of research designs—including case study, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and action research—this study identified critical patterns, disruptions, and continuities.
Findings: The findings revealed not only exponential growth in the adoption of qualitative methods but also evolving understandings of methodological rigor, theoretical grounding, and ethical engagement. Despite increasing recognition, qualitative research often encounters hurdles in publication due to traditional biases favoring quantitative methodologies.
Implication: The discussion underscored the importance of fostering an academic environment that values and supports qualitative approaches. Thus, this article called for a paradigm-sensitive and epistemologically reflexive approach to graduate-level research, situating the trajectory of qualitative inquiry within the larger research trends and pedagogy of higher education in Türkiye.
References
Alasuutari, P. (2004). The globalization of qualitative research. In C. Seale, G. Gobo, J. F. Gubrium, & D. Silverman (Eds.), Qualitative research practice (pp. 595–608). SAGE Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608191.d41
Atkinson, P. (2005). Qualitative research—Unity and diversity. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (3rd ed., pp. 435–454). SAGE Publications.
Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (1998). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods (3rd ed.). Allyn and Bacon.
Bolívar, A., & Domingo, J. (2006). Biographical and narrative research in Iberoamerica: Areas of development and current situation. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 7(4), Article 16.
Brinkmann, S. (2017). Philosophies of qualitative research. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190247249.001.0001
Bruni, A., & Gobo, G. (2005). Qualitative research in Italy. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 6(3), Article 41.
Cisneros Puebla, C. A. (2000). Qualitative social research in Mexico. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 1(1), Article 17.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Denzin, N. K. (2009). Qualitative inquiry under fire: Toward a new paradigm dialogue. Left Coast Press.
Denzin, N. K., & Giardina, M. D. (2009). Introduction: Qualitative inquiry and social justice: Toward a politics of hope. In N. K. Denzin & M. D. Giardina (Eds.), Qualitative inquiry and social justice: Toward a politics of hope (pp. 11–50). Routledge.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2011). Introduction: The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (4th ed., pp. 105–117). SAGE Publications.
Doğan, M., Çelik, S., & Tomris, G. (2022). Analysis of mixed methods graduate thesis studies in special education programs in Turkey. Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi, (29), 1–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14689/enad.29.1
Duberley, J., Johnson, P., & Cassell, C. (2012). Philosophies underpinning qualitative research. In G. Symon & C. Cassell (Eds.), Qualitative Organizational Research: Core Methods and Current Challenges. SAGE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526435620.n2
Dzogovic, S. A., & Bajrami, V. (2023). Qualitative research methods in science and higher education. Human Research in Rehabilitation, 13(1), 156–166. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21554/hrr.042318
Erickson, F. (1985). Qualitative methods in research on teaching (Occasional Paper No. 81). Institute for Research on Teaching.
Ezer, F., & Aksüt, S. (2021). Opinions of graduate students of social studies education about qualitative research method. International Education Studies, 14(3), 15-32. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v14n3p15 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v14n3p15
Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures: Selected essays. Basic Books.
Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). Discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00006199-196807000-00014
Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In N. K.
Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 105–117). SAGE Publications.
Hatch, J. A. (2022). Doing qualitative research in education settings (2nd ed.). SUNY Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781438494623
Hsiung, P. C. (2012). The globalization of qualitative research: Challenging Anglo-American domination and local hegemonic discourse. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 13(1), Article 21.
Karadağ, E. (2009). Nitel araştırmalarda yöntemsel zayıflıklar: Türkiye örneği. Eğitim ve Bilim, 34(154), 10–25.
Kemmis, S., & McTaggart, R. (2000). Participatory action research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 567–605). SAGE Publications.
Kvale, S. (1995). The social construction of validity. Qualitative Inquiry, 1(1), 19–40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/107780049500100103
Lincoln, Y. S., Lynham, S. A., & Guba, E. G. (2011). Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions, and emerging confluences, revisited. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (4th ed., pp. 97–128). SAGE Publications.
Lunnay, B., Foley, K., & Ward, P. R. (2023). Qualitative research in sociology: ‘Seeing’ social class in qualitative data. In K. L. Sturges & A. J. Turner (Eds.), How to conduct qualitative research in social science (pp. 74–92). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800376205.00016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800376199.00011
Merriam, S. B. (2002). Introduction to qualitative research. In S. B. Merriam (Ed.), Qualitative research in practice: Examples for discussion and analysis (pp. 1–17). Jossey-Bass.
Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Ponce, O. A., Gómez-Galán, J., & Pagán-Maldonado, N. (2022). Qualitative research in education: revisiting its theories, practices and developments in a scientific-political era. IJERI: International Journal of Educational Research and Innovation, (18), 278-295. https://doi.org/10.46661/ijeri.5480 DOI: https://doi.org/10.46661/ijeri.5917
Rudnick, A. (2014). A philosophical analysis of the general methodology of qualitative research: A critical rationalist perspective. Health Care Analysis, 22(3), 245–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10728-012-0212-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10728-012-0212-5
Rüzgar, M. E., & Sözcü, İ. (2023). How phenomenological are phenomenology studies in educational social sciences: A sample from TR Dizin. Qualitative Inquiry in Education: Theory and Practice, 1(1), 73–98. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59455/qietp.5
Saban, A., Ersoy, A. F., Özden, M., Bozkurt, M., Ersoy, A., Akar, H., & Yahşi, Z. (2017). Eğitimde nitel araştırma desenleri. Anı Yayıncılık.
Sandelowski, M. (2000). Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23(4), 334–340. https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-240X(200008)23:4<334::AID-NUR9>3.0.CO;2-G DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-240X(200008)23:4<334::AID-NUR9>3.0.CO;2-G
Schwandt, T. A. (1994). Constructivist, interpretivist approaches to human inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 118–137). SAGE Publications.
Solmaz, M. (2021). NVivo in Turkish graduate research: A case of ELT theses. Educational Technology and Society, 24(3), 87–99.
Tavşancıl, E., Erdem, D., Yalçın, N., Yıldırım, Ö., & Bilican, S. (2010). Examination of data analyses used for master's theses in educational sciences. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, 1467–1474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.351 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.351
Van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. SUNY Press.
Yıldırım, A. (2023). Educational science traditions and qualitative research. Qualitative Inquiry in Education: Theory and Practice, 1(1), 99-117. https://doi.org/10.14689/qietp.2023.6Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.59455/qietp.6
Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Qualitative Inquiry in Education: Theory & Practice

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.