thematic analysis

1

Wenjia Zhang

COMN 2200

Professor Elizabeth Suter

Oct 5,2022

Research Proposal

Research Topic:

The ability of women to get pregnant changes with time; the female biological clock shows that it is difficult to get pregnant later in life since the number and quality of fertile sperm and ovum reduce with age (Verma et al., 2021). This proposal uses a qualitative study based on three life story interviews to analyze the social and subjective aspects of the biological clock and its consequences for reproductive time.

Research Question:

When discussing reproduction time in the context of delayed motherhood, age-related fertility problems, and the use of artificial insemination, the biological clock has become a popular framework. Numerous studies demonstrate an increase in women who delay childbearing and have their first child at 35 or later during the previous few decades (Verma et al., 2021). Because the time needed to reach personal and social milestones clashes with the window of opportunity for pregnancy established by female fertility, delaying the transition to parenthood places restrictions on reproductive time, which has been a significant problem in the past few and recent decades. My research question is, what is the significance of the biological clock in terms of female?

Statement of research reflexivity:

When I see a challenge other women face between balancing their career life and having families, I can sincerely say that I understand their struggle while the clock is ticking. Many activities require attention and other challenges that make it difficult to bear a child at their fertile window. This proposal will conduct its research by interviewing three people through online channels; two are friends who follow the biological clock and are my longtime friends in junior studies, and one is a parent who lets her daughter track the biological clock. The data from the interview will help view life from other people’s description and their way of thinking and how to encourage the observance of the female "biological" clock to balance between being a mother and career life. Of course, there must have limitations to my sample; my interviewees live in a very small town in China, their education levels are not very high, and they are only a few families following the female biological clock.

Self-Assessment and Data Collection Planning:

The participants are subjected to an online interview where an interviewee conducts the online conversation. The participants would opt for online data collection, which contributed to the decision of the online interview process. The online interview is more of a self-assessment comes about. Self-assessment works best in research, especially in understanding the follow-up questions that ensure the feedback is valuable for planning purposes (Staller, 2022). After knowing the participants for the online self-assessment, planning is done to ensure the process is successful. I think the most appropriate attitude during the interview is relaxing, enthusiastic, and patient. For me, the potential limitation of the online interview is the lack of eye contact, emotional exchange, and time difference.

Statement on an assessment of research participant:

Qualitative research involves participants who play a significant role in offering the information necessary for the study. The participants' involvement is voluntary since the data collected is more about their personal life. There is a need to focus on seeking consent from the participants to ensure legal compliance. The focus is directed towards giving the confidence to the participants that their contribution is valued, and their data protected after collecting them (Staller, 2022). The assessment of the research participant is conducted following the qualitative research processes, especially in the interview process.

The participants' interviews demand following the qualitative approach, which involves developing open questions that result in more detailed feedback. The research participants are engaged in the process where it is made sure that their interests are considered in the data collection for them to be confident enough for the process. The participants are women because the topic of concern is more about women and their biological clocks. The research project will interview three people, two friends who follow the biological clock to get a baby in China, and one interviewee is a parent who lets her daughter follow the biological clock. The participants are given appointments for the online interview session where they are more comfortable with the self-assessment interview successfully. The intention is to have 3 participants for the study and ensure that all 100% engage in the study.

Interview Guide:

The term "intense" or "in-depth" is occasionally used to describe the length and intensity of a qualitative interview. The researcher has a predetermined topic for the respondent, but the questions are more free form. They may not be asked in the same order or fashion among participants in a semi-structured interview (Kross & Giust, 2019). In their own words, listening to interviewees' thoughts on the matter is the fundamental purpose of an in-depth interview. Here, we will examine qualitative interviews, how to interpret interview data, and the benefits and drawbacks of using this approach. The questions were developed to follow the structure of opening, intermediate, and closing questions.

The questions are designed so that the participants can give their feedback in more detail and ensure that they tackle each question in-depth (Kross & Giust, 2019). The focus is on interest and ensuring that the participant gets a follow-up question that promotes detailed discussion during the interview taking the research to the next level. The research questions above are open-ended and encourage meaningful feedback that can take the research to the next level.

Interview Questions:

1. In what way has following the biological clock impacted your life? (Opening Question)

Probe: What aspect of your years stands out the most when you describe how following a biological clock has impacted your life? Why?

Annotation: This response to this question will allow the interviewees to describe their daily life and what it is for them to follow a biological clock to bear a child earlier. Having each individual lay out their daily lives will help answer the specific impact that assuming the biological clock would have and notice similarities and differences across these stories.

2. When someone describes the following biological clock as “primitive,” how does that make you feel?

Probe: I appreciate your effort to answer this question. From personal experience, I understand that it can sideline you from peers in decision-making. If you are comfortable, can you please recall your decisions different from your peers and who abandoned you for making such a decision?

Probe: Now that you have recalled it, do you prefer the following of the female biological clock being “important” or “primitive”?

Annotation: This question will dive deeper into the true feeling of being identified and known as the following biological clock. It will then help to understand people’s take on the issue.

3. Tell me about the understanding of a woman’s biological clock program and how it has impacted your life in the journey of your motherhood.

Probe: When you recall the program, did you feel supported? Can you tell me some of the situations where you felt not supported?

Probe: are you still in the program? Did it help you?

Annotation: this question will help understand the kind of support the interviewees got in the program brought to make women understand their biological clock.

4. When did you embrace the idea of following the female biological clock?

Probe: Did the program help you, or were you referred to by a friend? How was the experience? Were the challenges faces faced in doing so?

Annotation: the response to this question helps to understand how women perceive the Female biological clock for the first time.

5. What would happen if, during your fertile years, you got engaged in many activities to enhance your career life? How would you do? Would you sacrifice your career to get children first? (Intermediate Question)

6. Is there a point when your decision to follow the biological clock to have a child early was misunderstood by your peers?

Probe: in this case, who was there? How did you feel at that time?

Annotation: This response will help understand how women feel when they get misunderstood by their peers concerning their choice. It will also show its impact and how to train various peers towards accepting this.

7. How do you hope others will understand the importance of using the female biological clock?

Probe: moving forward, what do you think is very important for other women to know about the female biological clock?

Annotation: this final question will tie together the whole interview by getting the interviewees’ answers, their thoughts on how they wish to be viewed in society, and what they wish would help others understand the female biological clock.

8. Do you ever regret following the biological clock?

9. How do you feel about following a biological clock to give birth? Why did you choose to let your daughter follow it?

10. In conclusion, how do you advise other parents with daughters who have entered fertility? Will you encourage them to let their daughters follow it to avoid delayed production?

(Closing Question)

Conclusion:

The research follows the qualitative approach where the three interviewees are involved in the process and protected by offering them the consent form to sign and assure them of the security of their collected data. In this scenario, the research considers the safety of the data stored in the physical and online servers for security purposes. The research questions follow a guide that ensures the participants give detailed feedback. The consideration is valuable in ensuring that the participants experience the open, intermediate, and closing questions that better explain the female biological clock.

References

Kross, J., & Giust, A. (2019). Elements of Research Questions in Relation to Qualitative Inquiry.  The Qualitative Report. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3426

Staller, K. (2022). Confusing questions in qualitative inquiry: Research, interview, and analysis.  Qualitative Social Work,  21(2), 227-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250221080533

Verma, P., Yadav, A., Rani, S., & Malik, S. (2021). Biological clock vs Social clock conflict in Adolescents.  Journal of Applied and Natural Science,  13(1), 327-342. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v13i1.2571