Qualitative data can take the form of texts, photos, videos and audio. Qualitative researchers often consider themselves “instruments” in research because all observations, interpretations and analyses are filtered through their own personal lens.įor this reason, when writing up your methodology for qualitative research, it’s important to reflect on your approach and to thoroughly explain the choices you made in collecting and analyzing the data.ĭiscover proofreading & editing Qualitative data analysis
Surveys: distributing questionnaires with open-ended questions.Focus groups: asking questions and generating discussion among a group of people.Interviews: personally asking people questions in one-on-one conversations.Observations: recording what you have seen, heard, or encountered in detailed field notes.These are some of the most common qualitative methods:
Researchers examine how stories are told to understand how participants perceive and make sense of their experiences.Įach of the research approaches involve using one or more data collection methods. Researchers investigate a phenomenon or event by describing and interpreting participants’ lived experiences. Researchers and participants collaboratively link theory to practice to drive social change. Researchers immerse themselves in groups or organizations to understand their cultures. Researchers collect rich data on a topic of interest and develop theories inductively. They share some similarities, but emphasize different aims and perspectives. While there are many approaches to qualitative research, they tend to be flexible and focus on retaining rich meaning when interpreting data.Ĭommon approaches include grounded theory, ethnography, action research, phenomenological research, and narrative research. Qualitative research is used to understand how people experience the world. Frequently asked questions about qualitative research.
Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio) to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences. What Is Qualitative Research? | Methods & Examples