Qualitative Research Design

Qualitative research

• Research that delves deeper into real-world issues

• Participants’ experiences, opinions, and actions are gathered in this type of research

• Rather than addressing how many or how much, it addresses the hows and whys

Phenomenological

• A qualitative research approach that seeks to explore and understand individuals’ lived experiences and the meaning they assign to those experiences

• Used when we want to see, understand, and describe the universal essence of a phenomenon

Ethnographic research

A qualitative method that studies people in their natural environment to understand their culture, behaviors, interactions, and way of life. Researchers gather data through close observation, participation, and interviews to provide a detailed understanding of the participants’ experiences and perspectives

Grounded theory

• A research method concerned with the generation of theory, which is ‘grounded’ in data that has been systematically collected and analyzed. It is used to uncover such things as social relationships and behaviors of groups, known as social processes

• Used when there is not enough existing theory to adequately explain a social process, behavior, or phenomenon, and we want to develop an explanation directly from participants’ experiences

• Especially appropriate when we want to understand how something happens, changes, or develops over time, rather than simply describing what people experience

Case study

• An intensive, systematic investigation of a single individual, group, community, or unit where the researcher collects in-depth qualitative or quantitative data across several variables within its real-life context

• Researchers utilize this when answering “how” or “why” questions regarding complex, contemporary phenomena where the investigator has little control over events, and where the boundary between the phenomenon and its real-world context is not clearly defined

Participatory action research

• A synergy between researchers and participants wherein an issue is examined with the purpose of finding a solution. According to Lewin during his action research, it is a synergy of community-based research, education, and an action for social change

• Used to make a positive societal change within the community through collective efforts of participants and researchers. It serves as a tool to understand the POV of th participants

Narrative research

• A qualitative research approach that studies people’s experiences through the stories they tell. It focuses on how individuals make sense of their experiences, identities, and lives through narratives, while considering the social, temporal, and situational contexts in which those experiences occur

• Researchers use this when the primary purpose is to understand how people experience, interpret, and give meaning to events in their lives

• Not primarily designed to produce statistically generalizable findings. Its strength is providing detailed understanding of individual or shared experiences within their particular contexts

Narrative inquiry

One particular methodological approach within the broader field of narrative research