City University of Seattle Library: Research Methods and Design: Qualitative Research Methods

Definition

Qualitative Research Methods

a method of research that produces descriptive (non-numerical) data, such as observations of behavior or personal accounts of experiences. The goal of gathering this qualitative data is to examine how individuals can perceive the world from different vantage points. A variety of techniques are subsumed under qualitative research, including content analyses of narratives, in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and case studies, often conducted in naturalistic settings.

APA dictionary of psychology. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://dictionary.apa.org/

SAGE Research Methods Videos

What questions does qualitative research ask?

A variety of academics discuss the meaning of qualitative research and content analysis. Both hypothetical and actual research projects are used to illustrate concepts.

What makes a good qualitative researcher?

Professor John Creswell analyzes the characteristics of qualitative research and the qualitative researcher. He explains that good qualitative researchers tend to look at the big picture, notice details, and write a lot. He discusses how these characteristics tie into qualitative research.

Creswell Ph.D., J. (Academic). (2015). Doing qualitative research [Video]. SAGE Research Methods Video https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781506363448

This is just one segment in a series about qualitative research. You can find the rest of the series in our SAGE database, Research Methods:

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Videos covering research methods and statistics

Readings

Qualitative Research by Sharan B. Merriam; Elizabeth J. Tisdell
ISBN: 9781119003618
The bestselling guide to qualitative research, updated and expanded Qualitative Research is the essential guide to understanding, designing, conducting, and presenting a qualitative research study. This fourth edition features new material covering mixed methods, action research, arts-based research, online data sources, and the latest in data analysis, including data analysis software packages as well as narrative and poetic analysis strategies. A new section offers multiple ways of presenting qualitative research findings. The reader-friendly, jargon-free style makes this book accessible to both novice and experienced researchers, emphasizing the role of a theoretical framework in designing a study while providing practical guidance. Qualitative research reaches beyond the what, where, and when of quantitative analysis to investigate the why and how behind human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior, but this presents a number of significant challenges. This guide is an invaluable reference for students and practitioners alike, providing the deep understanding that this sometimes difficult area of research requires to produce accurate results. The book contains a step-by-step guide to analyzing qualitative data and an addendum for graduate students with a template for a thesis, dissertation, or grant application.
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods by Lisa M. Given (Editor)
ISBN: 9781412941631
Qualitative research is designed to explore the human elements of a given topic, while specific qualitative methods examine how individuals see and experience the world. Qualitative approaches are typically used to explore new phenomena and to capture individuals' thoughts, feelings, or interpretations of meaning and process. Such methods are central to research conducted in education, nursing, sociology, anthropology, information studies, and other disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and health sciences. Qualitative research projects are informed by a wide range of methodologies and theoretical frameworks. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods presents current and complete information as well as ready-to-use techniques, facts, and examples from the field of qualitative research in a very accessible style. In taking an interdisciplinary approach, these two volumes target a broad audience and fill a gap in the existing reference literature for a general guide to the core concepts that inform qualitative research practices. The entries cover every major facet of qualitative methods, including access to research participants, data coding, research ethics, the role of theory in qualitative research, and much more-all without overwhelming the informed reader.
A Guide to Qualitative Field Research by Carol R. Bailey
ISBN: 9781412936507
Thoroughly revised, the Second Edition of A Guide to Field Research is designed to assist undergraduate students and other beginning field researchers in carrying out their first qualitative studies. Its rich examples from classic ethnographies, as well as examples generated by the author herself, help bring alive the abstract principles of field research.