Why should researchers use qualitative research methods?
While we’re known in the industry as a quantitative research firm, much of the research we do is actually a
mixed-methods approach.
Show That is, we mix both quantitative and qualitative methods to provide a comprehensive picture of the user experience. Such an approach answers “why” and “how much,” among other things; answers difficult to get with a quantitative study alone. We like quantitative approaches, which includes surveys, large scale unmoderated benchmarks, and prioritization methods such as conjoint analysis. However, there are times when a qualitative approach is a better fit for the research needs and questions. Here are five reasons to perform a qualitative study:
Qualitative research isn’t an excuse to be sloppy, avoid using numbers, or justify your opinions. It should be rigorous like quantitative research. Qualitative research in fact has an equivalent to the quantitative concepts of reliability and validity (for example, having different evaluators code observations independently). For more information on qualitative data collection, see Creswell 2012, from where this information was derived. You might also be interested in Published on June 19, 2020 by Pritha Bhandari. Revised on October 10, 2022. Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio) to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences. It can be used to gather in-depth insights into a problem or
generate new ideas for research. Qualitative research is the opposite of quantitative research, which involves collecting and analyzing numerical data for statistical analysis. Qualitative research is commonly used in the humanities and social sciences, in subjects such as anthropology, sociology, education, health sciences, history, etc. Qualitative research question examples
Approaches to qualitative researchQualitative research is used to understand how people experience the world. While there are many approaches to qualitative research, they tend to be flexible and focus on retaining rich meaning when interpreting data. Common approaches include grounded theory, ethnography, action research, phenomenological research, and narrative research. They share some similarities, but emphasize different aims and perspectives. Qualitative research approaches
Qualitative research methodsEach of the research approaches involve using one or more data collection methods. These are some of the most common qualitative methods:
Qualitative researchers often consider themselves “instruments” in research because all observations, interpretations and analyses are filtered through their own personal lens. For 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. Qualitative data analysisQualitative data can take the form of texts, photos, videos and audio. For example, you might be working with interview transcripts, survey responses, fieldnotes, or recordings from natural settings. Most types of qualitative data analysis share the same five steps:
There are several specific approaches to analyzing qualitative data. Although these methods share similar processes, they emphasize different concepts. Qualitative data analysis
Advantages of qualitative researchQualitative research often tries to preserve the voice and perspective of participants and can be adjusted as new research questions arise. Qualitative research is good for:
The data collection and analysis process can be adapted as new ideas or patterns emerge. They are not rigidly decided beforehand.
Data collection occurs in real-world contexts or in naturalistic ways.
Detailed descriptions of people’s experiences, feelings and perceptions can be used in designing, testing or improving systems or products.
Open-ended responses mean that researchers can uncover novel problems or opportunities that they wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Disadvantages of qualitative researchResearchers must consider practical and theoretical limitations in analyzing and interpreting their data. Qualitative research suffers from:
The real-world setting often makes qualitative research unreliable because of uncontrolled factors that affect the data.
Due to the researcher’s primary role in analyzing and interpreting data, qualitative research cannot be replicated. The researcher decides what is important and what is irrelevant in data analysis, so interpretations of the same data can vary greatly.
Small samples are often used to gather detailed data about specific contexts. Despite rigorous analysis procedures, it is difficult to draw generalizable conclusions because the data may be biased and unrepresentative of the wider population.
Although software can be used to manage and record large amounts of text, data analysis often has to be checked or performed manually. Frequently asked questions about qualitative researchWhat are the main qualitative research approaches? There are five common approaches to qualitative research:
What is data collection? Data collection is the systematic process by which observations or measurements are gathered in research. It is used in many different contexts by academics, governments, businesses, and other organizations. Cite this Scribbr articleIf you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
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