Qualitative research is the systematic inquiry into social phenomena in natural settings. It is a study of how people experience the world with focus on analyzing descriptive and conceptual findings. How this data is collected depends on the approach of the scholar to his or her study. Each qualitative research approach uses different data collection methods to avail the necessary data for analysis and interpretation.
Grounded theory
In grounded theory research, the focus is on the cultural setting, the people living in that setting, and the problems being formulated by them. The theory is more about the culture and how it reflects the wider world around it. It is more about the “why” of things rather than the “how” of them. The theory guides the research questions, the data collection strategies, and the analytical method used. With the growth of social research, and with it, a greater emphasis on data analysis, many scholars have turned to grounded theory to enrich the possibilities for the study of social phenomena. Research with a core of grounded theory is often descriptive in nature, gathering information about various aspects of a topic. Fundamental to the approach of grounded theory is the study of the local culture.
Phenomenological research
Phenomenological research is the study of phenomena rather than people. It is based on the assumption that people are real and have a personal, subjective experience that can be measured and quantified. Phenomenological research is often descriptive, in that it looks at the way people experience things. It is also comparative, giving an overview of various ways people experience things. The advantages of phenomenological research are that it is descriptive, open to a wide range of possibilities, and does not require an analysis of data.
Narrative research
Narrative research is the study of how people tell stories. It relies on qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups, and qualitative mapping. The tales people tell and the topics they choose to tell them about are usually dependent on the audience and the purpose of the research. Narrative research is often interdisciplinary, drawing on a variety of research methodologies. It is especially useful in the social sciences, where it offers a broad approach to the study of human experiences.
Field Research
Field research is an old-fashioned method that involves staying in the community where the phenomena to be studied exists. It is often descriptive in nature, gathering information about various aspects of a topic. The advantage of field research is that it is highly focused, enabling the researcher to get to know the setting and the people living in it.
Case Study
Case study research is a descriptive method that offers information about a person, rather than a phenomenon. This kind of research is often useful in business and economics contexts, looking at the lives of people as a whole, rather than focusing on individuals. The advantages of case study research are that it is descriptive, has few limits on the types of information collected, and is quick and easy to conduct.
The techniques and methodologies developed during the formative period were primarily descriptive, based on the use of metrics to describe how people feel and interact with one another. With the growth of social research, and with it, a greater emphasis on data analysis, many scholars have turned to the above approaches to enrich the possibilities for the study of people and their experiences, behaviors and opinions.