COMMON QUALITATIVE

RESEARCH METHODS

Lawrence ADEBUSOYE
Family Physician and Geriatrician
UCH, Ibadan
 OUTLINE
Definition and Types of research
Qualitative research methods
Characteristics of qualitative research methods
Qualitative research methods- Forms & Types
Data & sample collection techniques
Advantages of qualitative research methods
Limitations of qualitative research methods
Conclusion
References
 WHAT IS RESEARCH?

Research is a scientific approach to

answering a research question,
solving a problem or generating
new knowledge through a
systematic and orderly collection,
organisation, analysis and
dissemination of information to
make the research useful in
decision-making.
TYPES OF RESEARCH METHODS

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

METHOD METHOD
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
• Qualitative research is the study of the
nature of phenomena, which includes
their quality, different manifestations, the
context in which they appear, or the
perspectives from which they can be
perceived, but excludes their range,
frequency, and place in an objectively
determined chain of cause and effect.
• Qualitative research is a method of
inquiry that focuses on understanding
human behaviour, experiences, and the
reasons that govern such behaviour.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS (2)

Development of concepts
Used to explore complex
which help us to understand
phenomena within their
social phenomena in natural
contexts and understand the
(rather than experimental)
meaning individuals or groups
settings, giving due emphasis
ascribe to a social or human
to the meanings, experiences
problem.
and views of the participants.
WHEN TO USE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

1. When a problem or issue needs to be explored

2. When there is a need to study a group or population
3. When there is a need to identify variables that
cannot be easily measured
CHARACTERISTICS OF QR METHODS

Data sources are real-world situations

Data is collected in the natural environment where participants experience the

issue

Uses conversational method to collect data. The researcher collects data directly
through interviews, observations, and documents

Data are descriptive

Uses open-ended questions with participants responding in their own words

 CHARACTERISTICS OF QR METHODS (2)
Responses are usually non-numerical

Focuses on the why rather than the what

Relies on the direct experiences of participants

Describe the findings of research findings from the perspective of the

research participants
Themes and patterns emerge from the data, rather than imposing
predetermined categories
FORMS OF QUALITATIVE DATA

Texts

Video

Photographs

Audio recording
 COMMON TYPES OF QR METHODS

Ethnography

Narrative Method

Phenomenological Method

Grounded Theory Method

Case Study

Historical Method
 ETHNOGRAPHY
• Describe cultural characteristics
• In-depth study of people and cultures in their
natural settings.
• It involves participant observation and fieldwork
• Method:
1. Identify the cultural aspects and variables by
reviewing the literature
2. Getting involved in the environment, living
with the target audience, and collecting data
through observing and interacting with
subjects
• Analysis: Describe the main parameters of culture
• Outcomes: A detailed description of the social
morals
 NARRATIVE METHOD
• Purpose: Collect data in the form of a cohesive story.
• Explores: the stories of individuals to understand their
experiences. It involves in-depth interviews and document
analysis.
• Method: Review the sequence of events and conduct interviews
to describe the largest influences that affected an individual.
• Analysis: Analyze different life situations and opportunities
• Outcomes: Present a short story with themes, conflicts, and
challenges
 PHENOMENOLOGICAL METHOD
• Phenomenon is a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, especially
one whose cause or explanation is in question.
• Purpose: Describe the experiences, events, or situations from different angles.
• Examines lived experiences to understand the essence of a phenomenon. It
involves in-depth interviews
• Method:
1. Sampling and data collection by conducting interviews, observation, surveys, and reading
documents
2. Describe and write the experience of the phenomena
• Analysis: Classify the data and examine the experiences beyond human
awareness
• Outcomes: A database is formed to describe the findings from a subject’s
viewpoint
 GROUNDED THEORY METHOD
• Purpose:
• Used to develop theory, identify social development and ways to deal
with it
• Involves the formulation and testing of data until the theory is developed
• Develops a theory grounded in data collected from participants. It
involves iterative data collection and analysis.
• Method:
• Data collection methods such as interviews, observation, literature review, and
document analysis
• Analysis: Theory formation and development by a sampling of
literature
• Outcomes: Theory supported by relevant examples from data
 CASE STUDY

• Purpose: Describe an experience, person, event, or place

in detail.
• An in-depth exploration of a single case or multiple cases
within a bounded system. It uses multiple data sources.
• Method:
• Direct observation and interaction with the subject
• Analysis: Analyze the experiences
• Outcomes: An in-depth description of the subjects
 HISTORICAL METHOD
• Purpose: Describe and examine past events to understand present
patterns and predict future scenarios
• Method:
1. Develop your idea after reading the relevant literature
2. Develop the types of qualitative research questions
3. Identify the sources - archives, libraries, papers
4. Clarify the reliability and validity of data sources
5. Create a research outline to organize the process
6. Collect data
• Analysis:
• Analyze the data by accepting or rejecting it
• Identify the conflicting evidence
• Outcomes: Present the findings in the form of a biography or paper
 • Interviews: Structured, semi-structured, or
unstructured conversations to gather in-depth
information.
• Focus Groups:
• a way to get a group of people talking and
asking questions.
DATA • Group discussions to explore participants’
COLLECTION perceptions and attitudes towards a specific
topic.
TECHNIQUES
• Observations: Systematic noting and recording of
events, behaviours, and artefacts in the social
setting.
• Document Analysis/ Secondary research:
Review of existing documents like diaries, letters,
reports, texts, audio or video recordings and
photographs to gather relevant data.
 DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES IN
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
Thematic Analysis: Content Analysis: Systematic
Identifying, analyzing, and coding and categorizing of
reporting patterns (themes) textual information to identify
within data. patterns.

Narrative Analysis: Discourse Analysis:

Analyzing the stories people Examining how language is
tell to understand their used in texts and contexts to
experiences and the meaning understand social and
they ascribe to them. cultural constructs.
SAMPLING • Purposive sampling
METHODS
IN
• Snowball sampling
QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
METHODS • Quota Sampling
 PURPOSIVE SAMPLING
• Non-randomized sampling
technique that selects
sampling units based on
certain criteria.
• Researcher chooses a sample
(person, cases, or events)
based on their assessment that
it would fit the study's
objectives
• Participants are selected for
inclusion in the sample due to
their characteristics
 SNOWBALL SAMPLING
• Non-probability sampling
method, where there is not
an equal chance for every
member of the population to
be included in the sample.
• New units are recruited by
other units to form part of the
sample.
• This means that you cannot
use inferential statistics and
make generalizations—often
the goal of quantitative
research.
 QUOTA SAMPLING
• Non-probability sampling
method that relies on the
non-random selection of a
predetermined number or
proportion of units.
• This is called a quota.
• You first divide the
population into mutually
exclusive subgroups (called
strata) and then recruit
sample units until you reach
your quota.
TOOLS TO ANALYZE QUALITATIVE DATA
[a]. MAXQDA
• A tool for analyzing data using mixed, qualitative, and quantitative
methods. It allows you to enter information from many different
sources, including surveys, interviews, and focus groups, to name a
few.
• The data can then be tagged and categorized for analysis.
[b]. Nvivo
• A piece of software that enables users to prepare and store
qualitative data for analysis.
• Word documents, PDFs, audio, visual files, and more can all be
imported.
[c]. ATLAS.ti
• Large-scale collections of textual, graphical, audio, and video data
can be supported by ATLAS.ti, a potent qualitative data analysis
software tool.
HOW TO ENSURE QUALITY IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Credibility: Confidence in the truth of the findings. Techniques include

member checking and prolonged engagement.

Transferability: Extent to which findings can be transferred to other contexts.

Use of thick description.

Dependability: Consistency of the research process over time. Use of audit

trails.

Confirmability: Degree to which findings are shaped by respondents and not

researcher bias. Use of reflexivity and audit trails .
 • In-depth Understanding: Provides deep
insights into complex issues.
• Contextual Data: Rich, detailed data that
reflects participants' perspectives.

BENEFITS • Helps to understand an individual subjective

perception and give meaning to their social
OF reality.

QUALITATIVE • Greater data accuracy than direct questioning

• Flexibility: Adaptable to changes and new
RESEARCH insights during the research process.
METHODS • Qualitative methods are more flexible allowing
greater spontaneity, and adaptation of the
interaction between the researcher and the
study participant.
 • Difficulty in determining root cause of
behaviour
• Subjectivity: Researcher’s
perspectives and biases can influence
the findings .
LIMITATIONS • Time-Consuming: Data collection and
analysis can be lengthy processes .
• Generalizability: Findings are often
not generalizable to larger populations
. May not be representative
SUMMARY
Qualitative research methods are essential for exploring complex phenomena and
understanding the depth of human experiences .

Qualitative research method has to be with investigations about people lives, lived
experiences, behaviours, emotions and feeling.

They are viewed as a soft –approach conducted when structured research is not
possible.

When true response may not be available.

It should not be viewed as conclusive research.

 REFERENCES
• Syed Muhammad Sajjad Kabir. Introduction to Research.(2016)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325846733.
• Ugwu, C.N. and Eze Val, H.U. Qualitative Research Journal of Computer and Applied
Sciences 8(1):20-35, 2023.
• Cropley A. Qualitative Research Methods(2023): A Practice-Oriented Introduction.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285471178
• Creswell, J.W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five
Approaches. SAGE Publications.
• Patton, M.Q. (2015). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods. SAGE Publications.
• Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds.). (2011). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research.
SAGE Publications.
• Silverman, D. (2015). Interpreting Qualitative Data. SAGE Publications.
• Flick, U. (2018). An Introduction to Qualitative Research. SAGE Publications.
• Merriam, S.B., & Tisdell, E.J. (2015). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and
Implementation. Jossey-Bass.