Qualitative Research: An Introduction to Methods and Designs

Key Ideas

• Qualitative research is an approach that enables researchers to explore in detail social and organizational characteristics and individual behaviors and their meanings. To obtain this information, qualitative researchers depend on primary, face-to-face data collection through observations and in-depth interviews.
• Qualitative research can be carried out through case studies, interviews with people who have relevant experiences, and observations in the places where study participants live, work, shop, and engage in leisure time activities.
• Qualitative research is always theoretically guided. The degree to which theory specifies or initiates and guides the process of data collection varies depending on which scientific paradigm the researcher ...