Qualitative research: definition, methods, design and analysis

Qualitative research are essential to scientific and academic research.By providing a precise understanding of individual perceptions, motivations and experiences, qualitative research offer a rich and nuanced insight that quantitative research often fail to capture.

Students who conduct a qualitative research as part of their dissertation or thesis develop essential skills such as critical analysis, creative thinking and the ability to interpret complex data. This enables them to make significant contributions to their field of research.

Contents

What is qualitative research?

What are qualitative research methods?

How to design and plan a qualitative study?

How do you go about collecting qualitative data in qualitative research?

How do you analyze qualitative data?

How to present the results of a qualitative study?

What is qualitative research?

Qualitative research: definition, objectives and benefits

Qualitative research is a research method focused on gathering precise data to understand facts, behaviors and phenomena. Unlike quantitative studies, it focuses on the quality (rather than the quantity) of data obtained through field observations, text or image analysis, individual interviews or focus groups. This approach provides an in-depth understanding of social, cultural and behavioral phenomena and needs. Qualitative surveys are mainly used in the social sciences and humanities.

Another definition of qualitative research:

“Qualitative research is a methodology designed to explain the “why” behind research findings. With less of an emphasis on statistics and structured data, it provides an in-depth understanding of human behaviors, motivations, and emotions through text-based information. ”
Survey Monkey, Qualitative vs. quantitative research: What's the difference?

In this way, we can easily highlight the main advantages of qualitative research:

a human-centered approach,
greater depth of response, thanks to the freedom of expression given to respondents
greater flexibility in conducting the survey with respondents
enriching complementarity with quantitative research.

Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative research

difference qualitative research and quantitative research

qualitative study - qualitative research

What are qualitative research methods?

Individual interviews

Individual interviews are a central method in qualitative research. They enable in-depth exploration of participants' perceptions, experiences and opinions. Conducted face-to-face or by telephone with one respondent at a time, these interviews are based on open-ended and often flexible questions, aimed at probing topics of interest. This purely conversational and qualitative method relies on the interviewer's ability to ask the right questions to elicit rich, nuanced responses.

There are several types of interview:

Structured interviews follow predefined questions in a fixed order, guaranteeing consistency but limiting flexibility.
Semi-structured interviews combine predefined questions with supplementary questions based on responses, enabling deeper exploration with some structure.
Unstructured interviews have no predefined questions, offering a free and flexible conversation, ideal for in-depth explorations, although the analysis is more complex.

qualitative survey - qualitative research

Focus groups

Focus groups are used to gather data from several participants simultaneously. By bringing together a group of respondents, generally ranging in size from 5 to 10 people, we ensure that everyone has enough time to speak, and that everyone is listened to in the best possible way. Confronted with specific questions and issues, participants are free to exchange and share their opinions. Interaction and synergy often bring out ideas and perspectives that would not have emerged in individual interviews. What's more, gathering data from several people at the same time is often quicker and more efficient than conducting numerous individual interviews.

Participatory observation

Participant observation is a qualitative method in which the researcher immerses himself in the participants' environment to observe (full observer) and sometimes participate (integrated observer) in their daily activities. This technique offers a unique, in-depth perspective on social dynamics, rituals and habits in a real-life context. This qualitative method transforms complex data into usable results, offering an in-depth understanding of the phenomena under study.

Qualitative content analysis

Qualitative content analysis is a systematic method for examining textual or visual data, identifying themes and patterns, and drawing meanings from them. It involves several stages: data collection (transcriptions, notes, documents), coding (segmentation and categorization of data), interpretation (analysis of patterns and relationships between themes), and validation (cross-checking and triangulation). This method transforms complex data into usable results, offering an in-depth understanding of the phenomena studied.

How to design and plan a qualitative study

Choosing a subject and formulating research questions

In qualitative research, the choice of subject is crucial. It defines the framework and direction of the research. It often stems from the identification of gaps in existing literature, observations in the field, or emerging questions in the field of interest. The formulation of research questions naturally follows, aiming to explore in depth the perceptions, experiences and meanings surrounding the chosen topic. These questions will guide data collection and analysis: in effect, the study plan.

qualitative research - qualitative study

Participant selection with sampling

Participant selection is a critical step that influences the richness of qualitative data. Representative sampling allows for the inclusion of individuals who can bring a diverse and relevant perspective to the subject, but sampling can also be random.
To find out more about sampling methods, take a look at this article:

Types of sampling design and which to choose, SurveyMonkey

Sample size is determined by the capacity of the data to reach saturation, i.e. when new samples no longer provide significant new information.

qualitative research design - data security

Ethical considerations with informed consent and confidentiality

Qualitative surveys require special attention to ethical considerations to ensure respect for the rights and welfare of participants. Informed consent must be obtained, based on transparent communication of the research objectives, the methods used, and the potential risks and benefits for participants. Data confidentiality is also essential: it must be secured and anonymized if necessary.

How do you go about collecting qualitative data in qualitative research?

Careful preparation of interviews and observations

To conduct interviews in a serious and serene manner, it's essential to construct a structured or semi-structured interview guide, which allows you to direct the conversation while leaving enough freedom to explore participants' responses in depth. A good practice to apply is to formulate open, non-directive questions, allowing participants to express themselves freely.

Before conducting interviews or observations, it's also essential to establish a relationship of trust with participants. This can be achieved by clearly explaining the objectives of the qualitative study, ensuring confidentiality of responses, and providing details of how the data will be processed and disseminated in the future.

Methodical conduct of interviews and observations

To conduct an interview effectively, the researcher must adopt an active listening posture, reformulating and asking follow-up questions and clarifications to fully grasp the meaning of the participants' words.

When it comes to conducting observations, effectiveness depends on the observer's ability to pay attention to detail and take precise notes. The use of logbooks, observation grids and recording protocols is invaluable for systematizing and organizing observed data.

Scrupulous attention to data recording and transcription

Interviews or observations can be recorded using audio, video or photo devices, to capture the participants' words and behavior in their entirety and thus guarantee the accuracy of the information gathered.

Transcription is a tedious but essential step. It must be faithful and complete, including not only the participants' words, but also pauses, hesitations and significant non-verbal expressions. The quality of transcription has a direct influence on data analysis.

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What are the steps involved in analyzing qualitative data?

Analyzing qualitative data helps to make sense of the information gathered. It involves several methodological phases.

Coding qualitative data

This involves organizing the raw data into meaningful segments. The researcher assigns codes, which are labels or categories, to relevant pieces of text, based on their content and meaning.

The coding process may involve several passes through the data to refine the codes and ensure their relevance and completeness. Once the initial coding is complete, similar codes are grouped together to form broader categories.

Identifying themes and patterns

This phase involves looking for patterns, trends and relationships within the coded data. Themes are central ideas or concepts that emerge from the data and are essential to answering the research questions. Researchers use techniques such as clustering, contrasting and comparing to identify and refine themes. They also seek to contextualize findings within the research framework.

Interpreting the results

It's now time to analyze the qualitative data and draw meaningful conclusions, asking the following questions: Are the results surprising or expected? How do they differ from or resemble existing literature? Why should we pay attention to them? ...

💡 Tip 💡
Using qualitative analysis software, such as NVivo and Atlas.ti, greatly facilitates the data analysis process. These tools offer advanced features for coding, pattern finding and data visualization. They can be very interesting as part of your qualitative study.

How to present the results of a qualitative study?

This is the final stage and deliverable of your qualitative research! The challenge is to present the results attractively, clearly and concisely, so as to communicate your findings.

Writing of the qualitative research report

The qualitative research report must be structured and coherent, offering a fluid narrative of the findings. The report generally begins with an introduction that recalls the objectives of the qualitative investigation, the research questions and the methodology used. Next, the results section presents the main themes and patterns identified in the data analysis. The report should also discuss the implications of these findings, relating them to existing literature and suggesting avenues for future research.

Using quotes and examples to illustrate results

Direct quotes from participants are essential to illustrate and support qualitative findings. They add depth to the themes identified. Verbatims should be carefully chosen to accurately represent participants' views and experiences.

In addition to quotations, the use of concrete examples and detailed narratives can enrich the presentation of results. They add a concrete, contextual dimension to the report, making the results more accessible and understandable to readers.

Visual presentation of data

The visual presentation of data is essential for communicating qualitative results effectively. It helps to organize and synthesize information, making themes and relationships between data clearer.

Tables can be used to summarize themes and sub-themes, show the frequency of patterns or compare the responses of different groups of participants. They provide a structured overview of the results.
Concept maps and mind maps are useful for visualizing relationships between themes and categories. They help illustrate the processes, hierarchies and connections that emerge from the data.
Diagrams, such as Venn diagrams or code networks, can show overlaps and interdependencies between themes. They are particularly useful for representing complex, multidimensional data.

By combining these visual elements with detailed descriptions and relevant quotations, the qualitative research report becomes a rich and comprehensive document, capable of conveying qualitative results in a convincing manner.

In short, qualitative research are essential in research, as they offer in-depth, nuanced perspectives on human behavior, perceptions and motivations. They make it possible to explore aspects of the human condition that are often ignored by quantitative research due to their complexity and subjectivity.

As students, using qualitative methods in your research enables you to acquire advanced analytical skills, learn to interpret complex data and produce richer, more contextualized research. We recommend that you check the deliverable of your qualitative study in a plagiarism checker, before submitting it. This approach gives you peace of mind before you hand in your assignment.

Discover other practical guides to conducting qualitative research:

Qualitative Study - National Library of Medicine - NCBI

Qualitative Research Methods: Types, Analysis + Examples, QuestionPro

The Ultimate Guide to Qualitative Research - Part 1: The Basics, ATLAS.ti

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, University of Texas Arlington Libraries

Information: This informative article was written in part with the help of ChatGPT. The content generated by AI has been reworked to check the veracity of the information, the relevance of the instructions and to add clarifications.

FAQ

What are qualitative studies?

Qualitative studies explore phenomena in depth through non-numerical data such as interviews, observations and content analysis, in order to understand people's experiences and perceptions.

What's the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?

Quantitative studies use numerical data and statistical methods to identify trends, developments and correlations. In contrast, qualitative studies explore phenomena through non-numerical data, such as interviews and observations, to gain an in-depth understanding of experiences and perceptions.

Why conduct a qualitative study?

To gain an in-depth understanding of people's experiences, perceptions and motivations through non-digital data.

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Qualitative Research: Definition, Methods, Design, and Analysis