Qualitative Methods
Data Collection Methods
Data and Data Collection
Generally, there are four basic qualitative data collection methods.
- Field Research (also called ethnography or participant observation)
- Qualitative Interviews
- Culture Studies (media or document analysis)
- Visual Methods (still or moving images)
Some researchers use more than one method. For example, observing in a setting and then interviewing individuals privately about their involvement in the setting.
A general rule of thumb for data collection is --
- If you want to know about what people do, use participant observation.
- If you want to know what people say about what they do or think, use interviews.
Cultural studies provide a view into the larger environment in which people live their lives: advertisements, street signs, textbooks,etc.
Visual studies employ images in three basic ways: subject-produced, researcher-created, or preexisting. Images may constitute "the data" or they may be used in "photo elicitation" to facilitate interview discussions.
