Qualitative Methods
Design Your Study
Step Four: Select Your Data Collection Method
Like the process for choosing your sample or setting, your data collection methods should be informed by what you want to know. Remember your research focus--your goal is to identify the best way to collect data on your topic of interest in your chosen setting.
[
, "MyBest Advice for Students" Professor Jerome Crowder]
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.
[, "My Research" Professor Jerome Crowder]
Cultural studies provide a view into the larger environment in which people live their lives: advertisements, street signs, textbooks,etc.
A wonderful example is Jean Kilborne's Can't Buy My Love.
Visual studies can be powerful and empowering. Think of the award winning documentary Born into Brothels where the researchers gave cameras to young women to visually record their lives.
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