Qualitative research uses tools such as interviews, focus groups, observation, and storytelling to gather information in a subjective way. The researcher is considered an important tool and the data is analyzed using various methods.
Qualitative tools are used in investigative qualitative research. This type of research differs from quantitative research because the researcher is an important part of the process and can be considered one of the qualitative tools. Other types of qualitative tools include focus groups, interviews, and desk analyses. Additionally, narratives are used as well as observation by the field researcher. The data is analyzed using various methods to produce information in the form of words or images and can be encoded for further analysis.
The researcher is considered to be one of the main qualitative tools in this type of research, as he is an important part of the process. When the researcher conducts an interview or observes a party, he is influencing and becoming involved in the situation. This is different from quantitative research which aims to be objective instead of subjective using tools that have been normative on previous populations. A qualitative researcher generally develops the questions he asks before the study begins, as the goal of qualitative research is to get a personal look at the topic or subjects being studied.
Interviews are often important tools in qualitative research and can be done in both structured and unstructured ways. Structured interviews include a series of questions that the researcher has formulated in advance. Unstructured interviews allow the researcher and subject to simply talk to each other and share information in an informal atmosphere. Focus groups are used to get a group talking about a certain topic while the members are being observed. This is a useful tool if a researcher wants to get the ideas of more than one person at a time, or see the interaction between group members.
Another of the main qualitative tools is field observation, which is performed by the researcher when the subject is in an apparently normal environment. For example, a child playing with toys or other children might be observed with a video camera and the content analyzed later. Storytelling is another often used tool, which allows the subject to tell a story or to write something that appeals to the researcher. This allows the subject to convey information completely in their own words which can later be analyzed for themes or trends. Analysis of old videos and objects can also be used as a qualitative tool.
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