Qualitative Research

 This guide will:

• Introduce you to qualitative research methods.
• Provide definitions and resources on diverse types of qualitative research.
• Give you information on online data sets to access for your own use and to classes and workshops for qualitative research training.
• Offer qualitative software options for transcription and coding.
• Inform you on the importance of data citation and data management.

Qualitative research:

• Studies and evaluates lived experiences and social life.
• Often generates new theories about social life.
• Instead of focusing on statistics and large data sets, as in quantitative research, qualitative researchers study smaller communities and groups of people to attempt to understand socio-cultural contexts, interactions, and events
• (Adapted from Patricia Leavy. 2014. "Introduction." In The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research. Patricia Leavy, editor.)