Qualitative research methods

Approaches to investigating meaning, experience and processes through material such as interviews, observations and documents. Explain the sampling rationale, analytic approach and path from evidence to interpretation. Quality criteria should fit the approach rather than mechanically importing every criterion of a statistical survey.

Critical consideration of how the researcher's position, assumptions and interactions influence the questions, material and interpretations. A reflexive record helps make these contributions inspectable; it does not claim that the researcher can remove every influence.

Selecting cases because their characteristics or experiences are informative for a specified research question. It can deliberately include contrasting roles or experiences; it does not imply probability-based population representation.

Systematic interpretation of recorded material using an explicit categorization process. Categories can be developed from theory, the material or both. State how categories were developed and applied and how evidence supports the resulting claims.

Analysis identifying and interpreting patterns of meaning in qualitative material. The researcher should state the theoretical and analytic approach, explain the development of themes, and support interpretive claims with contextualized evidence.