Part of empirical research

Qualitative research is a constituent part of . It focuses on the analysis of human behaviour and social phenomena. This involves academics, and researchers using non-metric data to gain deeper insights into the phenomena being investigated. Contrary to , which is based on statistical analysis.

Which methods are used in qualitative research?

Qualitative research methods used in academia and science include:

• Interviews
• Observations
• Case studies
• Group discussions
• Content analysis

The data are for instance collected in the form of texts, images, videos or observation notes. But the use of multiple data sources is also possible – which enables the to obtain a comprehensive overview.

The researchers are not necessarily restricted to one of these qualitative methods. Research issues and methods can be adapted if new findings arise during the study, for example.   

Qualitative research and its advantages and disadvantages

This flexibility is one of the greatest advantages of this type of research. Another positive aspect of this form of empirical research is the opportunity to actively involve participants in its design. This enables the researchers to obtain an in-depth understanding of complex phenomena.

Albeit the qualitative approach can also have disadvantages. The collection and analysis of qualitative data can be very time-consuming. Meaningfulness of the results can also be disadvantageous. These results can often be very specific and just depict the investigated context, so they can’t always be transferred to other situations and thus generalised. A further disadvantage relates to subjectivity. Because the researchers’ perspectives can certainly influence interpretation of the data.