Learning Objectives
- Identify what makes qualitative data different than other types of data. Compare qualitative data to quantitative data, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- Evaluate when the use of qualitative data is most appropriate.
- Compare and contrast different approaches to gathering qualitative data including interviews, observation and field research, and document analysis, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- Describe the basic steps to organizing and analyzing qualitative data, and what tasks are accomplished during each step.
- Identify what makes ethics important when gathering qualitative data using examples from the classic cases of unethical research.
- Summarize the common pitfalls associated with gathering and using qualitative data.