Learning Objectives

  • Identify the circumstances that make qualitative methods most useful.
  • Describe the features of qualitative research that most distinguish it from quantitative research.
  • Define the methods of ethnography, netnography, and case study research.
  • Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each participant observer role.
  • Discuss the major challenges at each stage of a field research project.
  • Explain how field researchers take and analyze notes.
  • Describe the process of intensive interviewing and compare it to the process of interviewing in survey research.
  • Discuss the advantages of focus group research and identify particular challenges focus group researchers face.
  • Identify the major ethical challenges faced by qualitative researchers and discuss one qualitative research project that posed particular ethical concerns.
  • Explain what qualitative elements can add to surveys and experiments.