Qualitative Study Design
Surveys and Questionnaires
• Qualitative surveys use open-ended questions
to produce long-form written typed answers.
• Questions will aim to reveal opinions,
experiences, narratives or accounts.
• Aims to elicit a detailed response to an open-
ended topic question in participant’s own
words.
Methods of Qualitative Surveys
Face to face surveys
• Researcher asks participants open-ended
questions about a topic, typically while in view
of participant’s facial expressions.
• Being able to respondent’s reactions enables
the researcher to ask follow up questions to
elicit a more detailed response.
Methods of Qualitative Surveys
Face to face surveys
• Researcher asks participants open-ended
questions about a topic, typically while in view
of participant’s facial expressions.
• Being able to respondent’s reactions enables
the researcher to ask follow up questions to
elicit a more detailed response.
Methods of Qualitative Surveys
Telephone surveys
• Similar to face to face method, but without
researcher being able to see participant’s facial
or behavioral responses.
• Researcher may miss cues that would help
them ask further questions to clarify or extend
participant responses
Methods of Qualitative Surveys
Online surveys
• Open-ended questions are presented to
participants in written format via email or
within an online survey tool,
• Participants are requested to response to
questions in text in some detail to explain their
perspective or experiences to researchers; this
can result to diversity of responses (brief to
detailed)
Example Questions
Here are some example survey question which
are open-ended and require a long form written
response:
• Tell us why you became a doctor?
• What do you expect from this health service?
• How do you explain the low levels of financial
investment in mental health services?
Data Collection: Best Methods and Practical
Examples
Data is extremely important factor when it
comes to gaining insights about a specific topic,
study, and research.
Data Collection: Best Methods and Practical
Examples
• Data collection is defined as a systematic
method of obtaining, observing, measuring,
and analyzing accurate information to support
research conducted.
• There are specific standards that need to be
strictly followed and implemented to make
sure that data is collected accurately.
Data Collection: Best Methods and Practical
Examples
• Before you start collecting your data, you have
to rethink and review all of your research
goals. Start by creating a checklist of your
objectives.
Data Collection: Best Methods and Practical
Examples
What is the goal of your research?
• Identifying exactly what you want to achieve
in your research can significantly help you
collect the most relevant data you need.
• With clear objectives, you can easily identify
what you need and determine what’s most
useful to your research.
Data Collection: Best Methods and Practical
Examples
What data collection methods will you use?
• Qualitative data is classification given to a set
of data that refers to immeasurable attributes.
• Quantitative data can be measured using
numbers.
• Based on the goal of your research, you can
either collect qualitative or quantitative; or a
combination of both.
Data Collection: Best Methods and Practical
Examples
What type of data are you collecting?
• Qualitative data is classification given to a set
of data that refers to immeasurable attributes.
• Quantitative data can be measured using
numbers.
• Based on the goal of your research, you can
either collect qualitative or quantitative; or a
combination of both.
Data Collection: Best Methods and Practical
Examples
What data collection methods will you use?
• Experiment
• Survey
• Observation
• Ethnography
• Secondary data collection
• Archival research
• Interview/focus group
Data Collection Methods + Examples
1. Surveys and Questionnaires
• Surveys can be easily done online and with
ease
• Online surveys can be accessed anytime and
anywhere
• Low price method
• Offers a wide range of methods of data
collection
• Flexibility when it comes to analyzing data
Data Collection Methods + Examples
2. Interviews
• Conducting interviews can help reveal more
data about the subject
• Interviews are more accurate
• An interview is a flowing and open-ended
conversation
Data Collection Methods + Examples
3. Observation
• Ease of data collection
• Offers detailed data collection
• Not dependent on people’s proactive
participation
Data Collection Methods + Examples
3. Types of Observation
• structured observation - a researcher utilizes a
defined procedure for observing individuals or
the environment
• naturalistic observation - individuals are
observed in their natural environment
• participant observation – the researchers
immerses himself in the environment and
becomes a member of the group being observed
Data Collection Methods + Examples
4. Records and Documents
• Data collection method involves analyzing an
organization’s existing records and documents
• The data is already available
• Easy tracking of collected data
Data Collection Methods + Examples
5. Focus Group
• A group interview of 6 to 12 persons with
comparable qualities and interests.
• Type of qualitative data collection in which the
information is descriptive and cannot be
quantified statistically.
Data Collection Methods + Examples
5. Focus Group
• Easy collection of qualitative data – you can
ask questions to determine the respondent’s
reaction
• Non-verbal cues can be easily observed – easy
to obtain data from non-verbal responses from
participants
Quantitative Data
• Numerical and is generally organized which
means that it is more precise and definite
• Better choice for statistical analysis
• Surveys, experiments, tests
Qualitative Data
• Composed of non-statistical information that is
commonly structured or unstructured
• Classified according to characteristics,
features, identities, and other categorizations
• Records and documents, interview transcripts,
focus groups, observation research
Group Activity
Answer the following questions as a group in a
½ crosswise activity sheet.
1. What is the goal of your research?
2. What type of data are you collecting?
3. What data collection methods and procedures
will you utilize to acquire, store, and process
the data you’ve gathered?
4. Why do you think the data collection method
you chose is the most appropriate for your
research?
