It is important for new researchers, especially dissertation students who are starting qualitative research, to realize that not all qualitative research methods work equally well or at all. Some methods, like ethnography, grounded theory, or discourse analysis, require a lot of fieldwork, deep immersion, specialized training, or a level of methodological expertise that goes beyond what is normally expected for a dissertation timeline. New researchers usually find other design methods, like qualitative description, case study, or phenomenology, easier to use. These designs make the structure clearer, make it easier to collect data, and are more like what a dissertation should be. This handout has a short overview of the most important qualitative research designs. This will help students figure out which ones will work best for their dissertation.
Case Study Research
Purpose: To explore a bounded case in-depth using multiple data sources.
Explanation: Case studies allow researchers to investigate a real-world setting, event, program, or individual holistically. They are especially useful when the boundaries between the phenomenon and its context are not clearly defined.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications (6th ed.). SAGE.
• Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. SAGE.
Phenomenology
Purpose: To explore lived experience and the meanings individuals assign.
Explanation: Phenomenological studies seek to understand how people make sense of a shared experience by capturing the essence of that experience. Researchers focus on describing perceptions, emotions, and interpretations from the participant’s point of view.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. SAGE.
Grounded Theory
Purpose: To generate theory grounded in systematically collected data.
Explanation: Grounded theory aims to explain a process or interaction by developing a theory that emerges directly from data. It uses iterative data collection and constant comparison to refine categories and build a conceptual model.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing grounded theory (2nd ed.). SAGE.
Ethnography
Purpose: To study cultural patterns through sustained fieldwork.
Explanation: Ethnographers immerse themselves in a culture-sharing group to observe norms, routines, rituals, and interactions. This approach requires prolonged engagement and deep cultural interpretation.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (2019). Ethnography (4th ed.). Routledge.
Narrative Inquiry
Purpose: To understand meaning-making through personal stories.
Explanation: Narrative inquiry examines how individuals construct and interpret experience through storytelling. The focus is not only on the events described but also on how the story is framed and what it reveals about identity and meaning.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry. Jossey-Bass.
Action Research
Purpose: To improve practice through iterative cycles of action and reflection.
Explanation: Action research is practitioner-driven and aims to solve local problems collaboratively. It involves planning an intervention, implementing it, observing outcomes, and refining practice through repeated cycles.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Herr, K., & Anderson, G. L. (2015). The action research dissertation (2nd ed.). SAGE.
Qualitative Description
Purpose: To provide a rich, straightforward description of phenomena.
Explanation: This design is ideal when a clear, practical account of participants’ experiences or processes is needed. It avoids heavy interpretation or theory-building, making it highly accessible for applied research settings.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Sandelowski, M. (2000). Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health.
Critical Qualitative Research
Purpose: To examine inequities and systems of power.
Explanation: Critical research seeks to reveal and challenge oppressive structures by amplifying marginalized voices. It focuses on social justice, equity, and the role of power in shaping experience.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Madison, D. S. (2019). Critical ethnography (3rd ed.). SAGE.
Discourse Analysis
Purpose: To analyze language and communication patterns.
Explanation: Discourse analysis studies how language constructs meaning, identity, and power. It looks closely at conversations, written texts, or symbolic communication to understand what language does in social contexts.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Gee, J. P. (2014). An introduction to discourse analysis (4th ed.). Routledge.
Autoethnography
Purpose: To study the researcher’s own lived experience within a cultural context.
Explanation: Autoethnography blends autobiography and ethnography, using the researcher’s personal narrative to explore broader cultural, social, or institutional issues. It emphasizes reflexivity and emotional insight.
Key Scholars & Sources:
• Chang, H. (2016). Autoethnography as method. Routledge.
References
Adams, T. E., Ellis, C., & Bochner, A. P. (2011). Autoethnography: An overview. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 12(1).
Andrews, M., Squire, C., & Tamboukou, M. (2013). Doing narrative research (2nd ed.). SAGE.
Bradshaw, C., Atkinson, S., & Doody, O. (2017). Qualitative descriptions in nursing research. Nurse Researcher, 24(6), 23–28.
Chang, H. (2016). Autoethnography as method. Routledge.
Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing grounded theory (2nd ed.). SAGE.
Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry. Jossey-Bass.
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2015). Basics of qualitative research (4th ed.). SAGE.
Emerson, R. M., Fretz, R. I., & Shaw, L. L. (2011). Writing ethnographic fieldnotes (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Fetterman, D. M. (2019). Ethnography: Step-by-step (4th ed.). SAGE.
Gee, J. P. (2014). An introduction to discourse analysis (4th ed.). Routledge.
Herr, K., & Anderson, G. L. (2015). The action research dissertation (2nd ed.). SAGE.
Kincheloe, J. L., & McLaren, P. (2011). Rethinking critical theory and qualitative research. In Denzin & Lincoln (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative research.
Madison, D. S. (2019). Critical ethnography (3rd ed.). SAGE.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. SAGE.
Neubauer, B. E., Witkop, C., & Varpio, L. (2019). How phenomenology can help medical education research. Perspectives on Medical Education, 8, 90–97.
Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences. SAGE.
Sacks, H., Schegloff, E. A., & Jefferson, G. (1974). A simplest systematics for the organization of turn-taking. Language, 50, 696–735.
Sandelowski, M. (2000). Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23, 334–340.
Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. SAGE.
Stringer, E. (2013). Action research (4th ed.). SAGE.
Tie, Y. C., Birks, M., & Francis, K. (2019). Grounded theory research. SAGE Open.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research (6th ed.). SAGE.
van Manen, M. (2016). Researching lived experience (2nd ed.). Routledge.
