About
What this guide covers
Effectively evaluating research requires assessing the study design, understanding how it was conducted, and determining whether the chosen method aligns with the research purpose. This requires a clear grasp of the unique features and distinctions between various study design types.
This guide offers a clear and practical overview of qualitative study designs, equipping researchers with the tools to choose, apply, and evaluate methods suited to their research goals.
Qualitative study design
A qualitative study design is a research method used to understand complex, contextual, and subjective phenomena in context.
In contrast to quantitative studies, which are about breadth and numerical data, qualitative research focuses on depth and capturing insights. Qualitative research is more about the “why” and “how” rather than the “how many”, or “how often”.
This study design is based on methods of observation and enquiry, often using methods like interviews, focus groups, or observations to gather rich, descriptive information. This makes qualitative studies especially useful for studying human experiences, social interactions, and unique contexts.
Qualitative study designs enable health researchers to explore the meaning of human experiences and thereby create "possibilities of change through raised awareness and purposeful action” (Taylor & Francis, 2013).
Why use a qualitative study design
Qualitative study designs might be chosen for any number of reasons. A primary reason is when the research purpose is to explore and develop a deep understanding of a complex topic, specific context or phenomenon.
Qualitative study designs are beneficial for research questions looking to provide unique insights into specific contexts or social situations. However, they're not as strong when wanting to find direct cause-effect links or where a statistically significant result is required (Taylor et al., 2006).
Note
Examples of appropriate use of qualitative study design in health research:
- exploring how patients feel about managing a chronic condition like diabetes
- investigating nurse perceptions and experience of providing care in high-stress environments like the ICU
- uncovering barriers to healthcare access for people in Australian rural communities
- evaluating the effectiveness of public health campaigns in smoking cessation campaigns
- understanding the emotional and practical challenges faced by caregivers for relatives with cancer
- investigating how people engaged in heavy substance use found the experience of connecting with a support agency.
Attribution and acknowledgement
Crediting creators and attributing content is a core part of both academic integrity and of being a digital citizen more broadly. This guide was created by Deakin Library.
The text and layout of Qualitative study design is © Deakin University 2023 and licensed under a CC BY NC 4.0