Primarily, qualitative research is exploratory in nature. It is commonly used to understand the underlying opinions, reasons and motivations. It helps in the development of ideas and insights in to different problems. Qualitative research methods concentrate on the how and why of decision making (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). However, these methods produce information based on a specific case studied. Information makes sense based on the case at hand. Information can have different meaning at different cases but qualitative research goes beyond the analysis of these meanings to extend the knowledge about the social phenomenon.

The qualitative research commonly addresses questions of social problems. It seeks to discover what a particular people do and what these actions mean to these specific people. With the cultural differences, different actions or phenomenons may mean different in different cultures. Meaning is formed by people in their everyday lives. From the historical times, descriptive reporting of the everyday practices of people has always flourished. Qualitative research was mainly formed as a science to study the society. It studies the society in its natural form. Naturally, it does not attempt to influence the social phenomenon rather it studies the phenomenon in its natural form.

Qualitative researchers use different methods to collect information including interviewing, observations, documents, cultural records and analysis of artifacts (Erickson, 2011). It is very interpretive and creative. It explains the meaning of different social phenomenons beyond the analysis of behaviors. It goes beyond the survey to extend the knowledge gained. Results in qualitative research are presented in different formats. It also gives way for the conduction of quantitative research.

References

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Handbook of qualitative research. Sage Publications, Inc.

Erickson, F. (2011). A history of qualitative inquiry in social and educational research. The Sage handbook of qualitative research, 4, 43-59.

 
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