Qualitative Data Collection

Start with an overview

The Qualitative data mind map is a starting point for exploring this page. It lists interviews, case studies and focus groups as ways to collect data, and also mentions reviewing transcripts and patterns between categories. Use it to see which terms you recognize before moving on to a more focused resource.

For a view of the collection process, Data Collection Procedures covers selecting sites or individuals and identifying the types of data to collect.

Explore methods in more detail

The Interviews and Focus Groups slide set describes qualitative interviews as conversations that seek participants’ experiences, beliefs and perspectives. After reading it, try the quiz on interviews and focus groups to practice identifying interview types and thinking about how research methods collect evidence.

Story completion tasks is another quiz to try. It asks about story completion as a projective technique and whether a story needs to be meaningful to participants. The Data collection quiz includes questions about qualitative surveys.

Use maps and quizzes together

Begin with a mind map to get familiar with its terms, then use a related quiz to check what you can recognize. If a quiz question is difficult, return to a relevant map or slide set and look over the topic again. You can also use the Qualitative data collection flashcards alongside the resources.

For another route through the page, the map on key elements of the data collection process includes literature review, participant selection and recruitment, and method selection.

Connect the page to the unit

Qualitative Data Collection is a section of the Qualitative Research unit in Research methods and academic skills. The resources here let you approach that section through several formats, from quizzes to maps and notes. To continue, choose a method on this page and pair a map with a quiz.