The document summarizes several qualitative research designs: Ethnography focuses on observing cultural practices and aims to understand a culture from the members' perspectives. Phenomenology focuses on how people experience phenomena and aims to describe the essence of shared experiences. Case study research focuses on complex systems like organizations and aims to describe and interpret the case. Textual analysis involves interpreting verbal and nonverbal signs like films or books and aims for the researcher's interpretation. Action research focuses on using findings to solve problems through collaboration and aims to evaluate solutions and recommend improvements.

1. Research 101: Qualitative Designs
Harold Gamero

3. Ethnography
Focused in cultural practices. Involves the observation and recording of conversations, rituals,
performances, ceremonies, artifacts, jokes, and stories.
Where Do
We Look for
Meaning?
Focus / Meaning
Whose
Interpretation?
Researcher’s Role
What Is
the Unit of
Analysis?
Sample / Location
What Is
Outcome Goal?
Product
Cultural practices.
Reflections of the past,
performances of present, and
directions change and growth.
Researcher must try to
understand the culture from
the perspective of its
members.
Balance between:
Sensitivity & empathy vs.
analytical distance.
Community.
Placed on their everyday
living.
Cultural map of human social
behavior.

4. Phenomenology
Focuses on how people experience a particular phenomenon, their meanings and how these individual
meanings shape group or cultural meanings.
Where Do
We Look for
Meaning?
Focus / Meaning
Whose
Interpretation?
Researcher’s Role
What Is
the Unit of
Analysis?
Sample / Location
What Is
Outcome Goal?
Product
Human experience.
How people experience a
particular phenomenon, the
sine qua non of an specific
experience.
The researcher relays the
voices of the people with
minimal reinterpretation or
reshaping.
People who have experienced
the same phenomenon
(death of a loved one, giving
birth, teaching online for the
first time).
Description of the essence or
essential common structure
of an experience.

5. Case study (research)
Focuses on specific, complex and functioning systems (organization, a corporation, an ongoing support
group, a group of college students, a person).
Where Do
We Look for
Meaning?
Focus / Meaning
Whose
Interpretation?
Researcher’s Role
What Is
the Unit of
Analysis?
Sample / Location
What Is
Outcome Goal?
Product
Integrated system.
To understand and describe
the characteristics about an
event or process occurring
within that system.
Researcher’s voice and
perspective are more
prevalent than the voice and
perspective of the informants.
Organizations,
groups, individuals,
or critical events.
One or several.
Similar, different or unique.
Description and
Interpretation of the case,
with emphasis on the context.

6. Textual Analysis
Involves the identification and interpretation of a set of verbal or nonverbal signs (textual, visual,
audiovisual, dynamics, etc.).
Where Do
We Look for
Meaning?
Focus / Meaning
Whose
Interpretation?
Researcher’s Role
What Is
the Unit of
Analysis?
Sample / Location
What Is
Outcome Goal?
Product
Language and
Symbols
Set of verbal or nonverbal
signs.
Researcher is the interpreter
of the selected text or texts.
Even when other
interpretations are sought.
Any object or verbal or visual
text that carries symbolic
meaning is a source for
textual analysis.
(films, speeches, ads, books,
memorials, magazines, etc.)
Researcher interpretation of
the texts, supported by
examples or excerpts from
the sample.

7. Action and evaluation research
Focuses on the use of research findings to better our lives as individuals and communities. More oriented
toward problem solving.
Where Do
We Look for
Meaning?
Focus / Meaning
Whose
Interpretation?
Researcher’s Role
What Is
the Unit of
Analysis?
Sample / Location
What Is
Outcome Goal?
Product
Outcome
To implement (or assess the
effectiveness of) a particular
program or action in solving a
particular problem.
Collaboration of participants
and researcher (egalitarian
relationship).
Local community or
organization that is the focus
of research
Report with and initial
description/analysis,
evaluation and a set of
recommendations for change
or improvement.

8. Qualitative designs
Phenomenology
Focused in cultural practices. Involves the observation and recording of
conversations, rituals, performances, ceremonies, artifacts, jokes, and stories.
Case study (research)
Textual analysis
Action (and evaluation)
research
Ethnography
Focuses on how people experience a particular phenomenon, their meanings and
how these individual meanings shape group or cultural meanings.
Focuses on specific, complex and functioning systems (organization, a corporation,
an ongoing support group, a group of college students, a person).
Involves the identification and interpretation of a set of verbal or nonverbal signs
(textual, visual, audiovisual, dynamics, etc.).
Focuses on the use of research findings to better our lives as individuals and
communities. More oriented toward problem solving.

9. Where Do
We Look for
Meaning?
Whose
Interpretation?
What Is
the Unit of
Analysis?
What Is
Outcome Goal?
Ethnography Culture
Balance of
researcher and
participant
Community Cultural map
Phenomenology
Experience of
phenomenon
Co-researchers
Individuals and
groups
Essence of
phenomenon
Case Study
Characteristics
of bounded
system
Researcher
Organization,
group, individual,
or critical incident
Describe and
interpret case
Textual Analysis
Language and
symbols
Researcher
Texts or
conversation
Interpretation
Applied Research
Constructed
experience with
program
Collaboration of
participants and
researcher
Individual, group,
or organization
Evaluation/
problem solving
Qualitative designs comparison

10. Thank you.
Harold Gamero