Case Study
An in-depth investigation of a single case (individual, group, institution, or event) within its real-life context.
Key Features
- Focuses on one "bounded system".
- Uses multiple data sources.
- Provides holistic, detailed insights.
Example: Studying how one university implements an AI-driven English learning platform.
Ethnography
Rooted in anthropology, focusing on understanding cultural patterns, beliefs, and behaviors of a group.
Key Features
- Researcher immersion (participant observation).
- Long-term data collection.
- Describes cultural norms.
Example: Living in a rural community for six months to study local teaching practices.
Grounded Theory
A systematic approach to generate a theory grounded in data collected from participants.
Key Features
- Inductive: theory emerges from data.
- Uses coding (open, axial, selective).
- Constant comparison method.
Example: Interviewing teachers and coding transcripts to develop a theory of technology integration.
Phenomenology
Explores the lived experiences of individuals regarding a particular phenomenon.
Key Features
- Focuses on the essence of experience.
- Deep, open-ended interviews.
- Brackets assumptions (epoché).
Example: Interviewing students to understand their lived experience of online learning during COVID-19.
Narrative Research
Focuses on the stories of individuals to understand how they make sense of experiences.
Key Features
- Collects life stories & autobiographies.
- Examines structure & meaning of stories.
- Highlights identity and voice.
Example: Collecting life stories of first-generation postgraduate students about their academic journeys.
Comparative Overview
| Design | Focus | Data Collection | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Study | One bounded system | Interviews, documents, observations | Detailed case report |
| Ethnography | Cultural group | Participant observation, field notes | Cultural portrait |
| Grounded Theory | Process / Action | Interviews, coding | Theory grounded in data |
| Phenomenology | Lived experience | In-depth interviews | Essence of experience |
| Narrative | Individual life story | Storytelling, autobiographies | Chronological or thematic narrative |
Reflection Activity
Think about your own research topic. Which qualitative design would best help you explore your questions, and why?