It involves living with and living like those who are studied
The results are expressed as if they were described by one member of the study group
It has to be able to respond to the emerging needs of the situation
Objective: UNDERSTANDING the essence of the experience
Challenge: to uncover the "figure under the carpet"
The researcher or observer is usually involved as active participant in the research process
Within each cycle: use multiple data sources and try to disprove the interpretations arising from earlier cycles
Uses a Zig-Zag method: data collection and analysis, then go back again
Focus on the lives of individuals as told through their own stories
One of the most recognizable forms of knowledge-production in the world
The people under investigation have something in common, like religion or location
Focus: be able to link or interrelate different categories of data
It follows: Plan --> Act --> Observe --> Reflect (and then --> Plan etc.)
An new possible explanation emerges from the data that is collected
It should adopt an emic approach
A cultural parameter is suspected of affecting the population‟s response to solve their related problems
It is used in psychology (clinical), medicine (specific conditions), law (special cases) or politics (reports)
At the end the goal is to present an example to follow, or a "lesson learned" from the event
Restores a story using a chronological plot
Example: "The emotional effect of children having a disabled parent"
Goal: to focus efforts to improve the quality of a system, program or organization.
Does not provide explanations but raises awareness about a specific experience
Analyzes data through open, axial and selective coding
After categorizing some data, the researcher is able to find the CORE concept