The first stage of the qualitative research method is to determine your sampling size and define your research purpose. After you have determined what you want to research, you must determine your research subjects and your research location. You will need to get your approvals for observing or questioning individuals. You may also have to work around individuals who may not want you in a location or may not understand what you are doing. You also need to design your interview questions in the first stage of research.
The next stage of qualitative research is deciding what role you will play in the research. Will you be a casual observer, for example, or will you be directly involved, asking questions and working with people, or will your role be a combination of the two? Researchers should not force themselves on their research subjects, and shouldn't become too close to their subjects during the research process because it can affect the amount of information they can gain. Instead, you should develop a researcher-subject relationship with your informants. This involves speaking to them in common language and using the appropriate nonverbal communication. During this stage, you should attempt to acquire subjects with different styles and acceptance levels so that your research is thorough.
Once you have decided on your role as a researcher and selected your subjects, the next stage involves conducting your research and recording the results. You will need to determine if you will use a recorder, take notes yourself or use a transcriber to gather all the research data during the interviews and observations. Another option is to have your subjects fill out specific questionnaires. During the research stage, you should take note of the reactions and nonverbal communication in addition to what your research subjects say aloud. You can improve any interview questions or observation techniques as your research continues, but you should note any of these changes in your final report.
The final stage of qualitative research is to analyze and compile your data. This involves explaining your method of research and all of your results. You should be detailed about nonverbal and verbal communication and identify reactions to stimuli and other variables. In addition, during this stage you can research additional studies that may be similar to yours and identify any similarities and differences. The analysis should state your conclusions and any future research you propose in your subject area. You should also give your reader a complete description of how you conducted your research before exploring your research results and stating your conclusions.