In grounded theory, researchers use observation to identify verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Observing individuals in their natural environment allows for the researcher to discover new hypotheses and theories about specific groups of people. As variables are added or subtracted from the environment, the reaction of the individuals can be observed without the researcher invading the research field, keeping the data unbiased. Deeper knowledge of individuals or situations can be gained, because the researcher observes not only the participants, but also the things of which the participants are not aware.
Successful interviewers ask open-ended questions, and avoid yes or no questions completely. The interviewer is not looking for all of the interview responses to match. Conduct your interview in a natural, normal environment for the interviewee, such as their home, so they feel safe and secure during the interview. Use visual aids if they are available. Be flexible, so that you can put many different types of people at ease. Group interviews can give you a general consensus, and can be useful as initial interviews. There are no definitive answers in qualitative research, so researchers must be open to all types of responses. Listen carefully and reliably record all of your interviews.
In a case study, interviewers conduct detailed investigations of individuals, companies or other institutions, families or other social groups. Instead of investigating the individuals involved, the researcher focuses on the details of the case study and identifies commonalities. Historical data can also be gathered to determine how a future action will affect individuals, institutions or society. This data is used to explain current phenomena and anticipate future occurrences.
Ethnography describes culture through identifying shared values, attitudes, language, behaviors and material goods. It focuses on the sociological meaning of a culture and evaluates a community as a whole. Phenomenology evaluates how one person reacts to a particular phenomenon, such as a death or natural disaster. It identifies how people structure the experience in their consciousness and discovers what assumptions or deductions they make based on their individual experience of the same event.