Most researchers considering using qualitative research methods need to seek approval from their university's or an independent institutional review board (IRB). The National Research Act of 1974 includes regulations regarding ethics and safety when studying human subjects. Institutional review boards are governed by this law, also known as Title 45, and have the ability to grant approval for such studies.
Typically, a researcher will draft a research proposal to present to his or her IRB. The IRB may ask for modifications to the work, or will approve the research. If a research proposal is found to be harmful or unethical, the researcher will not be allowed to continue.
The idea of "informed consent" is related to the role of IRBs and ethics. Informed consent is a process by which researchers provide participants with honest and truthful information about the study, so the participant can make a well-informed decision about his or her involvement. Historically, in the days of early anthropology, informed consent was practically nonexistent and, at times, this led to the use of people, especially in marginalized communities, for medical experimentation.
One of the prime features of qualitative research is known as "participant observation." Participant observation is different from observing a community of people in that it encourages the researcher to get involved in the community. Additionally, rather than having participants come to the researcher, the researcher goes to them and is able to clarify questions or inaccuracies that arise when only interviewing a participant.
For example, a researcher studying how children interact with each other during recess may ask a student how often he or she shares with others. The student could state he or she shares often. In observing recess, however, the researcher might find the student hardly ever gives other students a turn at playing with toys. Additionally, the researcher could also join the child in a game at recess to better understand what children are saying regarding sharing.
In-depth, one-on-one interviews supplement information researchers gather while conducting participant observation. Qualitative interviews have open-ended questions that allow the participant to guide the conversation, with the idea that the participant is the actual expert on his or her community.
These interviews can either take place in the person's home or in a local, public space that is convenient for both the researcher and the participant. Many times, these conversations are recorded after receiving consent from the participant. Researchers may also take notes while interviewing, describing such non-verbal things as what the person was wearing, how their home was decorated and body language.
A focus group is a small collection of people selected to provide their opinions on a specific topic in a moderated setting. Focus groups are typically composed of six to 10 people who may belong to a certain demographic the researcher would like to study. For example, a researcher studying post-graduates' views on the job market might handpick recent college graduates from a variety of racial, gender and socioeconomic backgrounds to come together to provide their opinions. Focus groups are a fast and low-cost way to gather relevant information.
Qualitative research proposals, unlike research proposals in the hard sciences, do not come equipped with a concrete hypothesis. Researchers may have an idea of where their research may take them and the correlations between variables they may find, but overall the research vision develops as the research is being conducted. It is the participants, with their expert knowledge of their own communities, who provide the appropriate paths for a research project. This flexibility allows researchers to constantly reevaluate their research methods, interview questions and understandings of their subject of study.