Qualitative observational research, especially ethnographies, can:
- Account for the complexity of group behaviors
- Reveal interrelationships among multifaceted dimensions of group interactions
- Provide context for behaviors
Narrative inquiry,especially ethnographic, can:
- Reveal qualities of group experience in a way that other forms of research cannot
- Help determine questions and types of follow-up research
Observational study can:
- Reveal descriptions of behaviors in context by stepping outside the group
- Allow qualitative researchers to identify recurring patterns of behavior that participants may be unable to recognize
Qualitative research expands the range of knowledge and understanding of the world beyond the researchers themselves. It often helps us see why something is the way it is, rather than just presenting a phenomenon. For instance, a quantitative study may find that students who are taught composition using a process method receive higher grades on papers than students taught using a product method. However, a qualitative study of composition instructors could reveal why many of them still use the product method even though they are aware of the benefits of the process method.
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