Choosing your theoretical approach and methodology can be intimidating and confusing. Here we share useful articles which seek to overcome some of the common confusions:

Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collector’s Field Guide - this helpful overview explains the reaons for choosing a qual method in the first place, and some of the options available. 

Doing Research in the Real World - this book chapter is available online, and discusses qualitative approaches and how the approaches inform the methodology used. Very highly recommended! 

Choose Your Method: A Comparison of Phenomenology, Discourse Analysis, and Grounded Theory - a must-read, very clear and useful discussion about these three approaches, with examples of each in use. From Qualitative Health Research (vol 7 no. 10)

Reducing Confusion about Grounded Theory and Qualitative Content Analysis: Similarities and Differences - a helpful article clarifying six areas of difference between GT and QCA - published in the Qualitative Report (Vol  19 no. 32)

Grounded Theory Vs Content Analysis: or the day I stopped worrying and learnt to love data - An informal, but concise and readable clarification of the differences between GT and Content Analysis, with a useful reading list. 

The Research Paradigm – methodology, epistemology and ontology – explained in simple language - another informal text, but incredily useful in matching up your epistemology with an appropriate theoretical perspective and methodology, and simply explained. 

If you'd like a resource included here, please let us know by commenting below.