Qualitative research is defined as research that derives data from observation, interviews, or verbal interactions and focuses on the meanings and interpretations of the participants. (Holloway and Wheeler, 1995)
Strategies for Finding Qualitative Research Articles
Strategy 1: Use thesaurus terms
Databases use controlled keywords (known as thesaurus terms or subject headings) to categorize each record stored. PubMed, for example, uses Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), a highly structured thesaurus. The thesaurus terms vary for each database according to their indexing system. For example, qualitative research is indexed in PubMed as "Qualitative Research" or "Nursing Methodology Research", while in CINAHL their subject heading "Qualitative Studies" is complemented by more detailed terms, including "Phenomenological Research" and "Grounded Theory".
Strategy 2: Use Text Words
This strategy uses Text Word terms that might specifically identify qualitative research and searches the titles, abstracts and keywords of records held in the databases. Some Text Words (or keywords) include: qualitative, ethnograph*, phenomenol*, ethnonurs*, grounded theor*, purposive sample, hermeneutic*, heuristic*, semiotics, lived experience*, narrative*, life experiences, cluster sample, action research, observational method, content analysis, thematic analysis, constant comparative method, field stud*, theoretical sample, discourse analysis, focus group*, ethnological research, ethnomethodolog*.
Strategy 3: Use Qualitative Research Filters
Qualitative Research Filters are pre-formulated search strategies that have been constructed by librarians to help you retrieve articles in databases that deal with qualitative research. You can use the filter and then combine the results with your subject.
SEARCH TECHNIQUES
Studies have shown that CINAHL is generally the best database to use to find qualitative research articles related to a nursing topic, mainly due to its more in depth thesaurus terms. (Flemming,2007; Wilcznski,2007)
- Explode the Qualitative Studies subject heading, and see what you get. Explode will include the following CINAHL Headings: Action Research, Ethnographic Research, Ethnological Research, Ethnonursing Research, Grounded Theory, Naturalistic Inquiry, Phenomenological Research.
- Experiment with related CINAHL subject headings such as Focus Groups, Narratives, Interviews (explode Interviews to include Semi-Structured Interview, Structured Interview, Unstructured Interview), Descriptive Research, Descriptive Statistics, Audiorecording, Videorecording, Diaries, Observational Methods (explode to include Non-Participant Observation, Participant Observation, Structured Categories, Unstructured Categories), etc.
- Refine/Limit the set to Clinical Queries. Select within the drop-down Clinical Queries menu: Qualitative-High Sensitivity; Qualitative-High Specificity; Qualitative-Best Balance. High Sensitivity is the broadest search, to include ALL relevant material, but may also include less relevant materials. High Specificity is the most targeted search to include only the most relevant result set, but may miss some relevant materials. Best Balance retrieves the best balance between Sensitivity and Specificity.
- Refine/Limit the set to Publication Types that are qualitative by definition, for example Anecdote, Interview, etc.
- Use Text Words to find articles missed by CINAHL headings (see Strategy 2)
- Use a Qualitative Research Filter for CINAHL.
For an evidence-based filter search for Qualitative Research, click here. Combine these results with your search subject. The search below will automatically be executed for you (the search may be modified once you are in CINAHL):
(MH "cluster sample+") or TX life experiences or TX human science or TX discourse* analysis or TX narrative analysis or TX lived experience* or TX field research or TX field studies or TX field study or TX giorgi* or TX husserl* or TX merleau ponty* or TX van kaam* or TX van manen* or TX spiegelberg* or TX colaizzi* or TX heidegger* or TX participant observ* or TX data saturat* or TX semiotics or TX heuristic or TX hermeneutic* or TX etic or TX emic or TX focus group* or TX purpos* sampl* or TX constant comparison or TX constant comparative or TX grounded research or TX grounded studies or TX grounded study or TX grounded theor* or TX phenomenol* or TX ethnon* or TX qualitative or (MH "ethnological research") or (MH "ethnography") or (MH "phenomenology") or (MH "focus groups") or (MH "discourse analysis") or (MH "theoretical sample") or (MH "field studies") or (MH "constant comparative method") or (MH "thematic analysis") or (MH "content analysis") or (MH "observational methods+") or (MH "purposive sample") or (MH "qualitative validity+") or (MH "grounded theory") or (MH “action research”) or (MH “naturalistic inquiry”) or (MH "ethnonursing research") or (MH "phenomenological research") or (MH "ethnographic research") or (MH "qualitative studies") or (MH "Interviews+") or (MH "Narratives") or (MH "Videorecording+") or (MH "Audiorecording") or (MH "Historical Records")
- Use appropriate Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms in your search, such as:
- Qualitative Research [research that derives data from observation, interviews, or verbal interactions and focuses on the meanings and interpretations of the participants. Year introduced 2003]
- Interviews as Topic [conversations with an individual or individuals held in order to obtain information about their background and other personal biographical data, their attitudes and opinions, etc. It includes school admission or job interviews. Year introduced: 2008 (1980)]
- Focus Groups [a method of data collection and a qualitative research tool in which a small group of individuals are brought together and allowed to interact in a discussion of their opinions about topics, issues, or questions.
Year introduced: 1993]- Nursing Methodology Research [research carried out by nurses concerning techniques and methods to implement projects and to document information, including methods of interviewing patients, collecting data, and forming inferences. The concept includes exploration of methodological issues such as human subjectivity and human experience. Year introduced: 1991(1989)]
- Anecdotes as Topic [brief accounts or narratives of an incident or event.
Year introduced: 2008(1963)]- Narration [the act, process, or an instance of narrating, i.e., telling a story. In the context of MEDICINE or ETHICS, narration includes relating the particular and the personal in the life story of an individual. Year introduced: 2003]
- Video Recording [the storing or preserving of video signals for television to be played back later via a transmitter or receiver. Recordings may be made on magnetic tape or discs (VIDEODISC RECORDING). Year introduced: 1984]
- Tape Recording [recording of information on magnetic or punched paper tape. Year introduced: 1967(1964)]
NOTE: Inconsistent indexing in PubMed. For example, grounded theory articles are not always indexed for qualitative research. Need to TextWord search for additional terms: “grounded theory”, “action research”, ethnograph* etc.
Additional MeSH terms that may be applicable to your topic include: Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitude to Death; Attitude to Health; or Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice.
- Limit your search to specific Publication Types, such as:
- Interview [work consisting of a conversation with an individual regarding his or her background and other personal and professional details, opinions on specific subjects posed by the interviewer, etc. Year introduced: 2008(1993)]
- Diaries [works consisting of records, usually private, of writers' experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, etc. They may also be works marked in calendar order in which to note appointments and the like. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Year introduced: 2008(1997)]
- Use Text Words to find articles missed by MeSH terms (see Strategy 2)
- Use a Quality Research Filter: PubMed Health Services Research (HSR) Queries
- This page provides a filter for specialized PubMed searches on healthcare quality and costs.
- Enter your search topic and select Qualitative Research under Category.
- Limit to Qualitative study. Enter your topic in the Search box. In the Limit Your Results section, select Qualitative Study under the Methodology drop-down menu. Click Search.
- Use thesaurus terms, such as qualitative research, grounded theory, explode interviews, observation methods.
REFERENCES
General
CINAHL
PubMed MEDLINE
PsycINFO
Prolific Authors
Prolific authors on a topic may be good sources of state of the art information and innovative methodologies. After identifying authors on a topic, run author searches in bibliographic databases to identify the articles they have written.
Run a search on your topic then click on Analyze Results above the search results. Specify Authors under Rank the records by this field. Click the Analyze button to view the authors with the most records in the search result set.
Run a search on your topic. Have a look at the suggested authors displayed at the bottom of the search results screen.
Community of Science Expertise Database
Find researchers by research focus. Run author searches in bibliographic databases to find their articles or consider contacting them directly.
Other Helpful Links
International Institute of Qualitative Research
www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/iiqm/IIQM_International.cfm
UW Libraries Catalog search: nursing and qualitative and research
PubMed at the UW
healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/pubmed/
Searching CINAHL Plus
healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/cinahlplus/index.pdf
Georgetown University, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Library and Information Services (find bioethics articles/media, subject bibliographies, organizations, training syllabi)
bioethics.georgetown.edu/
NMETH 582 Help Page, Part 2
healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/liaisons/schnall/nmeth582/part2.html
Revised January 20, 2009 (with special thanks to Angela Lee and Leilani St. Anna for their valuable input)
Janet G. Schnall, MS, AHIP
Information Management Librarian
Library Liaison to the School of Nursing, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Ophthalmology, and Multicultural Affairs
schnall@u.washington.edu
healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/liaisons/schnall/
Joanne Rich, MLIS, BS (Pharm)
Information Management Librarian
jrich@u.washington.edu
healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/liaisons/rich/
http://healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/qualitative/