Which method is commonly used to collect qualitative data?

Interviews are a widely recognized method for collecting qualitative data because they allow for in-depth exploration of participants' thoughts, experiences, and opinions. This direct interaction fosters a deeper understanding of subjects by facilitating open-ended responses, which can provide rich, detailed insights that quantitative methods often overlook.

In qualitative research, the goal is often to capture the nuances of people's perspectives, which is most effectively achieved through conversational, exploratory interviews. These can be structured, semi-structured, or unstructured, providing flexibility in the data collection process. By using interviews, researchers can probe for more information, clarify responses, and adapt their questions based on the interviewee's responses, enhancing the depth of the data collected.

While other methods exist for collecting qualitative data, interviews stand out due to their capacity for exploring complex phenomena in a personal manner, allowing the researcher to gather context-rich information. This makes them an essential tool in qualitative research.