Qualitative research contributes to the medical literature through the observation, description
and interpretation of theories about social interactions and individual experiences as they …

Background Over the past 2 decades, researchers have recognized the value of qualitative
research. Little has been done to characterize its application to surgery. We describe …

In this chapter we describe the characteristics of qualitative research, considering why and
when it might be used within surgical practice. We highlight similarities and differences …

Objective To explore the value and potential of qualitative research to neurosurgery and
provide insight and understanding to this underused methodology. Methods The definition of …

Qualitative research is an interdisciplinary, interpretive field of inquiry. The qualitative
researcher uses predominantly nonstatistical analytic procedures to generate information …

This second article in the series Spotlight on Research focuses on qualitative research, its
applications, principles and methodologies. It provides an insight into how this approach can …

Quantitative research is designed to test well-specified hypotheses, determine whether an
intervention did more harm than good, and find out how much a risk factor predisposes …

Qualitative research was originally developed within the social sciences. Medical education
is a field that comprises multiple disciplines, including the social sciences, and utilizes …

In the last 10 years, qualitative research methods have become increasingly well accepted
within medical journals. In earlier times, qualitative researchers were used to having their …

Background Clinical decision-making is a process that relies on personal experience, formal
training and a clinician's ability to critically review the relevant literature and determine its …