3.资料收集
质性研究中最常用的资料收集方法是访谈法，包括深度访谈法（in-depth interview）和焦点小组访谈法（focus group interview）；另外，还可通过观察法（observation）、田野笔记（field notes）、日记（diary）等收集特殊经历的书面描述、文学艺术作品、影像资料等。
（1）深度访谈法（in-depth interview）。
深度访谈法的目的不在于寻求某一问题的特定答案或对某一假设进行验证，而在于了解他人经历、经验的内在意义。研究者引导、鼓励研究对象用自己的语言表达自己对于研究现象的经历、看法和感受；从研究对象的视角出发，获得他们对研究现象深入细致的描述及他们对意义的解释，从而获得一个具有整体性、比较宽广的视野。资料收集一直持续到研究者相信所获取信息已达到饱和状态（saturation），也就是从研究对象那里无法获取新的信息/主题。
（2）焦点团体访谈（focus group interview）。
小组访谈法是指焦点团体访谈（focus group interview），是一种最常见的集体访谈方式。1～2个研究者同时对一群人进行访谈，通过群体成员之间的互动对研究的“焦点”进行探讨。这里的“焦点”是指一个开放性的问题（open-ended question）。此方法不仅涉及研究者与访谈者一对一的有序谈话，还鼓励参与者之间相互交谈。因此，研究者可以将访谈本身作为研究的对象，通过观察参与者之间的互动行为来了解他们在个体访谈中不会表现出来的行为。此方法通过相互讨论、补充和纠正研究焦点，往往比个体访谈更具深度和广度；适用于了解看法或意见而非个性的故事，不适用于一些涉及隐私或敏感的话题。
根据研究者对访谈的“控制程度”，访谈又可分为结构式访谈（structured interview）、半结构式访谈（semi-structured interview）及无结构式访谈（unstructured interview）。质性研究中的访谈指的就是后两种。根据研究设计类型及对研究问题的了解程度，可选择无结构式或半结构式访谈。
无结构式访谈一般以一个开场问题（opening question）作为访谈的开端，根据研究对象的回答来不断地追问。例如，既往研究中，研究者想要了解脑卒中家庭照顾者的照顾意义。此时，研究者对于“家庭照顾（family caregiving）”了解很少，因此选择无结构式访谈，设计开场问题为“What is it like for you to care for your family member who has a stroke？”。
半结构式访谈常常需要提前设计访谈提纲（interview guide），访谈提纲的制定来源于文献资料、专家意见或预访谈。访谈提纲多为开放式问题（open-ended question），且不以简单的“是”或“否”来回答的问题。如示例4-11所示，资料收集部分，作者首先说明了数据收集方法、访谈提纲制定方法、问题形式；研究者还随时根据研究对象的回答来追问并且设计了“提词（prompts）”来鼓励被访谈者进行分享。在段落的最后，作者给出了示例问题和提词。(https://www.daowen.com)
示例4-11 资料收集：半结构式访谈
A semi-structured in-depth interview guide was developed based on scientific literature，expert peer review by two cardiologist physicians，two cardiology nurses，and three qualitative researchers.【数据收集方法、访谈提纲制定方法】The interview guide included a set of 44 predetermined，openended questions including prompts，in a way that encouraged participants to convey their viewpoints.【问题形式、提词】In addition，other questions emerged from the dialog.【追问】...Examples of questions：What in your opinion helps people preserve their health？From your experience，what works best for you？（Prompts：what kind of help is most meaningful，who plays a significant role？who else？）.What of all the things you want to do for your health is more difficult for you to do？（Prompts：What else？Why？How do you explain it？）【问题示例】
在资料收集部分，还需陈述资料收集的时间、地点、联系人及数据收集者、收集方式、收集后的数据处理及知情同意。如示例4-12所示：访谈场所为“心脏康复单元（cardiac rehabilitation unit）”或“由研究对象选择的场所，如家或咖啡馆（place of convenience to the participants）”；访谈时间为“患者预定的复诊前后（before or after participants'scheduled follow-up visits）或访谈对象方便的时间”；联系人为“心脏康复护士（cardiac rehabilitation nurse）”；并“获取研究对象知情同意（asked their permission to participate）”。数据收集者为“研究第一负责人和4个护理学生（The primary investigator conducted ten interviews，and supervised four nursing students，who conducted twelve more interviews）”；采用“录音形式（all interviews recorded）”记录。数据整理包括原始数据处理及转录：“主要用阿拉伯语收集原始资料，部分用希伯来语收集（Six interviews were conducted in Arabic...The remaining interviews were conducted in Hebrew）”；对于数据处理，“研究对象的原话最终全部由第一负责人翻译为英文，并由一位双语研究者进行回译（All the participants'quotations were translated into English by the primary investigator，and back translated by one of the bilingual coresearchers to ensure that meaning was retained）”。最后，还提到研究使用到的其他资料收集方法“田野笔记（Field notes）”。
示例4-12 资料收集方法和过程
The hospital interviews took place in the cardiac rehabilitation unit，before or after participants'scheduled follow-up visits.The cardiac rehabilitation nurse contacted the participants by telephone，prior to their scheduled clinic visit，and asked their permission to participate in the study interview.The community interviews were scheduled by phone calls or face to face，at a time and place of convenience to the participants（i.e.，home or coffee shop）.Interviews lasted approximately 45-60 min.The primary investigator conducted ten interviews，and supervised four nursing students，who conducted twelve more interviews as partial requirement of a qualitative seminar.Six interviews were conducted in Arabic，then translated into Hebrew by two Arabic-speaking nursing students who were also proficient in Hebrew；Hebrew is required for advanced nursing students in higher education.The remaining interviews were conducted in Hebrew.All the participants'quotations were translated into English by the primary investigator，and back-translated by one of the bilingual co-researchers to ensure that meaning was retained.All translations were edited by a professional Israeli-American editor.Field notes were collected and all interviews were recorded and transcribed.
此外，在资料收集过程中，需及时对访谈内容进行转录，进而评估是否已达到数据饱和。若数据达到饱和，多停止资料收集。如示例4-13所示。
示例4-13 资料收集至数据饱和
Records were immediately transcribed verbatim aiming at continuing evaluating the saturation，by sharing the data collected among researchers.When the data saturation was achieved as judged independently by three researchers，the data collection process ended.