This article provides you with a structured approach to making an informed decision whether you are considering an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), Case Study, or Narrative approach. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all research design; the most appropriate design is based on your study's purpose, problem, participants, and scope.  

Step One: Know the purpose of your research and outline clearly the problem that you intend to address in your research in order to identify the next step.

Open a blank document and type your response to the questions below. To get you started, I have provided sample responses in italics.

1. What is the purpose of your study?

• Here is a helpful formula for the purpose statement: methodology + research design + phenomenon + target population + setting

• The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the experiences of first-generation college students in urban public universities, with a focus on understanding the challenges they face and the support systems they utilize.

2. What is the problem you plan to address with your research?

• The problem this research aims to address is the lack of comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges faced by first-generation college students in urban public universities and the support systems they utilize. Despite the increasing number of first-generation college students, there is a gap in the literature regarding their experiences, particularly in urban public universities. This study will explore these experiences to identify potential barriers to their success and the resources they use to overcome these challenges.

Step Two: Identify the key components of the research design

Now that you have a clear purpose statement and problem statement, consider the following:

1. How will you collect data?

• Will you interview participants?

• Will you conduct focus groups?

• Are you going to review documents or artefacts?

• Do you plan to observe participants?

2. Approximately how many participants will you have access to, and how many do you plan to recruit?

3. What are examples of questions you might ask during an interview?

4. What is the main focus of the questions you want to ask?

For example, are your questions geared toward understanding the meaning an individual ascribes to an experience related to a phenomenon, or do you want the participants to tell a story based on a specific individual and social experience?

5. What is your role in the research?

Step Three: You need to match your research ideas with a research design

• A case study design is appropriate if you want to focus on one of two main aims: (a) understanding individual participants’ perspectives and experiences related to a phenomenon, or (b) understanding a phenomenon based on a group of participants’ perspectives and experiences with the phenomenon. A critical feature of case study design is the idea of case boundaries, which brings attention to context and its role in people’s meaning-making. Small sample sizes (e.g., 1 – 10) are typical because of multiple data collection methods, including interviews, observations, and artefacts/documents.

• An IPA design is appropriate if you want to focus on the meaning individuals ascribe to an experience and plan to interpret their experience. This double focus requires the researcher to focus on detail, resulting in small sample sizes (e.g., 1 – 10). Semi-structured interviews are the primary means of collecting data.

• A narrative design is appropriate if you want to explore people's lived narratives related to a phenomenon or event, or if researchers use narrative analysis methods on a data set. No matter the narrative focus, narrative researchers search for storied experiences that include (a) personal and social perspectives; (b) inherent histories, present experiences, and future possibilities; and (c) the situations (the places) associated with the experiences. Due to the nature of stories and representing data in a narrative format, sample sizes are typically small (e.g., 1 – 6). Data collection is in-depth and includes interviews, observations, and artefacts/documents.

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