Qualitative Research

Amy Harder andAmy Harder
Other Contacts: Matt Benge

This publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides Extension educators and other service providers with an introduction to two techniques that can easily be used when seeking information about relationships between causes and needs: fishboning and cause and consequence analysis.

Sebastian Galindo-Gonzalez and Glenn D. Israel

Laura A. Warner, Amy Harder, andAmy Harder

Provides an overview of using the Delphi technique to conduct a needs assessment.

John Diaz andYsabel Polanco

This is the first article in a six-part series on participatory action research (PAR) that introduces a phased framework for implementing PAR in agricultural settings, including stages of problem identification, co-design, implementation, observation, reflection, and iteration. This publication draws on foundational literature in PAR and agricultural research to present a clear and accessible introduction for Extension professionals and agricultural practitioners. Written by John Diaz and Ysabel Polanco, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, January 2026.

John Diaz andYsabel Polanco

This is the fifth article in the Participatory Action Research in Agriculture series, designed for Extension professionals working in agricultural contexts. It provides practical guidance on evaluation strategies, approaches, and common challenges in participatory action research projects, offering tools and insights to help practitioners assess progress, document outcomes, and strengthen both research quality and community impact. Written by John Diaz and Ysabel Polanco, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, January 2026.

Mary Bammer, Matt Benge, andLaura A. Warner

This ninth publication in the Conducting the Needs Assessment series provides an overview of using the nominal group technique (NGT) to conduct a needs assessment. This document defines the scenarios in which the NGT is suitable, describes the steps involved in conducting the NGT, and provides examples of the use of this technique in Extension. Written by Mary Bammer, Matt Benge, and Laura Warner, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication; 5 pp.

Kelly Wilson, Ramona Madhosingh-Hector, Linda M. Seals, David Outerbridge, John Diaz, andPaul Monaghan

This publication introduces Extension agents to Ripple Effects Mapping (REM), encourages them to continue exploring the methodology, and promotes collaboration with agents currently using it to learn more about ways to apply it to their own work. This guide explains the four key components of REM, describes the steps to conduct REM for Extension program evaluation, and demonstrates a real-life example of the use of REM in an Extension program. Written by Kelly Wilson, Ramona Madhosingh-Hector, Linda Seals, David Outerbridge, John Diaz, and Paul Monaghan, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, April 2025.

John Diaz andYsabel Polanco

Participatory action research (PAR) is a robust methodology for advancing community-driven inquiry, particularly within agricultural and rural development contexts. This second article in the PAR series focuses on essential strategies for engaging stakeholders and identifying priority issues early in the PAR process. The goal is to equip Extension professionals and researchers with a roadmap for launching participatory projects that are equitable, grounded, and impactful. Written by John Diaz and Ysabel Polanco, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, October 2025.

Kathryn A. Stofer

A UF/IFAS numbered peer reviewed Fact Sheet. in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: ==Special Handling==

Kathryn A. Stofer

A UF/IFAS numbered peer reviewed Fact Sheet. in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: ==Special Handling==

Arati Joshi, Sebastian Galindo, Dharmendra Kalauni, Caitlin E. Lunzmann, andShane T. Michael

Qualitative Inquiry in Practice is a series of publications providing an overview of qualitative research and its application. This second publication in the Qualitative Inquiry in Practice EDIS series presents an overview of six common approaches to qualitative research and provides practical examples that can help you identify the best approach for your study. Written by Arati Joshi, Sebastian Galindo, Dharmendra Kalauni, Caitlin E. Lunzmann, and Shane T. Michael, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, September 2025.

Dale Pracht, Andrew Toelle, andBrent A. Broaddus

Change is inevitable. When working within an organization, figuring out what needs to change can be a big issue. Having quality information available for use can make the decision process clearer and more effective. Action research is a methodology that can be used by people internal to an organization to identify what changes need to be made. This new 3-page publication of the UF/IFAS Florida 4-H Youth Development Program was written by Dale Pracht, Andrew Toelle, and Brent Broaddus.

Dharmendra Kalauni, Arati Joshi, Caitlin E. Lunzmann, Sebastian Galindo, and Shane T. Michael

This publication provides a brief overview of qualitative research to a broader audience including Extension professionals, students, early-career researchers, educators, and many others. Details on the sampling process, research methods, and data analysis process in qualitative research will be explained in the upcoming Ask IFAS publications in the Qualitative Inquiry in Practice series. Written by Dharmendra Kalauni, Arati Joshi, Caitlin E. Lunzmann, Sebastian Galindo, and Shane T. Michael, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, March 2025.

Sadie Hundemer, Stephanie Stoutamire, andRock Aboujaoude, Jr.

This is the second publication of a two-part Ask IFAS series. This publication is intended for social science researchers analyzing data collected using the Conceptual Content Cognitive Mapping (3CM) method. This publication introduces readers to using Anthropac software to analyze data from a structured 3CM. Topics include uploading data to Anthropac, conducting consensus analysis, creating multidimensional scaling plots, and cluster analysis. Written by Sadie Hundemer, Stephanie Stoutamire, and Rock Aboujaoude, Jr., and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, April 2026.

David Outerbridge, Christa D. Court, Laura Birou, Catherine Campbell, Sebastian Galindo, Eyrika Orlando, Fritz Roka, and Kelly Wilson

Extension professionals were, and in many cases still are, heavily involved in assessing how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted agribusiness operations and the broader food system. This publication describes the process that a core project team of Extension professionals and researchers from the University of Florida and Florida Gulf Coast University followed to design and implement an interview guide to harmonize the collection of such information from food system businesses in Florida. We discuss benefits of this method, tools that improved efficiency during implementation, and considerations for others who might want to modify and use this interview guide in their own state or region. 

Anissa M. Zagonel, Audrey E. H. King, Lauri M. Baker, Angela B. Lindsey, Sandra Anderson, Ricky W. Telg, and Ashley McLeod-Morin

This new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication presents what focus groups are, the differences between in-person and online focus groups, potential platforms for hosting online focus groups, advantages and disadvantages to online focus groups, and best practices for conducting your own online focus groups. Researchers and practitioners alike can use this document to guide their process of conducting online focus groups. This article only discusses conducting online focus groups through online videoconferencing software.