Beyond Anecdotes: Incorporating Qualitative Methods with Rigor in Economic Education Research

The authors of this article argue that qualitative methods can support the design of actionable policy interventions in economic education by shedding light on the why and how of student experience. But what is qualitative methodology, and how do we employ these methods with rigor? The authors provide an overview of what qualitative methods are and how using qualitative methods can address gaps in the economic education literature. They use a case study focused on the UK National Student Survey (NSS) to discuss what rigor looks like at each stage of the research process. Through this example, they illustrate a research approach that remains relatively underutilized in economics and economic education: qualitative analysis.