Finding qualitative research

One module I teach on sets an assignment where the students have to find a quantitative and a qualitative piece of research on the same topic.

Finding quantitative research in the three databases I show them needs them to choose a publication or study type and limit to that.   

Finding qualitative research is not quite so straightforward.    So here is a version of what I said to them.

CINAHL 

In the "Clinical Queries" limit (limiter), there are three Clinical Queries for Qualitative Research.  I've recommended they use the "Best Balance" one.  They need to find one piece of qualitative research, not everything.   

Maternity and Infant Care Database (MIDIRS)

For us (and perhaps other libraries) this is in Ovid, and under Limits > Additional Limits, there are two Publication Types, "Qualitative Research" and "Qualitative Study".  I don't know what the difference is so I have recommended they use both.

PubMed

There is no publication type filter, or clinical query for qualitative research.   I've recommended they search the words qualitative research as part of their strategy.   This maps to the MeSH term Qualitative Research.   (Interestingly just using the word qualitative does not).   

They are first years, so we don't talk about search filters.  But if we did, the ISSG Search Filters Resource has some for Cinahl but not for PubMed.   We don't look at Ovid Medline, but if we did, there are Ovid Medline filters there too.  

We mention APA PsycInfo (we have this through Ebsco) and it has a Methodology limit Qualitative Study.