Q: How should I present qualitative interview data in a research article?

Analyzing and presenting qualitative data in a research paper can be difficult. The Methods section is where one needs to justify and present the research design. As you have rightly said, there are stipulations on the word count for a manuscript.

To present the interview data, you can consider using a table. The data can be tabulated and presented succinctly in the Methods section. Or if it is a questionnaire based study, the questionnaire can be given as a part of online Supplementary Data for the manuscript – Many journals have a provision for this.

The main point to remember while presenting qualitative interview data is that the reader should not be bored with the minute details – mention the key points and themes as they relate to the research question, rather than reporting everything that the interviewees said; use charts or tables to help the reader understand the data and then highlight the most interesting findings; analyze the data rather than just describing it - use it to tell a story that focuses on answering the research question. Basically, avoid very long reports and present the main findings.

Related reading:

• The secret to writing the introduction and methods section of a manuscript
• Presenting your tables effectively
• 6 Easy guidelines for preparing tables and figures for a research manual
• 6 Tips for preparing effective tables for a research manual

If you need further help with conducting the statistical analysis, you might find benefit in availing to a professional statistical analysis and review service.

Hope that helps!