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The International Journal of Qualitative Methods (IJQM) is a peer-reviewed, fully open-access journal dedicated to advancing qualitative and mixed-methods research design across disciplines. Established in 2002 by the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology (IIQM) at the University of Alberta and published in partnership with SAGE Publications, IJQM serves as an international forum for methodological innovation. Operating under electronic ISSN 1609-4069 and cataloged under NLM Unique ID 101213922 (NLM abbreviation: Int J Qual Methods), the journal requires manuscripts to contribute directly to qualitative methodology rather than reporting substantive empirical findings alone.
What it is
The International Journal of Qualitative Methods is a multidisciplinary methodological journal operating under a Gold open access publishing model. Articles are published electronically under Creative Commons attribution licenses (primarily CC BY), ensuring unrestricted global access for researchers, graduate students, and evaluators. IJQM uses continuous publication, releasing articles online as soon as proofs are completed.
The journal is indexed in the Clarivate Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Web of Science Core Collection, Elsevier Scopus, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). It holds a Journal Impact Factor of 7.2 (Clarivate JCR) and ranks in the first quartile (Q1) for interdisciplinary social sciences. Mandated biomedical research is deposited in PubMed Central (PMC), supported by Crossref DOI registration and ORCID contributor attribution.
Who runs it and what it covers
IJQM is governed through a partnership between SAGE Publishing and the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology (IIQM), founded in 1997 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. The journal is led by an Editor-in-Chief and an international editorial board of qualitative methodologists across health sciences, sociology, education, nursing, and management.
The editorial scope covers key methodological domains:
- Methodological Innovations: Adaptations of phenomenology, grounded theory, critical ethnography, narrative inquiry, and participatory action research.
- Mixed-Methods Design: Methodological integration, exploratory sequential designs, and concurrent triangulation frameworks.
- Fieldwork and Data Generation: Methodological evaluation of digital interviewing, remote ethnography, visual methods, photovoice, and focus groups.
- Analytical Techniques and CAQDAS: Rigorous protocols for thematic analysis, qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), and qualitative software workflows.
- Rigor and Reporting: Frameworks for trustworthiness, reflexivity, and adherence to reporting standards such as the COREQ and SRQR reporting guidelines for qualitative research.
- Research Ethics: Navigating consent, vulnerability, and relational ethics in qualitative inquiry.
IJQM enforces a strict boundary: purely empirical studies where qualitative methods simply serve to investigate a specific subject without advancing methodology are out of scope and desk-rejected.
How to search or use it
Engaging with IJQM for literature review or manuscript submission involves navigating the SAGE journal platform and ScholarOne Manuscripts system through six steps:
- Access the Journal Portal: Visit journals.sagepub.com/home/ijq to browse OnlineFirst articles, current volumes, and themed collections.
- Run Methodological Queries: Use the portal search bar with Boolean expressions (e.g., “grounded theory” AND “theoretical saturation”) to retrieve methodological analyses rather than topical case studies.
- Check APC and Waiver Terms: Confirm the article processing charge (registered baseline $2,650 USD on DOAJ). Check institutional eligibility under SAGE Open Access agreements or country-level waivers via Research4Life, as outlined in our guide on article processing charges (APCs).
- Format to APA 7th Requirements: Prepare manuscripts following the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA 7th Edition). Conform to length limits: 3,500 to 7,500 words for regular articles, or up to 5,000 words for protocols, excluding the 200–300 word unstructured abstract and references.
- Prepare Anonymized Files: To satisfy IJQM’s double-blind peer review model, upload a blinded Main Document stripped of author names, affiliations, and identifying self-citations, alongside a separate Title Page containing author metadata and a CRediT contributor role statement.
- Submit via ScholarOne: Follow the “Submit Paper” link to mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ijqm. Sign in, upload files, enter required metadata, complete ethics declarations, and monitor progress in the Author Center.
Strengths and limits
Key strengths include:
- High Citation Impact: A Journal Impact Factor of 7.2 and Q1 ranking in SSCI and Scopus place IJQM among the leading qualitative methods journals globally, as explored in our guide to journal indexing across DOAJ, Scopus, and Web of Science.
- Interdisciplinary Reach: Articles are read and cited across health sciences, education, sociology, and management, fostering cross-disciplinary visibility.
- Immediate Open Access: CC BY licensing ensures global accessibility for researchers and practitioners without subscription barriers.
- Rigorous Double-Blind Review: Blinded review reduces institutional bias and evaluates work on methodological merit alone.
Limits and operational considerations include:
- Article Processing Charges: The $2,650 USD APC presents a financial hurdle for unfunded authors lacking institutional coverage.
- Strict Methodological Focus: Standard empirical manuscripts without clear methodological contributions face rapid desk rejection.
- Competitive Selectivity: High submission volumes lead to selective acceptance rates and stringent review standards.
Alternatives
Authors and evaluators can compare IJQM with related peer journals in qualitative inquiry:
| Journal Name | Publisher | Access Model | Indexing & Metrics | Scope Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Journal of Qualitative Methods | SAGE / IIQM | Gold Open Access ($2,650 APC) | SSCI (Q1), Scopus (Q1), DOAJ | Cross-disciplinary qualitative and mixed-methods innovations |
| Qualitative Research | SAGE Publications | Hybrid (Free subscription, optional OA) | SSCI (Q1), Scopus (Q1) | Sociological qualitative methodology and epistemological debates |
| Qualitative Health Research | SAGE Publications | Hybrid (Free subscription, optional OA) | SSCI (Q1), Scopus (Q1), MEDLINE | Qualitative methods applied to healthcare and clinical settings |
| Qualitative Inquiry | SAGE Publications | Hybrid (Free subscription, optional OA) | SSCI, Scopus | Experimental, narrative, and performative qualitative inquiry |
| Int. Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education | Taylor & Francis | Hybrid (Free subscription, optional OA) | SSCI (Q1), Scopus | Qualitative methods and critical theories in education |
| The Qualitative Report | Nova Southeastern Univ. | Diamond Open Access ($0 APC) | Scopus (Q2), DOAJ, ERIC | Applied qualitative research, experiential essays, and tutorials |
FAQ
Is the International Journal of Qualitative Methods peer-reviewed?
Yes. IJQM uses a double-anonymous (double-blind) peer review process where reviewer and author identities remain blinded throughout evaluation to maintain objectivity.
What citation style is required by the journal?
The journal requires the APA 7th Edition style. Citations must follow the author-date format, and references must include digital object identifiers (DOIs) where available.
What is the APC for the International Journal of Qualitative Methods?
The standard article processing charge registered on DOAJ is $2,650 USD. Fee waivers are available for authors in low-income countries via Research4Life, and many authors receive coverage under institutional SAGE Open Access agreements.
Does IJQM publish empirical studies?
Only when the study illustrates or validates a novel methodological design. Papers presenting routine empirical findings without advancing qualitative methodology are out of scope.
What are the manuscript length requirements?
Standard articles range between 3,500 and 7,500 words, while protocols are capped at 5,000 words. Length calculations exclude the title page, abstract (200–300 words), keywords, and references.
Sources
- Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). International Journal of Qualitative Methods (ISSN 1609-4069). Verified at https://doaj.org/toc/1609-4069 and https://doaj.org/api/search/journals/issn:1609-4069 on November 10, 2026.
- National Library of Medicine (NLM). NLM Catalog: International Journal of Qualitative Methods (NLM Unique ID 101213922, MedlineTA: Int J Qual Methods). Verified at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/101213922 on November 10, 2026.
- Crossref. Crossref Journal Registry: International Journal of Qualitative Methods (eISSN 1609-4069). Verified at https://api.crossref.org/journals/1609-4069 on November 10, 2026.
- SAGE Publications. International Journal of Qualitative Methods: Aims, Scope, and Author Guidelines. Verified at https://journals.sagepub.com/author-instructions/ijq and https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ijqm on November 10, 2026.
- University of Alberta. International Institute for Qualitative Methodology (IIQM) History and Governance. Verified at https://www.ualberta.ca/en/international-institute-for-qualitative-methodology/index.html on November 10, 2026.
