This book provides an overview of diary research history, design, data collection, data analysis, report writing, evaluation, and ethics. In use for about 100 years now in the social sciences, diary research methods are distinct in the qualitative canon for their mode of data collection. Diary research methods are as flexible as other qualitative methods and can be adapted to suit a variety of epistemological assumptions and research questions, types of diarists and data formats, and styles of analysis. Although diary research can seem daunting, many qualitative researchers have had great success in working with diaries as their primary data source. In this volume, the diary will first be explored historically, from its emergence as a popular cultural phenomenon to its eventual use by social science researchers. Attention will then turn to the use of archival and solicited diaries in qualitative research designs. Next, the basics of designing, analyzing, and writing qualitative diary studies will be reviewed. The volume concludes with a discussion of the strengths, weaknesses, and ethical considerations of qualitative diary research.