This article presents an overview of the diary as a popular method for data collection in nursing and health research. The context for using diaries as a data collection tool is considered and the nature and purpose of the diary and its relationship with health care are examined. The author reflects on different types of diary and their use in data collection, and explores the advantages and disadvantages of using a diary approach to data collection in health care.
Nursing Standard. 29, 44, 36-41. doi: 10.7748/ns.29.44.36.e9251
Correspondence Peer reviewAll articles are subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software.
Received: 23 June 2014
Accepted: 30 September 2014
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