Abstract
In diary studies, people report events and experiences at regular intervals over time. These methods are particularly suited for capturing events and experiences from everyday life. This paper presents an overview of diary studies that includes the use of diaries in organizational resaerch, the types of research questions addressed by diaries, the advantages and disadvantages of diary methods and how to conduct a diary study. The method of presenting a daily diary study of psychological contracts is illustrated. While diaries represent a novel approach to organizational science, they offer considerable promise for new insights into the experience of work.