Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, 7th Edition

This text shows novice researchers how to design, collect, and analyze qualitative data and then present their results to the scientific community.  It also stresses the importance of ethics in research and taking the time to properly design and think through any research endeavor.

IN THIS SECTION:

1.) BRIEF

2.) COMPREHENSIVE

 

 

BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:

 

Preface

 

Chapter 1: Introduction 

Chapter 2: Designing Qualitative Research

Chapter 3: Ethical Issues

Chapter 4: A Dramaturgical Look at Interviewing    

Chapter 5: Focus Group Interviewing    

Chapter 6: Ethnographic Field Strategies    

Chapter 7 : Action Research    

Chapter 8: Unobtrusive Measures in Research    

Chapter 9: Historiography and Oral Traditions    

Chapter 10: Case Studies   

Chapter 11: An Introduction to Content Analysis    

Chapter 12: Writing Research Papers: Sorting the Noodles from the Soup    

Name Index

Subject Index

 

 

COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Most chapters conclude with “Trying It Out,” “Notes,” and “References.”

Preface

 

Chapter 1- Introduction

- Quantitative Versus Qualitative Schools of Thought

- Use of Triangulation in Research Methodology

- Qualitative Strategies: Defining an Orientation

- From a Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

- Why Use Qualitative Methods? 

- A Plan of Presentation

 

Chapter 2 - Designing Qualitative Research

- Theory and Concepts

- Ideas and Theory

- Reviewing the Literature

- Theory, Reality, and the Social World

- Framing Research Problems

- Operationalization and Conceptualization

- Designing Projects

- Data Collection and Organization

- Data Storage, Retrieval, and Analysis

- Dissemination  

 

Chapter 3- Ethical Issues

- Research Ethics in Historical Perspective

- From Guidelines to Law: Regulations on the Research Process

- Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

- Ethical Codes   

- Some Common Ethical Concerns in Behavioral Research    

- Covert Versus Overt Researcher Roles

- New Areas for Ethical Concern: Cyberspace   

- Informed Consent and Implied Consent   

- Confidentiality and Anonymity 

- Securing the Data    

- Objectivity and Careful Research Design    

 

Chapter 4 - A Dramaturgical Look at Interviewing    

- Dramaturgy and Interviewing   

- Types of Interviews   

- The Interview Schedule    

- Schedule Development    

- Communicating Effectively   

- A Few Common Problems in Question Formulation   

- Pretesting the Schedule   

- Long Versus Short Interviews    

- Telephone Interviews   

- Computer-Assisted Interviewing  

- Conducting an Interview: A Natural or an Unnatural Communication?    

- The Dramaturgical Interview 

- The Interviewer’s Repertoire  

- Know Your Audience 

- Analyzing Data Obtained from the Dramaturgical Interview  

 

Chapter 5 - Focus Group Interviewing    

- What Are Focus Group Interviews?   

- THE MODERATOR'S ROLE

- The Evolution of Focus Group Interviews   

- Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Group Interviewing  

- Facilitating Focus Group Dynamics: How Focus Groups Work    

- The Moderator’s Guide   

- Basic Ingredients in Focus Groups   

- Analyzing Focus Group Data    

- Confidentiality and Focus Group Interviews    

- Recent Trends in Focus Groups: Online Focus Groups  

- Conclusion   

 

Chapter 6- Ethnographic Field Strategies    

- Accessing a Field Setting: Getting in    

- Reflectivity and Ethnography    

- Critical Ethnography

- Becoming Invisible   

- Other Dangers During Ethnographic Research   

- Watching, Listening, and Learning   

- Computers and Ethnography    

- OnLine Ethnography

- Analyzing Ethnographic Data    

- Other Analysis Strategies: Typologies, Sociograms, and Metaphors

- Disengaging: Getting Out    

 

Chapter 7 - Action Research    

- The Basics of Action Research    

- Identifying the Research Question(s)    

- Gathering the Information to Answer the Question(s)    

- Analyzing and Interpreting the Information    

- Sharing the Results with the Participants    

- When to Use and When Not to Use Action Research

- The Action Researcher’s Role    

- Types of Action Research

- Photovoice and Action Research   

- Action Research: A Reiteration    

 

Chapter 8 - Unobtrusive Measures in Research    

- Archival Strategies   

- Physical Erosion and Accretion: Human Traces as Data Sources

 

Chapter 9 - Historiography and Oral Traditions    

- What is Historical Research?    

- Life Histories and Historiography    

- What are the Sources of Data of Historical Researchers?    

- Doing Historiography: Tracing Written History as Data 

- What are Oral Histories?    

 

Chapter 10 - Case Studies   

- The Nature of Case Studies   

- Theory and Case Studies    

- The Individual Case Study   

- Intrinsic, Instrumental, and Collective Case Studies    

- Case Study Design Types   

- The Scientific Benefit of Case Studies   

- Case Studies of Organizations    

- Case Studies of Communities   

 

Chapter 11 - An Introduction to Content Analysis    

- What is Content Analysis    

- Analysis of Qualitative Data

- Content Analysis as a Technique    

- Content Analysis: Quantitative or Qualitative?  

- Communication Components    

- What to Count: Levels and Units of Analysis    

- Category Development: Building Grounded Theory 

- Discourse Analysis and Content Analysis

- Open Coding    

- Coding Frames 

- Stages in the Content Analysis Process    

- Strengths and Weaknesses of the Content Analysis Process    

- Computers and Qualitative Analysis 

- Qualitative Research at the Speed of Light    

 

Chapter 12 - Writing Research Papers: Sorting the Noodles from the Soup    

- Plagiarism: What It Is, Why It’s Bad, and How to Avoid It 

- Identifying the Purpose of the Writing: Arranging the Noodles    

- Delineating a Supportive Structure: Visual Signals for the Reader

- Presenting Research Material  

- A Word About the Content of Papers and Articles    

- Write It, Rewrite It, Then Write It Again!    

- A Few Writing Hints

- A Final Note    

 

Name Index

Subject Index