Interpreting qualitative data : a guide to the principles of qualitative research

Abstract

PART ONE: THEORY AND METHOD IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH What Is Qualitative Research? In Search of a Working Definition Loaded Evaluations of Research Methods Methods Should Fit Your Research Question The Good Sense of Quantitative Research The Nonsense of Quantitative Research The Good Sense of Qualitative Research The Nonsense of Qualitative Research Varieties of Qualitative Research Designing a Research Project Selecting a Topic Formulating a Researchable Question Fitting your Research Question into an Appropriate Theory Choosing an Effective Research Design An Effective Literature Review Basic Terms in Research Design Conclusions Data Analysis Some Rules for Data Analysis Content Analysis Grounded Theory Narrative Analysis Conclusion Research Ethics Ethical Pitfalls Ethical Safeguards Some Ethical Complications PART TWO: METHODS Ethnography and Observation The Ethnographic Focus Methodological Issues The Theoretical Character of Ethnographic Observations Conclusion: The Unity of the Ethnographic Project Interviews What Is an 'Open-Ended' Interview? Why Interview? Implications: Three Versions of Interview Data Positivism Emotionalism Constructionism Adolescent Cultures: Combining 'What' and 'How' Questions Moral Tales of Parenthood The Three Models: A Summary Summary: Basic Issues Three Practical Questions - and Answers Conclusion Focus Groups What Are Focus Groups? Analysing Focus Group Data in Social Science Form or Substance? Concluding Comments Texts Structure of This Chapter Comparative Keyword Analysis (CKA) Ethnography Ethnomethodology: Membership Categorisation Analysis Conclusion Naturally-Occurring Talk Why Work with Tapes? Transcribing Audiotapes Why Talk Matters Conversation Analysis Discourse Analysis Conversation Analysis and Discourse Analysis Compared Conclusion Visual Images Kinds of Visual Data Research Strategies Content Analysis Semiotics Workplace Studies Conclusion PART THREE: RESEARCH PRACTICE Credible Qualitative Research Does Credibility Matter? Reliability Validity Generalisability Conclusions Writing Your Report Beginnings Your Literature Review Your Methodology Section Writing Up Your Data Your Final Section A Short Note on Plagiarism Self-Expression or Argument? PART FOUR: IMPLICATIONS The Relevance of Qualitative Research Three Roles for the Social Scientist The Audiences for Qualitative Research The Contribution of Qualitative Social Science Summary Conclusion The Potential of Qualitative Research: Eight Reminders Take Advantage of Naturally Occurring Data Avoid Treating the Actor's Point of View as an Explanation Study the Interrelationships Between Elements Attempt Theoretically Fertile Research Address Wider Audiences Begin With 'How' Questions Then Ask 'Why?' Study 'Hyphenated' Phenomena Treat Qualitative Research as Different from Journalism Concluding Remarks

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