Qualitative Research Methods For Psychologists

Qualitative Research Methods for Psychologists is a collection of 14 original articles that teaches readers how to conduct qualitative research. Instead of characterizing and justifying certain methods, the contributors show by means of actual research studies what assumptions, procedures, and dilemmas they encountered. Fischer's introduction, which emphasizes the practical nature of qualitative research and the closing chapter, which uses a question-and-answer format to investigate, among other subjects, what is scientific about qualitative research, are complemented by a glossary and other features that increase the book's utility and value. Addresses a range of practical examples from different traditions such as phenomology, grounded theory, ethnography and discourse analysis through actual case studies Discusses various methodology and combinations of methods like assimilation analysis, dialogal approach, intuitive inquiry, and conceptual encounter Terms are defined within chapters and/or in a glossary Helps readers bridge from experimental to qualitative methods Provides in-depth, philosophically grounded, and compelling research findings Includes practical introduction about steps in qualitative research

This updated edition of Qualitative Research in Psychology brings together a diverse group of scholars to illuminate the value that qualitative methods bring to studying psychological phenomena in depth and in context.

Electronic Inspection Copy available for instructors here Providing a complete introduction to qualitative methods in psychology, this textbook is ideal reading for anyone doing a research methods course in psychology that includes qualitative approaches or someone planning a practical project using qualitative methods. Not just another research methods book, Doing Qualitative Research in Psychology is more a ′how to do it′ manual, linked with a specifically designed set of digitised video recordings, transcripts and online resources to make learning about qualitative methods as easy as possible. The primary resources are a set of online, publically available video-recorded interviews produced by the editor and contributors to support student learning. The text offers useful descriptions of how and why research questions are formulated and explains the importance of selecting appropriate methods for research investigations. Using examples from the specially produced data set, it describes four specific qualitative methods, outlining - in its very clear ′how to proceed′ style - how each of these methods can form the basis of a qualitative methods laboratory class, practical or field study. As well as covering key topics such as ethics, literature reviews and interviewing, the book also describes precisely how research reports using qualitative methods are written up, in line with the appropriate conventions within psychology.

With a highly pragmatic, yet rigorous and pragmatically driven approach, this edited book explores demonstrates qualitative research with an applied approach. Using not only theory but real world setting, readers are introduced to the function and relevance of qualitative methods in psychological research. Exemplified through the contributions of various experts from across the different sub-disciplines of psychology, this text takes a versatile approach to explaining methods in research and covers a broad range of methods in a variety of settings. This book will appeal to those with an interest in qualitative methods across the spectrum of psychology and beyond. Offering an introduction to applied qualitative research in psychology with a distinctively applied approach, this title is apt for undergraduate psychology students taking modules in research methods, executing research-based projects or those undertaking Masters and taught doctoral level programs in psychology.

Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology by Dennis Howitt provides a comprehensive, practical and up to date coverage of the area. For the fourth edition, the text has been extensively revised for easier reading and comprehension. With a clear and straightforward style, the book introduces qualitative research from data collection to analysis. Examples of real research and practical guidance for each methodological approach are included throughout to equip the reader with an understanding of the process and the skills to be able to carry out their own research. There are also dedicated sections on ethics, quality and report writing. All of this is achieved while providing a thorough theoretical and historical context for the qualitative methods. With an increased focus on helping students to develop the practical skills for carrying out qualitative research, this 4th edition includes examples of how the theory can be put into practice throughout. Examples of qualitative reports, with annotated commentary give students a clear idea how to write up a report. The text covers a range of methods evaluating each in a constructive, non-partisan way.

The field of psychology has been characterized by an interesting schism in the area of research methods. The promotion of the scientific method and the emphasis on experimental methodology helped give psychology an identity as a hard science and legitimacy as a discipline. Yet from the beginning, observations of behavior formed the very basis of the field of psychology. Psychologists such as Freud and Piaget used observational qualitative methods to form their theories –which continue to be major cornerstones of contemporary psychology. Editors Mary Kopala and Lisa A. Suzuki have collected a series of essays that help to consider the philosophical foundations for conducting qualitative research in psychological settings, as well as illustrating the application of those methods. Broad-based and inclusive, Using Qualitative Methods in Psychology examines such topics as multicultural issues, supervision, program evaluation, teaching qualitative research, ethics, and therapeutic settings. Using Qualitative Methods in Psychology will be a crucial addition to the libraries of teachers and researchers interested in psychological research methods writ large, and especially to those interested in qualitative research methods.

`I often... wonder to myself whether the field needs another book, handbook, or encyclopedia on this topic. In this case I think that the answer is truly yes. The handbook is well focused on important issues in the field, and the chapters are written by recognized authorities in their fields. The book should appeal to anyone who wants an understanding of important topics that frequently go uncovered in graduate education in psychology′ - David C Howell, Professor Emeritus, University of Vermont Quantitative psychology is arguably one of the oldest disciplines within the field of psychology and nearly all psychologists are exposed to quantitative psychology in some form. While textbooks in statistics, research methods and psychological measurement exist, none offer a unified treatment of quantitative psychology. The SAGE Handbook of Quantitative Methods in Psychology does just that. Each chapter covers a methodological topic with equal attention paid to established theory and the challenges facing methodologists as they address new research questions using that particular methodology. The reader will come away from each chapter with a greater understanding of the methodology being addressed as well as an understanding of the directions for future developments within that methodological area. Drawing on a global scholarship, the Handbook is divided into seven parts: Part One: Design and Inference: addresses issues in the inference of causal relations from experimental and non-experimental research, along with the design of true experiments and quasi-experiments, and the problem of missing data due to various influences such as attrition or non-compliance. Part Two: Measurement Theory: begins with a chapter on classical test theory, followed by the common factor analysis model as a model for psychological measurement. The models for continuous latent variables in item-response theory are covered next, followed by a chapter on discrete latent variable models as represented in latent class analysis. Part Three: Scaling Methods: covers metric and non-metric scaling methods as developed in multidimensional scaling, followed by consideration of the scaling of discrete measures as found in dual scaling and correspondence analysis. Models for preference data such as those found in random utility theory are covered next. Part Four: Data Analysis: includes chapters on regression models, categorical data analysis, multilevel or hierarchical models, resampling methods, robust data analysis, meta-analysis, Bayesian data analysis, and cluster analysis. Part Five: Structural Equation Models: addresses topics in general structural equation modeling, nonlinear structural equation models, mixture models, and multilevel structural equation models. Part Six: Longitudinal Models: covers the analysis of longitudinal data via mixed modeling, time series analysis and event history analysis. Part Seven: Specialized Models: covers specific topics including the analysis of neuro-imaging data and functional data-analysis.

Providing an accessible introduction to qualitative methods, this book combines a solid grounding in the theory behind research methods, with a practical guide to conducting qualitative investigations, and a critical assessment of these methods. Thoroughly revised, the new edition reflects the changes that have taken place in research methods in recent years and features a new three part layout, with the individual sections covering: Orientations – broad considerations about qualitative research Methodologies – includes worked examples of major different qualitative research approaches: observation, ethnography, interviewing, personal construct, psychosocial analysis, narrative enquiry and historical analyses Representations – a guide to writing up qualitative research, with an emphasis on reflexivity and ethics The new edition covers the BPS syllabus for qualitative methods and includes new chapters on: Phenomenology Psychosocial analysis Narrative inquiry Future directions for qualitative research Emerging forms of representation Problems in qualitative research Qualitative Methods in Psychology 2nd edition is key reading for psychology students and professionals who use psychological research methods in their work.