The Beginner S Guide To Doing Qualitative Research

This book provides theoretically grounded, real-world advice for students beginning to learn how to conduct qualitative research. Drawing on the authors extensive experience teaching qualitative methods, the text uses students questions and concerns as an organizational framework. Unlike many textbooks, this one provides students with an inside view into the most common dilemmas and challenges they will face as they start doing research. This easy-to-use book addresses the key phases of any ethnographic projectfrom beginning a project and defining its aims, to data collection, analysis, writing, and reporting results. While designed specifically for beginners, seasoned qualitative researchers will find useful insights, helpful tips, and new ways of thinking about qualitative research.

*Shortlisted for the BPS Book Award 2014 in the Textbook Category* *Winner of the 2014 Distinguished Publication Award (DPA) from the Association for Women in Psychology (AWP)* Successful Qualitative Research: A Practical Guide for Beginners is an accessible, practical textbook. It sidesteps detailed theoretical discussion in favor of providing a comprehensive overview of strategic tips and skills for starting and completing successful qualitative research. Uniquely, the authors provide a "patterns framework" to qualitative data analysis in this book, also known as "thematic analysis." The authors walk students through a basic thematic approach, and compare and contrast this with other approaches. This discussion of commonalities, explaining why and when each method should be used, and in the context of looking at patterns, will provide students with complete confidence for their qualitative research journey. This textbook will be an essential textbook for undergraduates and postgraduates taking a course in qualitative research or using qualitative approaches in a research project.

′I find your straightforward writing style an absolute joy, such a breath of fresh air!′ - Angie Ash, PhD student ′...thank you very much for your accessible language, clear lay out and practical applied approach. I suspect that this book will never be far from my side over the next 4 years!!′ - Mayen Konarski, PhD student Using straight-forward language Doing Qualitative Research Using Your Computer walks readers through the process of managing and streamlining research projects using commonly available Microsoft software applications. Drawing on a wide range of examples to demonstrate how easy it is to use such software, this guide is full of useful hints and tips on how to manage research more efficiently and effectively, including: - Formatting transcripts for maximum coding efficiency in Microsoft Word - Using features of Word to organize the analysis of data and to facilitate efficient qualitative coding - Synchronizing codes, categories, and important concepts between Microsoft Word and Microsoft Access - Efficiently storing and analyzing the qualitative data in Microsoft Excel - Creating flexible analytic memos in Access that help lead the researcher to final conclusions Ideal for those students or researchers who don′t want to invest in expensive specialised software packages, this guide will be an invaluable companion for anyone embarking on their own research project.

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.

'An excellent introduction to the theoretical, methodological and practical issues of qualitative research... they deal with issues at all stages in a very direct, clear, systematic and practical manner and thus make the processes involved in qualitative research more transparent' - Nyhedsbrev 'This is a "how to" book on qualitative methods written by people who do qualitative research for a living.... It is likely to become the standard manual on all graduate and undergraduate courses on qualitative methods' - Professor Robert Walker, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham What exactly is qualitative research? What are the processes involved and what can it deliver as a mode of inquiry? Qualitative research is an exciting blend of scientific investigation and creative discovery. When properly executed, it can bring a unique understanding of people's lives which in turn can be used to deepen our understanding of society. It as a skilled craft used by practitioners and researchers in the 'real world'; this textbook illuminates the possibilities of qualitative research and presents a sequential overview of the process written by those active in the field. Qualitative Research Practice: - Leads the student or researcher through the entire process of qualitative research from beginning to end - moving through design, sampling, data collection, analysis and reporting. - Is written by practising researchers with extensive experience of conducting qualitative research in the arena of social and public policy - contains numerous case studies. - Contains plenty of pedagogical material including chapter summaries, explanation of key concepts, reflective points for seminar discussion and further reading in each chapter - Is structured and applicable for all courses in qualitative research, irrespective of field. Drawn heavily on courses run by the Qualitative Unit at the National Centre for Social Research, this textbook should be recommended reading for students new to qualitative research across the social sciences.

Qualitative researchers can now connect with participants online to collect deep, rich data and generate new understandings of contemporary research phenomena. Doing Qualitative Research Online gives students and researchers the practical and scholarly foundations needed to gain digital research literacies essential for designing and conducting studies based on qualitative data collected online. The book will take a broad view of methodologies, methods and ethics, covering: Ethical issues in research design and ethical relationships with participants Designing online qualitative studies Collecting qualitative data online through interviews, observations, participatory and arts-based research and a wide range of posts and documents. Analyzing data and reporting findings Written by a scholar-practitioner in e-learning and online academia with 15 years’ experience, this book will help all those new to online research by providing a range of examples and illustrations from published research. The text and accompanying materials will offer discussion and assignment ideas for ease of adoption.

Lecturers/instructors - request a free digital inspection copy here In the Second Edition of this textbook designed for new researchers, Uwe Flick takes readers through the process of producing a research project. The book gives readers the fundamental data collection and analysis skills that they need for their first project, as well as a good understanding of the research process as a whole. It covers both quantitative and qualitative methods, and contains plenty of real-life examples from the author's own research. The book will help readers to answer questions such as: why do social research in the first place? how do I develop a researchable question? what is a literature review and how do I conduct one? how could I collect and analyze data? what if I want to do my research online? Available with Perusall—an eBook that makes it easier to prepare for class Perusall is an award-winning eBook platform featuring social annotation tools that allow students and instructors to collaboratively mark up and discuss their SAGE textbook. Backed by research and supported by technological innovations developed at Harvard University, this process of learning through collaborative annotation keeps your students engaged and makes teaching easier and more effective. Learn more.