Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences

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