Qualitative research

Written by an experienced researcher in the field of qualitative methods, this dynamic new book provides a definitive introduction to analysing qualitative data. It is a clear, accessible and practical guide to each stage of the process, including: - Designing and managing qualitative data for analysis - Working with data through interpretive, comparative, pattern and relational analyses - Developing explanatory theory and coherent conclusions, based on qualitative data. The book pairs theoretical discussion with practical advice using a host of examples from diverse projects across the social sciences. It describes data analysis strategies in actionable steps and helpfully links to the use of computer software where relevant. This is an exciting new addition to the literature on qualitative data analysis and a must-read for anyone who has collected, or is preparing to collect, their own data.

In his signature pragmatic and friendly style, David Silverman acts as your stand-in supervisor in the seventh edition of this book, taking you step-by-step through different methods for making sense of qualitative data.  Whether you are interested in analysing visual images, interviews, focus groups or online data, this book provides a clear framework for using qualitative data to answer your research questions.  The book provides:  * A strong grounding in research design principles so you can embed best practice into your research project. * Diverse real-world examples so you can see how principles are applied in practice. * Coverage of new developments in qualitative research including working with online data. If you are new to qualitative research or conducting your first research project in the social sciences, this book gives you the practical grounding in qualitative methods you need to get started. 

Johnny Saldaña's unique and invaluable manual demystifies the qualitative coding process with a comprehensive assessment of different coding types, examples and exercises. The ideal reference for students, teachers, and practitioners of qualitative inquiry, it is essential reading across the social sciences and neatly guides you through the multiple approaches available for coding qualitative data. Its wide array of strategies, from the more straightforward to the more complex, is skillfully explained and carefully exemplified providing a complete toolkit of codes and skills that can be applied to any research project. For each code Saldaña provides information about the method′s origin, gives a detailed description of the method, demonstrates its practical applications, and sets out a clearly illustrated example with analytic follow-up.  Now with a companion website, the book is supported by:  SAGE journal articles showing coding being applied to real research Sample transcripts highlighting coding techniques Links to CAQDAS sites to introduce relevant software Practical student exercises Links to video and digital content   This international bestseller is an extremely usable, robust manual and is a must-have resource for qualitative researchers at all levels. Click here for a listing of Johnny Saldaña′s upcoming workshops.

A necessary guide through the qualitative research process Qualitative Data is meant for the novice researcher who needs guidance on what specifically to do when faced with a sea of information. It takes readers through the qualitative research process, beginning with an examination of the basic philosophy of qualitative research, and ending with planning and carrying out a qualitative research study. It provides an explicit, step-by-step procedure that will take the researcher from the raw text of interview data through data analysis and theory construction to the creation of a publishable work. The volume provides actual examples based on the authors' own work, including two published pieces in the appendix, so that readers can follow examples for each step of the process, from the project's inception to its finished product. The volume also includes an appendix explaining how to implement these data analysis procedures using NVIVO, a qualitative data analysis program.

After collecting qualitative data from in-depth interviews, focus groups, or field observations, students and researchers often struggle to make sense of it. This step-by-step guide draws on the authors′ many years of experience carrying out qualitative research and conducting trainings on the subject. Their book describes how to analyze qualitative data in a systematic and rigorous way. The authors introduce and outline applied thematic analysis, an inductive approach that draws on established and innovative theme-based techniques suited to the applied research context. Chapters follow the sequence of activities in the analysis process and also include discussions of mixed methods, choosing the most appropriate software, and how to write up and present the results. "This book presents what all of the books I′ve tried to use in the past have failed to present--how to analyze qualitative data."--Catherine C. Schifter, Temple University "This book does a wonderful job of explaining how important thematic analysis is for producing good research, and it uses rich and detailed examples to do it."--Matthew Hartley, University of Pennsylvania

What matters in people's social lives? What motivates and inspires our society? How do we enact what we know? Since the first edition published in 1980, Content Analysis has helped shape and define the field. In the highly anticipated Fourth Edition, award-winning scholar and author Klaus Krippendorff introduces readers to the most current method of analyzing the textual fabric of contemporary society. Students and scholars will learn to treat data not as physical events but as communications that are created and disseminated to be seen, read, interpreted, enacted, and reflected upon according to the meanings they have for their recipients. Interpreting communications as texts in the contexts of their social uses distinguishes content analysis from other empirical methods of inquiry. Organized into three parts, Content Analysis first examines the conceptual aspects of content analysis, then discusses components such as unitizing and sampling, and concludes by showing readers how to trace the analytical paths and apply evaluative techniques. The Fourth Edition has been completely revised to offer readers the most current techniques and research on content analysis, including new information on reliability and social media. Readers will also gain practical advice and experience for teaching academic and commercial researchers how to conduct content analysis. 

Content analysis is one of the most important but complex research methodologies in the social sciences. In this thoroughly updated Second Edition of The Content Analysis Guidebook, author Kimberly Neuendorf draws on examples from across numerous disciplines to clarify the complicated aspects of content analysis through step-by-step instruction and practical advice. Throughout the book, the author also describes a wide range of innovative content analysis projects from both academia and commercial research that provide readers with a deeper understanding of the research process and its many real-world applications.

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Introducing the theory and practice of conversation, discourse and document analysis, this book proves how useful these methods are in addressing key questions in the social sciences. A true masterclass on practical issues such as generating an archive, transcribing video material, and analyzing discourses using a full range of documentary and verbal data. It is the essential guide to exploring the rich rewards of working with text and talk. 

'Conversation analysis' is an approach to the study of social interaction that focuses on practices of speaking that recur across a range of contexts and settings. The early studies in this tradition were based on the analysis of English conversation. More recently, however, conversation analysts have begun to study talk in a broader range of communities around the world. Through detailed analyses of recorded conversations, this book examines differences and similarities across a wide range of languages including Finnish, Japanese, Tzeltal Mayan, Russian, and Mandarin. Bringing together interrelated methodological and analytic contributions, it explores topics such as the role of gaze in question-and-answer sequences, the organization of repair, and the design of responses to assessments. The emerging comparative perspective demonstrates how the structure of talk is inflected by the local circumstances within which it operates.

Argues that anyone anthropologist, psychologist, or policeman who uses what people say to find out what people think had better know how speech itself is organized."

Introducing the theory and practice of conversation, discourse and document analysis, this text demonstrates the usefulness of these methods in addressing key questions in the social sciences. Tim Rapley also provides an overview of the particular challenges involved in collecting and analysing data from these sources.

Can discourse analysis techniques adequately deal with complex social phenomena? What does 'interdisciplinarity' mean for theory building and the practise of empirical research? This volume provides an innovative and original debate on critical theory and discourse analysis, focussing on the extent to which CDA can and should draw on the theory and methodology of a range of disciplines within the social sciences.

Bringing together papers written by Norman Fairclough over a 25 year period, Critical Discourse Analysis represents a comprehensive and important contribution to the development of this popular field.   The book is divided into seven sections covering the following themes:   language in relation to ideology and power discourse in processes of social and cultural change dialectics of discourse, dialectical relations between discourse and other moments of social life methodology of critical discourse analysis research analysis of political discourse discourse in globalisation and 'transition' critical language awareness in education   The new edition has been extensively revised and enlarged to include a total of twenty two papers. It will be of value to researchers in the subject and should prove essential reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in Linguistics and other areas of social science.    

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The student-focused guide to grounded theory, this book takes you step by step through the whole research process, from creating a research proposal to sharing your findings. Packed with tools to help you understand how grounded theory can be applied at each stage of your research project, the book includes: *Interactive activities and critical thinking questions in every chapter so you can put your knowledge into practice *Case studies written by a wide variety of researchers so you can learn how to navigate real world research from people who have been in your shoes *Templates and checklists to help guide your writing and ensure you don't miss a step in the research process. Clear, accessible and applied, this book will help you get to grips with the philosophy of grounded theory, understand the nuts and bolts of designing and carrying out your research project, and manage any hurdles along the way. Explore the accompanying online resources, which include PowerPoint slides, additional templates, and weblinks to videos and journal articles relevant to the key concepts in each chapter.  

Offering immensely practical advice, Basics of Qualitative Research, Fourth Edition presents methods that enable researchers to analyze, interpret, and make sense of their data, and ultimately build theory from it. Authors Juliet Corbin and Anselm Strauss (late of the University of San Francisco and co-creator of grounded theory) walk readers step-by-step through the research process--from the formation of the research question through several approaches to coding, analysis, and reporting. Packed with definitions and illustrative examples, this highly accessible book concludes with chapters that present criteria for evaluating a study, as well as responses to common questions posed by students of qualitative research. New end-of-chapter "Insider Insights" contributed by qualitative researchers give readers a sense of what it's like to work in the field. Significantly revised, this Fourth Edition remains a landmark volume in the study of qualitative methods. 

Building on the success of the bestselling The SAGE Handbook of Grounded Theory (2007), this title provides a much-needed and up-to-date overview, integrating some revised and updated chapters with new ones exploring recent developments in grounded theory and research methods in general. The highly-acclaimed editors have once again brought together a team of leading academics from a wide range of disciplines, perspectives and countries. This is a method-defining resource for advanced students and researchers across the social sciences.   Part One: The Grounded Theory Method: 50 Years OnPart Two: Theories and Theorizing in Grounded TheoryPart Three: Grounded Theory in PracticePart Four: Reflections on Using and Teaching Grounded TheoryPart Five: GTM and Qualitative Research PracticePart Six: GT Researchers and Methods in Local and Global Worlds

This short, easy to read introduction to grounded theory will help you to employ the method in your research project. Uwe Flick discusses each stage of the process of doing grounded theory research, including formulating a research question through analysis of data, theoretical sampling, sorting and saturation, data collection, coding and forming theories from data. 

Featuring contributions from leading scholars in the field, The Handbook of Narrative Analysis is the first comprehensive collection of sociolinguistic scholarship on narrative analysis to be published. Organized thematically to provide an accessible guide for how to engage with narrative without prescribing a rigid analytic framework Represents established modes of narrative analysis juxtaposed with innovative new methods for conducting narrative research Includes coverage of the latest advances in narrative analysis, from work on social media to small stories research Introduces and exemplifies a practice-based approach to narrative analysis that separates narrative from text so as to broaden the field beyond the printed page

Narrative research has become increasingly popular in the social sciences. While no part of the process is easy, researchers often struggle to make sense of data that can seem chaotic and without a discernable pattern. This book shows how to analyze stories, storytelling, and stories in society, bringing together a variety of approaches to both texts and narrative practice under one cover.

The Handbook of Visual Analysis is a rich methodological resource for students, academics, researchers and professionals interested in investigating the visual representation of socially significant issues. The Handbook: · Offers a wide-range of methods for visual analysis: content analysis, historical analysis, structuralist analysis, iconography, psychoanalysis, social semiotic analysis, film analysis and ethnomethodology · Shows how each method can be applied for the purposes of specific research projects. · Exemplifies each approach through detailed analyses of a variety of data, including, newspaper images, family photos, drawings, art works and cartoons. · Includes examples from the authors′ own research and professional practice. The Handbook of Visual Analysis which demonstrates the importance of visual data within the social sciences offers an essential guide to those working in a range of disciplines including: media and communication studies, sociology, anthropology, education, psychoanalysis, and health studies.

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′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.

Using Software in Qualitative Research is an essential introduction to the practice and principles of Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS). The book will help you to choose the most appropriate package for your needs and get the most out of the software once you are using it. This book considers a wide range of tasks and processes in the data management and analysis process, and shows how software can help you at each stage. In the new edition, the authors present three case studies with different forms of data (text, video and mixed data) and show how each step in the analysis process for each project could be supported by software. The new edition is accompanied by an extensive companion website with step-by-step instructions produced by the software developers themselves. Software programmes covered in second edition include the latest versions of: ATLAS.ti DEDOOSE HyperRESEARCH MAXQDA NVivo QDA Miner TRANSANA Ann Lewins and Christina Silver are leading experts in the field of CAQDAS and have trained thousands of students and researchers in using software. Reading this book is like having Ann and Christina at your shoulder as you analyse your data!

`A great basic book, which can be used by the novice qualitative researcher. The advice is friendly, almost folksy with clear conceptual explanation of how the program works. A very welcome contribution to this field′ - Martha Ann Carey, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York `Qualitative researchers continue to be criticized because they rely too much on their own interpretations and avoid analytical and theoretical issues. This book provides ways to integrate the thinking about a project and the data you have with practical ways that the software can facilitate the process. I recommend it for both the new user as well as the experienced one′ - Marilyn Lichtman, Forum for Qualitative Social Research - follow the link below to read the complete review This book invites readers to learn how to use qualitative data analysis software in the context of doing their research project. The reader follows basic steps for creating and conducting a real project with real data, using the new-generation software package, QSR NVivo. The software tools are introduced only as needed and explained in the framework of what is being asked. The reader is the craftsperson, trialling those tools in the processes of getting started, tentative interpretation, drawing links, shaping data, and seeking and establishing explanations and theories. The NVivo Qualitative Project Book allows the researcher to work through their own project, or work with data provided from a real project. The authors draw on decades of experience of research and training researchers around the world, and take the reader through each step in a style combining informality and authority, with frequent tips and reflections on what is being done. Demonstration software is provided on the enclosed CD-ROM, with data to help create (a researcher′s project) a project about researchers and researching, and with multiple stages arranged sequentially in the development of a real project. As a practical tool to help researchers understand qualitative data analysis software using NVivo, and a guide through the sometimes complex processes of doing a research project, this book will be invaluable reading for researchers and students undertaking qualitative research. Pat Bazeley provides training and consulting services in research design and data analysis through her company, Research Support. Lyn Richards is Director of Research Services at Qualitative Solutions and Research, the developers of NUD·IST and NVivo software. NVivo is distributed by Scolari, SAGE Publications Software.

An introduction to key approaches in qualitative analysis, demonstrating in each case how to carry them out using NVivo. NVivo is a powerful computer package from QSR, the developers of NUD.IST. It provides the researcher with an extensive range of tools and the book shows clearly how each can be used to support standard qualitative analysis techniques such as coding, theory building, theory testing, cross-sectional analysis, modelling and writing. The book demonstrates how different styles of analysis, such as grounded theory and narrative, rhetorical and structured approaches, can be undertaken using NViro. In most cases, the analysis is illustrated using documents from a single data set. There are many figures, tables, guides and hints for good practice. The result is a valuable text for undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers needing to learn both qualitative analysis techniques and the use of software such as NVivo.

From getting started to completing your research project, this book provides a practical guide to using QSR NUD.IST NVivo, the latest qualitative software package. Written in clear language, the book is accompanied by a CD-ROM which carries a demonstration version of the software, together with six tutorials to use with your own data. Much more than a manual, the book offers advice with each section, addressing a range of research approaches and priorities. Each chapter starts with an overview and includes tips on design issues and ways of flexibly managing your project. QSR NVivo is distributed by Scolari, Sage Publications Software."

Engaging and accessible, this book offers students a complete guide to using NVivo for qualitative data analysis. Drawing on their wealth of expertise, the authors offer detailed, practical advice that relates to students' own experience and research projects. Packed with real-world examples and case studies, the book supports students through every stage of qualitative data analysis. The Third Edition: Contains fully integrated instructions for using NVivo on both Mac and PC, with screenshots and click-by-click guidance. Seamlessly interweaves theory and practice in easy-to-follow steps. Empowers students to develop their critical thinking. Accompanied by video tutorials for both Mac and PC, web links and a host of other helpful online resources, this step-by-step book removes students′ anxiety about tackling data analysis. Whether for advanced researchers or those approaching the task for the first time, this clear, yet comprehensive guide is the perfect companion for anyone doing qualitative data analysis with NVivo.