This book is the road map to proficiency and development in the field of qualitative research. Borrowing from a wealth of experience teaching introductory qualitative research courses, author Kakali Bhattacharya lays out a dynamic program for learning different paradigms of inquiry, empowering students to recognize the convergence of popular research methodologies as well as the nuances and complexities that set each of them apart. Her book:
supplements the readings and activities in a qualitative methods class, exposing students to the research process and the dominant types of qualitative research;
introduces a variety of theoretical perspectives in qualitative research, including positivism and postpositivism, interpretivism, feminism, symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, critical theory, and Critical Race Theory;
identifies and summarizes the three dominant methodological approaches in qualitative research: narrative inquiry, grounded theory, and ethnography;
provides interactive activities and exercises to help students crystallize their understanding of the different topics in each chapter.
Using This Book
1 Unit 1: Meeting Qualitative Methods
Intentions of This Unit
Truth, Reality, and Meaning in Research
Objectivist and Constructivist Ways of Knowing
Elements of Research
Qualitative Research and Culture
Qualitative Research and the Research Process
2 Unit 2: Terrain and Types of Qualitative Research
Intentions of This Unit
Terrain of Qualitative Research
Academic Rigor in Qualitative Research
Common Types of Qualitative Studies
3 Unit 3: Conceptualizing Qualitative Research
Intentions of This Unit
Subjectivities
Change Your Language, Change Your Paradigm
Thinking about Research Purpose
Thinking about Research Questions
Data Sources in Qualitative Research
4 Unit 4: Working with Theoretical Frameworks
Intentions of This Unit
Positivism and Postpositivism
Interpretivism
Symbolic Interactionism
Phenomenology
Hermeneutics
Critical Theories
Critical Race Theory
Feminism
5 Unit 5: Methodological Approaches to Qualitative Inquiry
Intentions of This Unit
Methodological Approaches
Narrative Inquiry
Types of Narrative Inquiry
Designing a Narrative Inquiry Study: Using Our Wiki Example
Phenomenological Inquiry
Types of Phenomenological Inquiry
Designing a Phenomenological Study: Using Our Wiki Example
Grounded Theory
Types of Grounded Theory Inquiry
Designing a Constructivist Grounded Theory Study: Using Our Wiki Example
Case Study
Types of Case Study Inquiries
Example of a Multiple Case Study
Data Analysis
Ethnography
Types of Ethnographic Research
Considerations for Ethnography
Example of a Mini Virtual Ethnography Study
Data Analysis Process for a Mini Virtual Ethnography
6 Unit 6: Data Collection Methods
Intentions of This Unit
What Are Qualitative Interviews?
The Interview Process
Types of Interview Questions
Tips and Strategies for Conducting Qualitative Interviews
What Are Observations?
The Observation Process
Tips and Strategies for Conducting Participant Observations
What are Documents in Qualitative Research?
The Process of Collecting Documents
Example of Documents Collected in Wiki Study and Trivia Study
Tips and Strategies for Collecting Documents
7 Unit 7: Data Analysis, Interpretation, and Re-Presentation
Intentions of This Unit
What Does Data Analysis Mean?
What Is Inductive Analysis?
An Approach to Inductive Analysis
Do Themes Really Emerge?
An Example of Inductive Analysis
Mapping as Inductive Analysis
Interpretation and Data Re-Presentation in Qualitative Research
Cautions about Choosing Re-Presentations
Re-Presenting Your Study
But Writing Is Hard
8 Unit 8: Pulling It All Together
Intentions of This Unit
Revisiting Your Research Interest
Expand Your Thoughts about Your Research Project
Research Design and Theoretical Alignment
Methods of Data Collection
Data Analysis Methods
Representation of Your Work
Appendix A
Appendix B
References
