Readme first for a user's guide to qualitative methods / Janice M. Morse, Lyn Richards.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Morse, Janice M.

Contributor:

Richards, Lyn.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social sciences--Research--Methodology.

Social sciences.

Qualitative research.

Physical Description:

xv, 262 pages ; 24 cm + 1 computer optical disc (4 3/4 in.)

Other Title:

Read me first for a user's guide to qualitative methods

Place of Publication:

Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage Publications, [2002]

System Details:

text file

Summary:

This book provides beginning researchers with an overview of techniques for making data and an explanation of the ways different tools fit different purposes to provide different research experiences and outcomes. The authors clearly explain why there are many methods and show readers how to locate their study within that choice. Written as a pragmatic companion, this text will help readers get confidently and competently started on a research path that works for their study.

Contents:

1. Why Readme First? 1

Methods and Their Integrity 4

Methodological Diversity and Informed Choice 6

No Mysteries! 7

Learning by Doing It: Qualitative Research as a Craft 8

Qualitative Research as a Challenge 9

Using Readme 10

Terminology 10

The Shape of the Book 11

What to Expect 14

Doing Qualitative Research 15

Part I. Thinking Research 21

2. The Integrity of Qualitative Research 23

Methodological Purposiveness 24

Why Are You Working Qualitatively? 25

Should You Be Working Qualitatively? 27

How Should You Be Working Qualitatively? 29

Methodological Congruence 32

Seeing Congruence by Doing It 33

The Armchair Walkthrough 34

And Now

Your Topic 35

How to Find a Topic 37

From Topic to Researchable Question: Focusing Qualitative Inquiry 39

3. Selecting a Method 43

Commonalities and Differences 43

What Do All Qualitative Methods Have in Common? 43

The Distinctiveness of Qualitative Methods 44

Phenomenology 44

What Sorts of Questions Are Addressed? 45

Researcher Stance 46

Data Gathering/Making 47

What Do the Results Look Like? 47

What Forms May Phenomenology Take? 47

Ethnography 48

What Sorts of Questions Are Addressed? 49

Researcher Stance 50

Data Gathering/Making 50

What Do the Results Look Like? 52

What Forms May Ethnography Take? 53

Grounded Theory 54

What Sorts of Questions Are Addressed? 55

Researcher Stance 55

Data Gathering/Making 56

What Do the Results Look Like? 56

What Forms May Grounded Theory Take? 57

Additional Qualitative Methods 58

4. Qualitative Research Design 65

The Levels of Design 66

Planning Design 66

The Scope of the Project 67

The Nature of the Data 69

Doing Design 71

Project Pacing 73

Conceptualizing Stage 73

Entering the Field 73

Setting Up and Managing a Data Management System 74

Sampling and Theoretical Sampling 74

Analysis 75

Overall Project Design 75

Comparative Design 75

Triangulated Design 76

Taking an Overview 79

What Does the Computer Offer? 79

Part II. Inside Analysis 85

5. Making Data 87

What Are Data (and What Are Not) 88

The Researcher in the Data 89

Good Data/Bad Data 89

Ways of Making Data 91

Interviews 92

Observations 96

Photography 97

Documents 97

Indirect Strategies 97

Who Makes Data? 98

Transforming Data 99

Managing Data 100

The Role of Data 101

Yourself as Data 103

You and Those You Study 104

Your Experience as Data 105

What Does the Computer Offer? 106

6. Coding 111

Getting Inside the Data 113

Storing Ideas 114

Doing Coding 115

Descriptive Coding 116

Topic Coding 117

Analytic Coding 119

Theme-ing 121

Purposiveness of Coding 122

Tips and Traps: Handling Codes and Coding 123

Code as You Learn 123

Always See Coding as Reflection 123

Never Code More Than You Need 123

Manage Your Codes 124

Monitor Coding Consistency 125

What Does the Computer Offer? 126

7. Abstracting 129

The First Step: Categorizing 131

Categorization and Coding 131

Categorization as Everyday Strategy 132

The Next Step: Conceptualizing 133

Doing Abstraction 134

When Does It Happen? 134

Where Does It Come From? 136

How Is It Done? 137

What Are You Aiming For? 137

Managing Abstraction 137

Documenting Ideas: Definitions, Memos, and Diaries 138

Growing Ideas 138

Managing Categories: Index Systems 139

Models and Diagrams 139

What Does the Computer Offer? 140

8. Revisiting Methodological Congruence 145

Phenomenology 146

Data-Making Strategies 146

Analytic Strategies 147

Ethnography 148

First-Level Description 149

Thick Description 150

Comparison 151

Results 152

Grounded Theory 156

Data-Making Strategies 156

Data Preparation 156

Analytic Strategies 157

Part III. Getting It Right 165

9. On Getting It Right and Knowing if It's Wrong 167

Ensuring Rigor in the Design Phase 168

Appropriate Preparation (Skill/Knowledge Level) of the Researcher 168

Appropriate Review of the Literature 169

Thinking Qualitatively, Working Inductively 170

Using Appropriate Methods and Design 171

Ensuring Rigor While Conducting a Project 172

Using Appropriate Sampling Techniques 172

Responsiveness to Strategies That Are Not Working 173

Appropriate Pacing of the Project 174

Coding Reliably 175

When Is It Done? 175

Project Histories 176

Audit Trails 177

Comparing and Fitting Findings Into the Literature 177

Demonstrating Rigor on Completion of the Project 178

Reaffirming Legitimacy Following Completion 178

10. Writing It Up 183

Ready to Write? 183

Who Is It for, and Where Will It Appear? 184

Writing Qualitatively 185

Using Your Data 186

Brevity and Balance 188

Re-revisiting Methodological Congruence 189

Protecting Participants 189

Evaluate Your Writing 191

Polishing 191

Part IV. Beginning Your Project 195

11. Groundwork for Beginning Your Project 197

Writing Your Proposal 197

Using the Literature Review 198

Writing the Methods Section 199

Estimating Time (and Related Resources) 200

Developing a Budget 200

A Note on Dealing With Available Data 202

Ensuring Ethical Research 203

The Challenge of Anonymity 203

Permissions 204

Participant Assent and Consent 205

Why Is It So Hard to Start? 210

How to Start? 211

Start in the Library 211

Start With an Armchair Walkthrough 212

Start Thinking Method 213

Start Skilled 213

Start With Yourself 214

Start Small 216

Start Safe 216

Start Soon 217

Start With a Research Design 217

Congratulations, You've Started! 218

Appendix Qualitative Computing Tutorials / Lyn Richards 219.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 241-251) and indexes.

ISBN:

0761918906

0761918914

OCLC:

48811083