Qualitative Methods for Family Studies and Human Development

Kerry J. Daly (Ph.D., Sociology, McMaster University) is a full professor in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph. In over a decade of teaching a graduate course on qualitative methods, he has had students from his own interdisciplinary department as well as students from Psychology, Sociology, Nursing and Nutrition, thus sensitizing him to the many different values and procedures that exist across the varied audiences and disciplines that contribute to family studies. With Jane Gilgun and Gerald Handel, he co-edited the book "Qualitative Methods in Family Research" (Sage 1992), and he has authored a number of articles focusing on qualitative methodology in journals such as "Qualitative Inquiry," "The Journal of Contemporary Ethnography," "Symbolic Interaction," and "Journal of Marriage & Family." He co-authored the chapter on qualitative research methods in Leon Kuczynski's "Handbook of Dynamics in Parent-Child Relations (Sage 2003). He was recipient of the Anselm Strauss Award for the best qualitative research article in 2001. He was a member of the Steering Committee for the Qualitative Family Research Network, then Chair for 3 years and served for a period as Editor of the Qualitative Family Research newsletter. His teaching, research, and professional background combine to offer the perfect combination for undertaking this new text.

Chapter 1: Qualitative Research and the Art of Learning to See Learning to See The Paradox of Learning to See Paradox of Control and our Ability to See Lessons From the Art World: Positioning Ourselves to See Fully Drawing Informs Research: The Cultivation of Perceptual Skills Chapter 2: Epistemological Considerations in Qualitative Research Epistemology Paradigms Epistemology and Paradigms: Implications for Doing Qualitative Research Chapter 3: Paths of Inquiry for Qualitative Research Deduction Induction Abduction Induction, Deduction and Abduction in Practice: Cycles of Inquiry Chapter 4: Ontology of the Human Realm: Theoretical Foundations for Qualitative Inquiry Ontology and the Nature of Human Reality Ontological Assumptions About Human Development Ontological Assumptions About Families Ontology Shapes Inquiry Chapter 5: Methodology: How Theory Shapes Inquiry Ethnography and the Study of Culture Phenomenology: The Study of Conscious Experience Grounded Theory Methodology Narrative Inquiry: The Study of Story Critical Approaches: The Tradition of Feminist Inquiry and the Example of Participatory Action Research Chapter 6: Methods of Data Collection and Creation Observation Interviews Focus Groups Chapter 7: Research design: Constructing a Research Proposal What Kind of Chef Are You? Level I: Philosophical and Methodological Positioning Level II: Developing a Research Proposal Overview of the Research Plan: Practical Considerations Chapter 8: Positioning the Self: Role Considerations and the Practices of Reflexivity Dimensions of Reflexive Practice Why Do We Do Reflexivity? Reflexivity in Family Research Reflexivity and Social Positioning Balancing Vulnerability and Researcher Presence Chapter 9: Analytical Strategies What is Analysis in Qualitative Research? Analysis for What? Transcription as Part of Analysis Analytic Approaches in Various Methodologies The Diamond Approach: A Theory Development Model for Qualitative Data Analysis Chapter 10: Integrity Practices: Ethics, Credibility and Politics of Conducting Qualitative Research Ethical Guidelines Informed Consent Protecting Participants Through Confidentiality and Anonymity Accountability Credibility issues Conclusion

"Daly has crafted one of the most accessible, comprehensive, and functional texts in research methods that students, scholars, and practitioners concerned with understanding family and development will immensely appreciate." -- Carla L. Fisher * Journal of Family Communication *