The How To of Qualitative Research 2/e

Janice Aurini is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo. She completed her Ph.D. at McMaster University and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. Her research examines education policy, inequality, private education, and parenting. Dr. Aurini has conducted field work, video-recorded observations, interviews, focus groups with children and adults, and photo-interviews. She has also worked on several mixed methods and large-n qualitative projects. Her recent articles can be found in Sociology of Education, Canadian Public Policy, Qualitative Research, and the European Journal of Higher Education. She is currently the primary investigator on a SSHRC funded project on upper-middle-class parenting in three countries. Melanie Heath is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at McMaster University. She completed her Ph.D. at University of Southern California and was a postdoctoral fellow at Rice University. Her research examines gender, sexuality, and family politics. Dr. Heath has conducted field work, interviews, focus groups, and textual analysis. She is author of One Marriage Under God: The Campaign to Promote Marriage in America (New York University Press, 2012). Her forthcoming book on comparative government regulation of polygamies is titled, Forbidden Intimacies: Transnational Regulation of Polygamies at the Limits of Western Tolerance (Stanford University Press). Her recent work has been published in Gender & Society, Signs, Qualitative Sociology, Sociological Perspectives, Sociological Quarterly, and Contexts. Stephanie Howells is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Guelph. She completed her Ph.D. in the Department of Sociology at McMaster University. Her research is generally centered on education, crime, violence and youth. She has worked on several mixed methods research projects, and has conducted focus groups, personal interviews, and media analyses in her qualitative research. Her research has been published in Higher Education Policy and Policing. She is currently co-investigator on a SSHRC funded Partnership Development Grant called From NIMBY to Neighbour: Brokering a dialogue about homelessness among police, people experiencing homelessness and the community.

Part I: Jump Starting Your Qualitative Research Project Chapter 1: Introduction: From Why to How in Qualitative Research What is Qualitative Research? A pragmatic approach to qualitative research: What this book is (and is not) about Chapter 2: How to Conceptualize Research: Getting Started and Advancing Ongoing Projects Step One: Selecting a topic Step Two: How to Use the Literature to Conceptualize Step Three: Take a step back Chapter 3: How to Design a Qualitative Project: Selecting the Right Tools for the Job Step One: Develop Research Question(s) Step Two: Connecting Research Question(s) to Methods Step Three: Developing a sampling strategy Chapter 4: Taking a Step Back: How to Build Methodological and Ethical Integrity into your Research Step One: Feasibility and fit Step Two: Trustworthiness Step Three: Sample size and saturation Step Four: Ethical considerations Part II: The Ins and Outs of Collecting Qualitative Data Chapter 5: How to Do Interviews: Making What People Say Matter Step One: Types of interviews Step Two: Method of interviewing Step Three: Getting prepared Step Four: Data collection tools Step Five: Closing the deal Step Six: Interviewing techniques Step Seven: Transcription decisions Step Eight: Managing interview data Chapter 6: How to Do Focus Groups: Making the Most of Group Processes Step One: Types of focus groups Step Two: Group size and sample size Step Three: Group composition Step Four: Group dynamics Step Five: Incentives Step Six: Roles Step Seven: Selecting a location Step Eight: The discussion guide Step Nine: Recording Chapter 7: How to Conduct Field Research: Getting in and Getting out with High Quality Data Step One: Types of field research Step Two: What is the 'field'? Step Three: Theoretical development Step Four: Gaining access Step Five: You're in, now what? Negotiating roles in the field Step Six: Time matters: How long is enough? Step Seven: Field notes: Data recording and organizational devices Chapter 8: How to Use Unobtrusive Methods: The Beauty of Social, Physical and Visual Artefacts Step One: Types of unobtrusive data Step Two: Collecting unobtrusive data: Key considerations and tools Part III: Analysing and Writing Up Your Research Chapter 9: How to Do Data Analysis: The Beginner's Guide to Coding Step One: Getting prepared Step Two: Pre-coding, first cycle and second cycle coding Chapter 10: How to Write up Qualitative Research: Making Your Words Count Step One: Writing up Qualitative Research: Style and Substance Step Two: Presenting your data Step Three: Tips for good writing Step Four: Effectively responding to reviewer comments

This books cleverly steers both new and more experienced researchers through the process of undertaking qualitative research. Its welcome pragmatic approach and rich examples are both useful and insightful, offering a toolkit for doing a wide range of projects with people, situations and different social environments. Whether you choose to dip into a single chapter or use the book as an overall guide, it will help you get started and get published! -- Dr Dawn Lyon