Qualitative Research in Action A Canadian Primer

by van den Hoonaard, Deborah K.

• ISBN13: 9780195439199
• ISBN10: 0195439198
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-12-15
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Qualitative Research in Action: A Canadian Primer is an introduction to qualitative research methods for undergraduate students who do not have experience with doing qualitative research. The book provides both a discussion of the theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research and practicaladvice to help students apply the methods described. Qualitative Research in Action begins by explaining the inductive approach used by qualitative researchers in their research, helping students learn how the questions they ask determine the answers they find. The book also includes several chapters illustrating how to develop research questions andhow to apply various methods of collecting data to address those questions. Using numerous examples drawn from researchers' actual strategies and experiences, the book includes discussions of observation, in-depth interviews, and analysis of pre-existing documents. The text completes its walkthroughof the research process by showing students how to analyze their data and write effective research reports. These chapters also include lively examples and many hints about how to go about these challenging processes. The text concludes with a chapter on new directions in qualitative researchfollowed by a chapter that explores the ethical dimensions of doing this type of research.

Author Biography

Deborah K. van den Hoonaard is Professor of Gerontology at St. Thomas University. She is also a tier II Canada Research Chair in Qualitative Research and Analysis, and Associate Director of the Chronic Illness Research Institute, of which she is a founding member.