Qualitative Research for Education : An Introduction to Theory and Methods

by Bogdan, Robert C.; Biklen, Sari Knopp

• ISBN13: 9780205275649
• ISBN10: 0205275648
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-12-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

The purpose of this introductory level text is to provide the reader with a background for understanding the uses of qualitative research in education, to examine its theoretical and historical underpinnings, and to discuss specific methods for conducting qualitative research. This new edition places qualitative research within current debates about research methods and alternative ways of knowing. While the authors approach the subject from a sociological perspective, they also take care to reflect the many changes in conceptualization of qualitative research brought by post-structural and feminist thought.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
1 Foundations of Qualitative Research in Education: An Introduction	1	(48)
Characteristics of Qualitative Research	4	(3)
Traditions of Qualitative Research	7	(15)
Disciplinary Traditions	8	(1)
Chicago Sociology	8	(2)
The Sociology of Education	10	(1)
European Connections and the Social Survey Movement	11	(3)
Ideological and Political Practices	14	(1)
Ideologies and Social Change	15	(3)
Politics and Theory in the Academy	18	(4)
Theoretical Underpinnings	22	(10)
Phenomenological Approach	23	(2)
Symbolic Interaction	25	(2)
A Story	27	(1)
Culture	28	(2)
Ethnomethodology	30	(1)
The Current Theoretical Scene: Cultural Studies, Feminisms, Post Modernism, and Critical Theory	30	(1)
On Methods and Methodology	31	(1)
Ten Common Questions about Qualitative Research	32	(10)
Ethics	42	(5)
What Is to Come	47	(2)
2 Research Design	49	(24)
Choosing a Study	51	(3)
Case Studies	54	(9)
Historical Organizational Case Studies	55	(1)
Observational Case Studies	55	(1)
Life History	56	(1)
Documents	57	(3)
Other Forms of Case Studies	60	(1)
Case Study Design Issues	60	(2)
Multi-Case Studies	62	(1)
Multi-Site Studies	63	(5)
Modified Analytic Induction	63	(3)
The Constant Comparative Method	66	(2)
Additional Issues Related to Design	68	(4)
Proposal Writing	68	(2)
Interview Schedules and Observer Guides	70	(1)
Team Research and the Lone Ranger	71	(1)
Qualitative Research and Historical Research	71	(1)
Concluding Remarks	72	(1)
3 Fieldwork	73	(33)
Gaining Access	74	(5)
First Days in the Field	79	(2)
The Participant/Observer Continuum	81	(2)
Doing Fieldwork in Another Culture	83	(1)
Researcher Characteristics and Special Problems with Rapport	84	(4)
Be Discreet	88	(2)
Researching in Politically Charged and Conflict-Ridden Settings	90	(1)
Feelings	91	(2)
How Long Should an Observation Session Be?	93	(1)
Interviewing	93	(8)
Visual Recording and Fieldwork	101	(3)
Triangulation	104	(1)
Leaving the Field	104	(2)
4 Qualitative Data	106	(51)
Some Friendly Advice	107	(1)
Fieldnotes	107	(20)
The Content of Fieldnotes	121	(4)
The Form of Fieldnotes	125	(2)
The Process of Writing Fieldnotes	127	(3)
Transcripts from Taped Interviews	130	(3)
The Form of Transcripts	130	(3)
Documents	133	(8)
Personal Documents	134	(3)
Official Documents	137	(1)
Popular Culture Documents	138	(3)
Photography	141	(11)
Found Photographs	142	(7)
Researcher-Produced Photographs	149	(1)
Photographs as Analysis	150	(1)
Technique and Equipment	151	(1)
Official Statistics and Other Quantitative Data	152	(4)
Concluding Remarks	156	(1)
5 Data Analysis	157	(30)
Analysis in the Field	158	(12)
More Tips for Analysis in (and out of) the Field	169	(1)
Analysis after Data Collection	170	(11)
Developing Coding Catagories	171	(6)
Preassigned Coding Systems	177	(1)
Influences on Coding and Analysis	177	(4)
The Mechanics of Working with Data	181	(5)
Concluding Remarks	186	(1)
6 Writing It Up	187	(22)
Writing Choices	188	(11)
Decisions about Your Argument	188	(2)
Decisions about Your Presence in the Text	190	(1)
Decisions about Your Audience	191	(1)
Decisions about Disciplines	192	(1)
Decisions about the Introduction	193	(1)
Decisions about the Core of the Paper and Strategies for Communicating Evidence	194	(4)
Decisions about the Conclusion	198	(1)
More Writing Tips	199	(6)
Call It a Draft	199	(1)
Styles of Presentation	199	(2)
Overwriting	201	(1)
"Yes. But...?"	201	(1)
Keep It Simple Up Front	202	(1)
Whose Perspective Are You Writing From?	202	(1)
Jargon and Code	202	(2)
On Giving Voice	204	(1)
General Advice	204	(1)
Criteria for Evaluating Writing	205	(2)
Is It Convincing?	205	(1)
Is the Author in Control of the Writing?	206	(1)
Does It Make a Contribution?	206	(1)
Texts	207	(1)
A Final Point about Getting Started	208	(1)
7 Applied Qualitative Research for Education	209	(30)
Evaluation and Policy Research	213	(11)
Head Start: Description of a Case Study	213	(1)
Head Start: Discussion of a Case Study	214	(1)
Getting Funds	215	(1)
Relations between the Contractor and the Researcher	215	(2)
The Research Site	217	(1)
Feedback	218	(1)
The Audience	219	(1)
Timetable	219	(1)
A Values-Based Approach to Policy Research	219	(2)
More on the Study	221	(1)
Selecting Sites	221	(1)
Field Relations	222	(1)
Analysis and Dissemination	222	(1)
Theoretical and Conceptual Understanding	223	(1)
Action Research	224	(9)
The Case of It Not Adding Up: Description	225	(2)
The Case of It Not Adding Up: Discussion	227	(1)
Political Action Research	227	(2)
What Action Research Can Do	229	(1)
The Action Research Approach to Data	230	(2)
Action Research and the Qualitative Tradition	232	(1)
Practitioner Uses of Qualitative Research	233	(6)
Employing Qualitative Research to Improve Your Teaching	234	(1)
The Qualitative Approach to Teacher Education	235	(4)
Appendix Examples of Observational Questions for Educational Settings	239	(11)
References	250	(20)
Index	270