Qualitative Research for Education : An Introduction to Theories and Methods

by Bogdan, Robert; Biklen, Sari Knopp

• ISBN13: 9780205375561
• ISBN10: 0205375561
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

This concise, applied, and very clearly written introduction to qualitative research methods can be used effectively in a semester, or year-long course. The purpose of this introductory-level text is to provide the reader with a background for understanding the uses of qualitative research in education (and other professions) to examine its theoretical and historical underpinnings, and to provide the how-to's of doing 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	xi
Foundations of Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction	1	(48)
Characteristics of Qualitative Research	3	(4)
Traditions of Qualitative Research	7	(14)
Disciplinary Traditions	7	(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	14	(3)
Politics and Theory in the Academy	17	(4)
Theoretical Underpinnings	21	(11)
Phenomenological Approach	22	(2)
Symbolic Interaction	24	(2)
A Story	26	(1)
Culture	27	(2)
Ethnomethodology	29	(1)
The Current Theoretical Scene: Cultural Studies, Feminisms, Post Modernism, and Critical Theory	30	(1)
On Methods and Methodology	31	(1)
Eleven Common Questions about Qualitative Research	32	(10)
Ethics	42	(6)
What Is to Come	48	(1)
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)
Fieldwork	73	(36)
Gaining Access	75	(5)
First Days in the Field	80	(2)
The Participant/Observer Continuum	82	(2)
Doing Fieldwork in Another Culture	84	(1)
Researcher Characteristics and Special Problems with Rapport	85	(4)
Be Discreet	89	(2)
Researching in Politically Charged and Conflict-Ridden Settings	91	(1)
Feelings	92	(2)
Interviewing	94	(10)
Visual Recording and Fieldwork	104	(3)
Triangulation	107	(1)
Leaving the Field	108	(1)
Qualitative Data	109	(38)
Some Friendly Advice	110	(1)
Fieldnotes	110	(8)
The Content of Fieldnotes	112	(4)
The Form of Fieldnotes	116	(2)
The Process of Writing Fieldnotes	118	(3)
Transcripts from Taped Interviews	121	(3)
The Form of Transcripts	121	(3)
Documents	124	(8)
Personal Documents	124	(3)
Official Documents	127	(2)
Popular Culture Documents	129	(3)
Photography	132	(11)
Found Photographs	133	(7)
Researcher-Produced Photographs	140	(1)
Photographs as Analysis	141	(1)
Technique and Equipment	141	(2)
Official Statistics and Other Quantitative Data	143	(3)
Concluding Remarks	146	(1)
Data Analysis and Interpretation	147	(38)
Analysis and Interpretation in the Field	148	(12)
More Tips	159	(1)
Analysis and Interpretation after Data Collection	160	(12)
Developing Coding Categories	161	(7)
Preassigned Coding Systems	168	(1)
Influences on Coding and Analysis	168	(4)
The Mechanics of Working with Data	172	(12)
Interpretation	184	(1)
Concluding Remarks	184	(1)
Writing It Up	185	(21)
Writing Choices	186	(10)
Decisions about Your Argument	186	(2)
Decisions about Your Presence in the Text	188	(1)
Decisions about Your Audience	189	(1)
Decisions about Disciplines	190	(1)
Decisions about the Introduction	191	(1)
Decisions about the Core of the Paper and Strategies for Communicating Evidence	192	(4)
Decisions about the Conclusion	196	(1)
More Writing Tips	196	(6)
Call It a Draft	196	(1)
Styles of Presentation	197	(1)
Overwriting	198	(1)
``Yes. But...?''	199	(1)
Keep It Simple Up Front	199	(1)
Whose Perspective Are You Writing From?	199	(1)
Jargon and Code	200	(1)
On Giving Voice	201	(1)
General Advice	202	(1)
Criteria for Evaluating Writing	202	(2)
Is It Convincing?	203	(1)
Is the Author in Control of the Writing?	203	(1)
Does It Make a Contribution?	203	(1)
Texts	204	(1)
A Final Point about Getting Started	205	(1)
Applied Qualitative Research for Education	206	(30)
Evaluation and Policy Research	210	(11)
Head Start: Description of a Case Study	210	(1)
Head Start: Discussion of a Case Study	211	(1)
Getting Funds	211	(1)
Relations between the Contractor and the Researcher	212	(2)
The Research Site	214	(1)
Feedback	215	(1)
The Audience	216	(1)
Timetable	216	(1)
A Values-Based Approach to Policy Research	216	(2)
More on the Study	218	(1)
Selecting Sites	218	(1)
Field Relations	219	(1)
Analysis and Dissemination	219	(1)
Theoretical and Conceptual Understanding	220	(1)
Action Research	221	(9)
The Case of It Not Adding Up: Description	222	(2)
The Case of It Not Adding Up: Discussion	224	(1)
Political Action Research	224	(2)
What Action Research Can Do	226	(1)
The Action Research Approach to Data	227	(2)
Action Research and the Qualitative Tradition	229	(1)
Practitioner Uses of Qualitative Research	230	(6)
Employing Qualitative Research to Improve Your Teaching	231	(1)
The Qualitative Approach and Teacher Education	232	(4)
Appendix A Examples of Observational Questions for Educational Settings	236	(11)
Appendix B Examples of Fieldnotes	247	(11)
Glossary	258	(5)
References	263	(20)
Index	283