Qualitative Research for Education An Introduction to Theories and Methods

by Bogdan, Robert; Biklen, Sari Knopp

• ISBN13: 9780205482931
• ISBN10: 0205482937
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-07-25
• Publisher: Pearson

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 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	xiii
Foundations of Qualitative Research for Education	1	(53)
Characteristics of Qualitative Research	3	(5)
Traditions of Qualitative Research	8	(16)
Disciplinary Traditions	8	(1)
Chicago Sociology	9	(1)
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	(6)
Theoretical Underpinnings	24	(11)
Phenomenological Approach	25	(2)
Symbolic Interaction	27	(2)
A Story	29	(1)
Culture	30	(2)
Ethnomethodology	32	(1)
The Current Theoretical Scene: Cultural Studies, Feminisms, Postmodernism, Critical Theory, and Institutional Ethnography	33	(2)
On Methods and Methodology	35	(1)
Eleven Common Questions about Qualitative Research	35	(13)
Ethics	48	(5)
What Is to Come	53	(1)
Research Design	54	(28)
Choosing a Study	56	(3)
Case Studies	59	(11)
Historical Organizational Case Studies	60	(1)
Observational Case Studies	60	(3)
Life History	63	(1)
Documents	64	(2)
Other Forms of Case Studies	66	(1)
Case-Study Design Issues	66	(3)
Multicase Studies	69	(1)
Multisite Studies	70	(6)
Modified Analytic Induction	70	(3)
The Constant Comparative Method	73	(2)
Multi-Sited Ethnography	75	(1)
Additional Issues Related to Design	76	(5)
Proposal Writing	76	(3)
Interview Schedules and Observer Guides	79	(1)
Team Research and the Lone Ranger	80	(1)
Qualitative Research and Historical Research	80	(1)
Concluding Remarks	81	(1)
Fieldwork	82	(35)
Gaining Access	84	(5)
First Days in the Field	89	(2)
The Participant/Observer Continuum	91	(2)
Doing Fieldwork in Another Culture	93	(1)
Researcher Characteristics and Special Problems with Rapport	94	(4)
Be Discreet	98	(2)
Researching in Politically Charged and Conflict-Ridden Settings	100	(1)
Feelings	101	(2)
Interviewing	103	(9)
Focus Groups	109	(3)
Audio Recording	112	(1)
Visual Recording and Fieldwork	112	(3)
Triangulation	115	(1)
Leaving the Field	116	(1)
Qualitative Data	117	(42)
Some Friendly Advice	118	(1)
Fieldnotes	118	(8)
The Content of Fieldnotes	120	(4)
The Form of Fieldnotes	124	(2)
The Process of Writing Fieldnotes	126	(3)
Transcripts from Taped Interviews	129	(4)
The Form of Transcripts	129	(2)
Recording Equipment	131	(2)
Documents	133	(8)
Personal Documents	133	(3)
Official Documents	136	(2)
Popular Culture Documents	138	(3)
Photography	141	(13)
Found Photographs	142	(9)
Researcher-Produced Photographs	151	(1)
Photographs as Analysis	152	(1)
Technique and Equipment	152	(2)
Official Statistics and Other Quantitative Data	154	(3)
Concluding Remarks	157	(2)
Data Analysis and Interpretation	159	(39)
Analysis and Interpretation in the Field	160	(12)
More Tips	171	(1)
Analysis and Interpretation after Data Collection	172	(12)
Developing Coding Categories	173	(7)
Preassigned Coding Systems	180	(1)
Influences on Coding and Analysis	180	(4)
The Mechanics of Working with Data	184	(3)
Computers and Data Analysis	187	(10)
Interpretation	197	(1)
Concluding Remarks	197	(1)
Writing It Up	198	(21)
Writing Choices	199	(10)
Decisions about Your Argument	199	(2)
Decisions about Your Presence in the Text	201	(1)
Decisions about Your Audience	202	(1)
Decisions about Disciplines	203	(1)
Decisions about the Introduction	204	(1)
Decisions about the Core of the Paper and Strategies for Communicating Evidence	205	(4)
Decisions about the Conclusion	209	(1)
More Writing Tips	209	(6)
Call It a Draft	209	(1)
Styles of Presentation	210	(1)
Overwriting	211	(1)
``Yes. But...?''	212	(1)
Keep It Simple Up Front	212	(1)
Whose Perspective Are You Writing From?	212	(1)
Jargon and Code	213	(1)
On Giving Voice	214	(1)
General Advice	215	(1)
Criteria for Evaluating Writing	215	(2)
Is It Convincing?	216	(1)
Is the Author in Control of the Writing?	216	(1)
Does It Make a Contribution?	217	(1)
Texts	217	(1)
A Final Point about Getting Started	218	(1)
Applied Qualitative Research for Education	219	(30)
Evaluation and Policy Research	223	(11)
Head Start: Description of a Case Study	223	(1)
Head Start: Discussion of a Case Study	224	(1)
Getting Funds	224	(1)
Relations between the Contractor and the Researcher	225	(2)
The Research Site	227	(1)
Feedback	228	(1)
The Audience	229	(1)
Timetables	229	(1)
A Values-Based Approach to Policy Research	229	(2)
More on the Study	231	(1)
Selecting Sites	231	(1)
Field Relations	232	(1)
Analysis and Dissemination	232	(1)
Theoretical and Conceptual Understanding	233	(1)
Action Research	234	(9)
The Case of It Not Adding Up: Description	235	(2)
The Case of It Not Adding Up: Discussion	237	(1)
Political Action Research	237	(2)
What Action Research Can Do	239	(1)
The Action Research Approach to Data	240	(2)
Action Research and the Qualitative Tradition	242	(1)
Practitioner Uses of Qualitative Research	243	(6)
Employing Qualitative Research to Improve Your Teaching	244	(1)
The Qualitative Approach and Teacher Education	245	(4)
Appendix A Examples of Observational Questions for Educational Settings	249	(11)
Appendix B Example of Fieldnotes	260	(11)
Glossary	271	(5)
References	276	(21)
Index	297