In qualitative research, one can often hear the statement that research results are just (social) constructions. In criminal cases and in court hearings, we tend to expect that the true sequence of events has to be found rather than just any story. Here the author shows that qualitative social research can be conducted in the manner of police work or court proceedings. He does so by exhibiting how short pieces of transcriptions can be approached to uncover who, when, where, and how participated, what kind of social situation produced the transcription, and so on without any background knowledge other than that talk itself. Commenting on transcriptions of a researcher in the course of doing rigorous data analysis, readers learn doing ethnographically adequate accounts and critical institutional ethnography “at the elbow” of an experienced practitioners. Further topics include the role of turn sequences, the ethnomethods of knowledge-power and institutional relations, the documentary method of interpretation, and time-sensitive social analysis.

W. Newton Suter argues that what is important in a changing education landscape is the ability to think clearly about research methods, reason through complex problems and evaluate published research. He explains how to evaluate data and establish its relevance.

Written by an experienced researcher in the field of qualitative methods, this dynamic new book provides a definitive introduction to analysing qualitative data. It is a clear, accessible and practical guide to each stage of the process, including: - Designing and managing qualitative data for analysis - Working with data through interpretive, comparative, pattern and relational analyses - Developing explanatory theory and coherent conclusions, based on qualitative data. The book pairs theoretical discussion with practical advice using a host of examples from diverse projects across the social sciences. It describes data analysis strategies in actionable steps and helpfully links to the use of computer software where relevant. This is an exciting new addition to the literature on qualitative data analysis and a must-read for anyone who has collected, or is preparing to collect, their own data.

Qualitative Data Analysis shows that learning how to analyse qualitative data by computer can be fun. Written in a stimulating style, with examples drawn mainly from every day life and contemporary humour, it should appeal to a wide audience.

This book provides step-by-step instructions on how to analyze text generated from in-depth interviews and focus groups, relating predominantly to applied qualitative studies. The book covers all aspects of the qualitative data analysis process, employing a phenomenological approach which has a primary aim of describing the experiences and perceptions of research participants. Similar to Grounded Theory, the authors' approach is inductive, content-driven, and searches for themes within textual data.

Finally, a practical guide to mixed methods research has been written with health and human services professionals in mind. Watkins and Gioia review the fundamentals of mixed methods research designs and the general suppositions of mixed methods procedures, look critically at mixed method studies and models that have already been employed in social work, and reflect on the contributions of this work to the field. But what is most important is that they lead the reader through considerations for the application of the mixed methods research in social work settings. The chapters of this book are structured so that readers can (figuratively) walk through the mixed methods research process using nine steps. Chapters one, five, and six provide supplemental material meant to serve as grounding for chapters two, three, and four, which outline nine steps in the mixed methods research process, and specific to social work research. This is a short and practical guide not just for learning about mixed methods research, but also doing it.

Drawing on the expertise of major names in the field, this text provides comprehensive coverage of the key methods for analyzing, interpreting, and writing up qualitative research in a single volume.