The Practice of Qualitative Research

Sharlene Nagy Hesse-Biber (PhD, University of Michigan) is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Women's Studies & Gender Studies Program at Boston College in Massachusetts. She has published widely on the impact of sociocultural factors on women's body image, including her book Am I Thin Enough Yet? The Cult of Thinness and the Commercialization of Identity, which was selected as one of Choice Magazine's best academic books for 1996. She has also written widely on methodological and methods issues, including the role of technology and emergent methods in social research. Dr. Hesse-Biber is co-editor of Emergent Methods in Social Research and the Handbook of Emergent Methods, as well as co-author of The Practice of Qualitative Research. She is also editor of the Handbook of Feminist Research: Theory and Praxis, which was selected as one of the Critics' Choice Award winners by the American Education Studies Association and was also chosen as one of Choice Magazine's Outstanding Academic titles for 2007. Dr. Hesse-Biber is co-developer of the software program HyperRESEARCH, a computer-assisted program for analyzing qualitative data, and the new transcription tool HyperTRANSCRIBE. For more information, see researchware.com.

The Practice of Qualitative Research guides readers step by step through the process of collecting, analyzing, designing, and interpreting qualitative research. Written by Sharlene Nagy Hesse-Biber in an engaging style, this student-centered text offers invaluable insights into the practice of qualitative research, with coverage of in-depth interviewing, focus groups, ethnography, case study, and mixed methods research. The Third Edition features even more integrated attention to online research and implications of social media throughout all methods chapters; updates on qualitative analysis software; and significantly expanded coverage of ethics.

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsPart I: Taking a Qualitative Approach to ResearchChapter 1: An Invitation to Qualitative Research What's Wrong With This Picture? What Is Qualitative Research? A Holistic Approach to Research What to Learn From This Book Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 2: Paradigmatic Approaches to Qualitative Research What Are the Major Paradigmatic Approaches to Qualitative Research? Positivism The Interpretive Strand The Critical Strand Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 3: Designing Qualitative Approaches to Research How Do We Know What We Know? What Is a Qualitative Approach to Research? Qualitative Research Inquiry: A Dynamic Dance Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 4: The Ethics of Social Research Why Is Ethical Practice Important? A Short History of Ethics in Research How Are Research Participants Protected Today? Beyond Informed Consent: What Are the Ethical Dilemmas in Social Research? How Can I Observe Ethical Values in My Research Practice? Do New Technologies Impact the Practice of Ethical Research? Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesPart II. Qualitative Research PracticeChapter 5: In-Depth Interviewing What Is an In-Depth Interview? How Do You Design and Conduct an In-Depth Interview Study? How Do You Conduct an In-Depth Interview How Do You Analyze and Interpret Interviews? Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 6: Focus Group Research What Are Focus Group Interviews? Online Focus Groups Ethics and Focus Group Research Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 7: Ethnography What Is Ethnography? Using an Ethnographic Approach: When Is It Appropriate? Virtual Ethnographic Methods How Do You Gather and Manage Your Ethnographic Data? Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 8: Case Study What Is a Case Study? Reasons for Adopting a Case Study Approach Why Conduct Case Study Research? Case Study Examples Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 9: Researching Mass Media: Images and Texts by Heather McIntosh and Lisa Cuklantz What Is Content Analysis? Strengths and Weaknesses of Quantitative and Qualitative Content Analysis Qualitative Content Analysis of Online Texts How Is the Research Database for Content Analysis Defined and Delimited? Making a Theoretical Contribution Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions Resources Appendix: Formal Analysis in Film and TelevisionChapter 10: Mixed Methods Research What Is Mixed Methods Research? What Is a Mixed Methods Research Design? What Is a Qualitatively Driven Approach to Mixed Methods Research Inquiry? Why Do Qualitative Researchers Use Mixed Methods? What to Consider When Conducting a Mixed Methods Research Project Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesPart III: Tying the Strands TogetherChapter 11: Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative Data What Is Qualitative Data Analysis? What Is Coding? A Grounded Theory Approach to Coding How Do You Code Data? Software for Qualitative Data Analysis How Can I Use a Software Program to Analyze My Qualitative Data? Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesChapter 12: Writing and Representation of Qualitative Research Projects Who Is Your Audience? Getting It Done: Writing Up Your Qualitative Research Project Editing and Revising Your Research Paper How Do I Represent the Voices of My Respondents? Conclusion Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesConclusion: Future Directions of Qualitative Research Inquiry The Future of Qualitative Research: Coming at Things Differently What¿s New in Qualitative Research Practice? Emergent Methods: New Approaches to Old Methods Impact of Online Research on the Process of Qualitative Inquiry Staying Centered and Building Ethical Knowledge Glossary Discussion Questions ResourcesReferencesIndex