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Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, 5/E
Bruce L. Berg, California State University, Long Beach

ISBN-10: 0205379052
ISBN-13: 9780205379057

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon
Copyright: 2004
Format: Paper; 352 pp
Published: 05/12/2003

This item has been replaced by Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, 7/E.

This text uses hands-on activities and real-life examples to provide the most comprehensive and straightforward coverage of doing qualitative research on the market.

The author's central purpose is to show inexperienced researchers how to design, collect, and analyze data and then present their results to the scientific community, while stressing the importance of ethics in research and taking the time to properly design and think through any research endeavor.

An assortment of hands-on activities, such as “Trying It Out” exercises at the end of each chapter, give students an opportunity to experience qualitative research first-hand.

Describes focus group interviewing, one of the fastest growing styles of data collection, in detail (Ch. 5).

Includes numerous, concrete examples to ensure that students understand the various procedures and concepts.

Explains the importance of researcher reflexivity and researcher voice and discusses them in detail throughout.

Provides resources for further study in the extensive references after each chapter to encourage independent learning.

A new “Moderator's Guide” in Chapter 5 provides the inexperienced focus group facilitator with a step-by-step guide to how the interview should be conducted.

Devotes greater attention to the use of the Internet as a resource for accessing qualitative data, and to ethical concerns related to the Internet.

Includes new material on using computers as a tool for interviewing (Ch. 4) and conducting ethnographic research (Ch. 6).

Chapter 7, “Action Research,” discusses how the researcher may collaborate with the subjects in the research, demonstrating the reflexive relationship between researcher and subject.

A new section on “photovoice” (Ch. 7) describes techniques for allowing the subject a voice through photographs and photo captions/narratives.

Most chapters conclude with “Trying It Out,” “Notes,” and “References.”

Preface.

1. Introduction.

Quantitative versus Qualitative Schools of Thought.

Use of Triangulation Research Methodology.

Qualitative Strategies: Defining an Orientation.

From a Symbolic Interactionist Perspective.

Why Use Qualitative Methods?

A Plan of Presentation.

2. Designing Qualitative Research.

Theory and Concepts.

Ideas and Theory.

Reviewing the Literature.

Theory, Reality, and the Social World.

Framing Research Problems.

Operationalization and Conceptualization.

Designing Projects.

Data Collection and Organization.

Data Storage, Retrieval, and Analysis.

Dissemination.

3. Ethical Issues.

Research Ethics in Historical Perspective.

From Guidelines to Law: Regulations on the Research Process.

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs).

Ethical Codes.

Some Common Ethical Concerns in Behavioral Research.

New Areas for Ethical Concern: Cyberspace.

Physical and Ethical Dangers in Covert Research.

Informed Consent and Implied Consent.

Confidentiality and Anonymity.

Securing the Data.

Objectivity and Careful Research Design.

4. A Dramaturgical Look at Interviewing.

Dramaturgy and Interviewing.

Types of Interviews.

The Interview Schedule.

Schedule Development.

Communicating Effectively.

A Few Common Problems in Question Formulation.

Pretesting the Schedule.

Long versus Short Interviews.

Telephone Interviews.

Computer-Assisted Interviewing.

An Unnatural Communication?

The Dramaturgical Interview.

The Interviewer's Repertoire.

Know Your Audience.

Analyzing Data Obtained from the Dramaturgical Interview.

5. Focus Group Interviewing.

What Are Focus Group Interviews?

The Evolution of Focus Group Interviews.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Group Interviewing.

Facilitating Focus Group Dynamics: How Focus Groups Work.

The Moderator's Guide.

Basic Ingredients in Focus Groups.

Confidentiality and Focus Group Interviews.

Recent Trends in Focus Groups.

6. Ethnographic Field Strategies.

Accessing a Field Setting: Getting In.

Reflectivity and Ethnography.

Becoming Invisible.

Other Dangers During Ethnographic Research.

Watching, Listening, and Learning.

Computers and Ethnography.

Analyzing Ethnographic Data.

Other Analysis Strategies: Typologies, Sociograms, and Metaphors.

Disengaging: Getting Out.

7. Action Research.

The Basics of Action Research.

Identifying the Research Question(s).

Gathering the Information to Answer Question(s).

Analyzing and Interpreting the Information.

Sharing the Results with the Participants.

The Action Researcher's Role.

Types of Action Research.

Photovoice and Action Research

8. Unobtrusive Measures in Research.

Archival Strategies.

Physical Erosion and Accretion: Human Traces as Data Sources.

9. Historiography and Oral Traditions.

What Is Historical Research?

Life Histories and Historiography.

What Are the Sources of Data of Historical Researchers?

Doing Historiography: Tracing Written History as Data.

What Are Oral Histories?

10. Case Studies.

The Nature of Case Studies.

The Individual Case Study.

Intrinsic, Instrumental, and Collective Case Studies.

Case Study Design Types.

The Scientific Benefit of Case Studies.

Case Studies of Organizations.

Case Studies of Communities.

11. An Introduction to Content Analysis.

Analysis of Qualitative Data.

Content Analysis as a Technique.

Content Analysis: Quantitative or Qualitative?

Communication Components.

What to Count: Levels and Units of Analysis.

Category Development: Building Grounded Theory.

Open Coding.

Coding Frames.

Stages in the Content Analysis Process.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Content Analysis Process.

Computers and Qualitative Analysis.

Qualitative Research at the Speed of Light.

12. Writing Research Papers: Sorting the Noodles from the Soup.

Identifying the Purpose of the Writing: Arranging the Noodles.

Delineating a Supportive Structure: Visual Signals for the Reader.

Presenting Research Material.

A Word About the Content of Papers and Articles.

Write It, Rewrite It, Then Write It Again!

A Final Note.

Name Index.

Subject Index.

Qualitative Research Methods (Sociology)
Research Methods in Sociology [SUPPLEMENTAL PRODUCTS] (Sociology)

Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, 7/E
Berg
©2009 | Allyn & Bacon | Paper; 432 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205628079 | ISBN-13: 9780205628070
Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

This text shows novice researchers how to design, collect, and analyze qualitative data and then present their results to the scientific community. It also stresses the importance of ethics in research and taking the time to properly design and think through any research endeavor.
Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, 6/E
Berg
©2007 | Allyn & Bacon | Paper; 400 pp | Instock
ISBN-10: 0205482635 | ISBN-13: 9780205482634
Brief Description

Hands-on activities and real-life examples provide students with a comprehensive and straightforward coverage of qualitative research.

This text shows inexperienced researchers how to design, collect, and analyze data and then present their results to the scientific community. Also, this text stresses the importance of ethics in research and taking the time to properly design and think through any research endeavor.

Backcover Copy

Unique in both its scope and its focus, Qualitative Research Methods is a comprehensive introduction to designing, collecting, analyzing, and reporting research data. Designed for readers without prior experience in data collection, this book also stresses the importance of ethics in research and taking the time to properly design and think through any research endeavor.

Topics new to the fifth edition include appropriate uses for the Internet, and using computers as a tool for interviewing and for conducting ethnographic research. Additionally, a new “Moderator's Guide” provides the focus group facilitators with a step-by-step guide to conducting interviews.

Other Titles of Interest:

Nardi, Doing Survey Research: A Guide to Quantitative Research Methods, 1/e (0-205-34348-1) (2003)

Neuman, Basics of Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods, 1/e (0-205-35578-1) (2004)

Thomas, Spotlight on Social Research, 1/e (0-205-36806-9) (2003)

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For Qualitative Research Methods

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