Interpreting Qualitative Data

About the Book

This is the perfect book for any student new to qualitative research. In this exciting and major updating of his bestselling, benchmark text, David Silverman walks the reader through the basics of gathering and analysing qualitative data.

David Silverman offers beginners unrivalled hands-on guidance necessary to get the best out of a research methods course or an undergraduate research project.

New to the fourth edition:

- A new chapter on data analysis dealing with grounded theory, discourse analysis and narrative analysis

- Further worked-through examples of different kinds of data and how to interpret them

- A separate section on focus groups and interpreting focus group data

- An expanded ethics chapter

- More coverage of digital media and photographs as data

- A companion website with additional case studies and examples, links to SAGE journals online, and links to useful websites, podcasts and Youtube videos.

This fourth edition is also accompanied with its own group page on www.methodspace.com where users can give feedback and discuss research issues.Visit www.methodspace.com/group/silverman

Table of Contents:
PART ONE: THEORY AND METHOD IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH What Is Qualitative Research? In Search of a Working Definition Loaded Evaluations of Research Methods Methods Should Fit Your Research Question The Good Sense of Quantitative Research The Nonsense of Quantitative Research The Good Sense of Qualitative Research The Nonsense of Qualitative Research Varieties of Qualitative Research Designing a Research Project Selecting a Topic Formulating a Researchable Question Fitting your Research Question into an Appropriate Theory Choosing an Effective Research Design An Effective Literature Review Basic Terms in Research Design Conclusions Data Analysis Some Rules for Data Analysis Content Analysis Grounded Theory Narrative Analysis Conclusion Research Ethics Ethical Pitfalls Ethical Safeguards Some Ethical Complications PART TWO: METHODS Ethnography and Observation The Ethnographic Focus Methodological Issues The Theoretical Character of Ethnographic Observations Conclusion: The Unity of the Ethnographic Project Interviews What Is an ′Open-Ended′ Interview? Why Interview? Implications: Three Versions of Interview Data Positivism Emotionalism Constructionism Adolescent Cultures: Combining ′What′ and ′How′ Questions Moral Tales of Parenthood The Three Models: A Summary Summary: Basic Issues Three Practical Questions - and Answers Conclusion Focus Groups What Are Focus Groups? Analysing Focus Group Data in Social Science Form or Substance? Concluding Comments Texts Structure of This Chapter Comparative Keyword Analysis (CKA) Ethnography Ethnomethodology: Membership Categorisation Analysis Conclusion Naturally-Occurring Talk Why Work with Tapes? Transcribing Audiotapes Why Talk Matters Conversation Analysis Discourse Analysis Conversation Analysis and Discourse Analysis Compared Conclusion Visual Images Kinds of Visual Data Research Strategies Content Analysis Semiotics Workplace Studies Conclusion PART THREE: RESEARCH PRACTICE Credible Qualitative Research Does Credibility Matter? Reliability Validity Generalisability Conclusions Writing Your Report Beginnings Your Literature Review Your Methodology Section Writing Up Your Data Your Final Section A Short Note on Plagiarism Self-Expression or Argument? PART FOUR: IMPLICATIONS The Relevance of Qualitative Research Three Roles for the Social Scientist The Audiences for Qualitative Research The Contribution of Qualitative Social Science Summary Conclusion The Potential of Qualitative Research: Eight Reminders Take Advantage of Naturally Occurring Data Avoid Treating the Actor′s Point of View as an Explanation Study the Interrelationships Between Elements Attempt Theoretically Fertile Research Address Wider Audiences Begin With ′How′ Questions; Then Ask ′Why?′ Study ′Hyphenated′ Phenomena Treat Qualitative Research as Different from Journalism Concluding Remarks

About the Author :
David Silverman trained as a sociologist at the London School of Economics and the University of California, Los Angeles. He taught for 32 years at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is interested in conversation and discourse analysis and he has researched medical consultations and HIV-test counselling. He is the author of Interpreting Qualitative Data (Seventh Edition, 2024) and A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Qualitative Research (Second Edition, 2013). He is also the editor of Qualitative Research (Sixth Edition, 2026) and the Sage series, Introducing Qualitative Methods. In recent years, he has offered short, hands-on workshops in qualitative research for research students and faculty at universities in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Now retired from full-time work, David aims to watch one hundred days of cricket a year. He also enjoys voluntary work in an old people’s home where he sings with residents with dementia and strokes.

Review :
′David Silverman′s stellar new text demonstrates both his methodological sophistication and ability to reach students. With its well-organized format and accessible writing, this book provides an inspiring guide for novices and an excellent teaching tool for instructors. The book is clear, cogent, and remarkably current. Silverman introduces students to numerous recent innovations and advances in qualitative methods as he makes the research process understandable and manageable′ -
Kathy Charmaz
Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, USA

′Silverman sets the benchmark for books on qualitative research and data analysis. They work well in teaching but are consulted by the experts. His experience and close engagement with contemporary developments is without equal. Interpreting Qualitative Data has helped shape contemporary qualitative research. As far as I am concerned, with this new edition the best just got better!′ -

Jonathan Potter, Head of the Department of Social Sciences
Loughborough University

Excellent! Clear Presentation of core ideas. Comprehensive and valuable reference source for MA dissertation students. Highly recommended for critical understanding of qualitative research methodology Loved this book, as did my students. ANother excellent Silverman book that outlines ways of working with data This is an excellent and comprehensive text on conducting qualitative research with the emphasis on data analysis. It is very well set out with examples in the form of case studies, tips for researchers and questions to encourage reflexivity on what has been learned. This is an excellent and comprehensive text on conducting qualitative research with the emphasis on data analysis. It is very well set out with examples in the form of case studies, tips for researchers and questions to encourage reflexivity on what has been learned. For the DPsych in Psychotherapy by Professional Practice at Metanoia Institute, London, this is essential reading for students embarking on their Research Challenges module which I co-teach. It gives a clear grounding in the methods of qualitative research and is a helpful tool in their resource box. Silverman′s writing is accessible and engaging, particularly for students who come into methods classes fearing what they will find. It is a wonderful book on qualitative research methods and their interpretation. A Classic! This book is the book I′ve been been waiting for! It is a thorough exploration of qualitative research - from theoretical underpinnings and processes of data collection right through to analysis and writing. It is accessible and clear and provides a really exceptional overview for those new to research methods. It also includes lots of links to further reading. I can′t praise this book enough. My only criticism of this book is that it is so good, I found it difficult to decide whether to keep it as a teaching resource or recommend it to students! Comprehensive and in-depth text for students who are taking a very qualitative apporach to their research in Education. This is on our reccommended reading list for the module. This text is extremely useful for students completing MSc dissertations.
A useful book, set out well with relevant detail and good examples. This is a useful text for Masters students who wish to use qualitative methods and I recommend it to my students to support their research projects. Still considering for adoption. It is suitable for additional reading for Masters and PhDs. An easy to understand text that students find useful. A very authoritative qualitative methods textbook for graduates, researchers and professionals Excellent book that had something useful and insgihtful on every page! A must have for any research student engaging in qualitative research. Silverman is always highly readable and engaging. I would recommend his work to various academic level students, it can be read at many levels I think this is a really useful book - although it′s aimed at undergraduates, I think it′s also as useful as a postgraduate text for students undertaking some primary qualitative research Very useful in parts - doesn′t apply to whole of student body but strongl;y recommended for supplementary reading Excellent as always. Clear useful and insightful. Excellent as always. Clear, useful, reliable and insightful. For those who are starting out or who want to discover new research methods, this book offeres a firm baseline on which to develop research. well organised and informative text. An excellent resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students who want to develop quickly familiarity with qualitative research and specifically analysis. A great introduction to many techniques and the background understanding required for qualitative research. Very good simple examples provided throughout the book. Silverman is the best on qualitative analysis. This book will be a required textbook reading for students taking this course Excellent textbook covering all the necessary elements of interpreting qualitative data, very relevant for postgraduate diploma students. I am also using it with Masters in research students and will continue to use. Another excellent book from David Silverman - always reliable and readable for students. Clearly laid out text and very useful case studies and exercises Good for experienced researchers. Depth exceeds our students′ capabilities The best we could find. There are a few sections that could do with serious updating (e.g. discourse analysis) and the ethno-methodological formation of the author really does show through. We would prefer to have the text structured from those methods that are fully internal to the text (e.g. converstional analysis) to those that involve reference to the context of the data (e.g. metaphor and discourse analysis) highly recommended.
A great book for students who start with qualitative research. Silverman’s book is a great guide through the basics of gathering and analysing qualitative data. The new edition covers a section on analysing data obtained with grounded theory, discourse analysis and narrative analysis, focus groups and their interpretation explained with examples of different kinds of data. Furthermore a companion website with additional case studies and examples, links to SAGE journals online, and links to useful websites, podcasts and Youtube videos is provided. Excellent companion to qualitative research. Well written and exceptionally clearly structured. Examples are varied, interesting and convincing. Framed ′tips′ spread across the book add to the pleasure of reading. A great resource for postgraduate students undertaking qualitative research. Adopted this book for the above-mentioned course. Excellent text, well written with some excellent examples. Provieds syudent (post-graduate) with a thorough understanding of both the qualitative research process in general and its interpretation in particular. This is a very creative and well considered for students and teachers alike. I have read several of David Silverman′s books and articles but this is a must read for all students doing a dissertation. This edition is ever clearer for both new and experienced social researchers. Students have found this text useful. Too focused for students this updated edition is a key resource for students doing qualitative research A simple and easy following structure I will be using this as part of teaching a new element on this module around NVivo, and this will be used as part of the background reading for the assignment on NVivo An excellent source for any student considering qualitative research methodology. It has a logical layout and specific items are easy to find. A gem of a book. This is an excellent text for both under graduate and post graduate students looking to learn or re-fresh their knowledge surrounding qualitative research and analysis. The book is easy to read and progresses nicely through each stage of the research process. I recommended my studients this book for qualitative data Interpretation. Silverman with his constructivist viewpoint offers a great introduction into how to best deal with phenomena occuring in the social world. This is an ideal textbook for students engaged with qualitative research. Authors approach to the challenges associated with qualitative research is very pragmatic. Excellent text which plainly outlines the key considerations in working with qualitative data. This is ideal for those embarking on qualitative research paths. This book is too heavy for the level of students I encounter and would potentially complicate their understanding of the qualitative feedback they receive in practice. Excellent book, clear helpful and written with an expert hand to assist students in their research activities and learning Particularly useful when read in conjunction with the companion website, this superb book offers clear explanation of key terms in qualitative research for the novice researcher. This 4th edition is divided into four parts; each subdivided logically and clearly with tips and illustrative case studies to help guide the new researcher as they enter the field. A highly recommend read for PGCE students carrying out mini research projects This book is written for the novice qualitative researcher and will assist them of making sense of research. By adding a new comprehensive chapter on other forms of analysis, David Silverman increased the usability of the book even more. However, it would be nice if he gives some credits to Hermeneutics and Phenomenology... comprehensive, appropriate for intro level grad students. This book is among the best qualitative research books available. A must for any student adopting a qualitative methodology, this book details the qualitative approach clearly and concisely with an excellent focus on the analysis of data. Comprehensive and detailed, as well as being veru usable. An essential text for researchers at whatever level The book is a good overview and introduction to qualitative data. For working on a research project it is too general and unspecific regarding interpretation though. Useful for an overview of methods for interpreting qualitative data. The level of sophistication of this book is above that which I would use with my particular students. However, I personally found this to be a very good and thought-provoking book. Silverman adopts a particular stance towards analysis of qualitative data which is in tune with my own. This book has informed, and continues to inform, my professional research practice, and I would recommend it to research students and researchers. This book provides an accessible, enlightning, yet sophisticated, and will be of great interest to students and researchers looking to expand their skills in qualitative analysis and offers many novel and creative ideas for analysing qualitative data
Essential for any student undertaking qualitative research Silverman provides comprehensive instruction and direction in all aspects of qualitative research. This is an essential text for all undergraduate and postgraduate researchers. an excellent book for dissertation writing students. Another great book for students who are new to research, particularly for their final research year. Student on our MSs programme often choose qualitative methods due to the nature of working with individuals with complex mental health issues. This is a practicle and usable text. Always essential reading From David Very good read, with lots of key elements we are looking to involve within the course Going way beyond the title this text is more of a useful handbook in qualitative methods that will be attractive to postgraduate students and researchers new to the area. The author demistifies the nuanced differences in schools and methods in his characteristic down to earth way. This book is more relevant to postgraduate and graduate students in any social science discipline. It remains useful for undergraduate students in key areas, but in my view, the targed audience is not the first-time researcher. This resource addresses the key issues which are normally overlooked in qualitative data analysis at a very high level. This book is useful for Masters level and beyond but is too complex for undergraduate research. The advice offered for collecting and interpreting qualitative data is comprehensive and authorative. As usual David Silverman delivers! No doubt, Silvermans textbooks are essential reading for PG and masters students interested in Qualitative research methods. An essential text for research conducted in the qualitative paradigm. User friendly approach to guide early and emerging researchers through the process of analysing and interpreting data. A very useful book for my pre reg MSc nursing students - clear and well laid out. this book has been recommended to undergraduate students studying nursing research methods in year 2 of their programme. This is an essential text for any student who will be completing qualitative research as part of their independent study. I have also found it useful when analysing my own research. The chapters are easy to read with exercises and readings that you could direct students to complete. This is a comprehensive text on qualitative research with the emphasis on data analysis. It is very readable and well set out; including excellent examples in the form of case studies. There are excellent tips for the novice but the text is also a very useful teaching tool for lecturers. The book is recommended reading for undergraduates undertaking a Pre-registration BSc Midwifery course. This book guides the reader through collecting and anelysing qualitative data. It demonstrates a number of different ways to analyse the data. A very useful guide to students at all levels conducting a research project. A useful addition to our research textbooks. Should offer students support in the area of palliative care research which tends to be qualitative. Useful text in the area of palliative care where qualitative research is the predominant approach. This book will be a useful addition to student reading. An excellent book which is very well written and organised. It is a book that you can dip in and out of. It is recommended for any student involved in research, whether they are a novice or experienced. Useful case studies throughout. Well recommended. A well written and superbly structured book. This book is recommended for any student involved in research whether they are a novice or experienced. A book that you can dip in and out of. Excellent case studies used throughout. Well recommended. Silverman is an authoritative author who provides an informative position on the interprepatation of qualitative data Good background ideal for MSc level student and dissertations for BSc. Student might not be up to this level of reading initially with BSc cohorts but for health care related programmes excellent place to help support students with dissertations and higher level degrees. Good background ideal for MSc level student and dissertations for BSc. Student might not be up to this level of reading initially with BSc cohorts but for health care related programmes excellent place to help support students with dissertations and higher level degrees. Excellent text for those who haven′t studeied for some time - covers appropriate content and is very readable. Would like to see a little more about online sources of data. excellent book core text for Masters level students on research programme The course is a year long module. The section on qualitative data analysis comprises 25% of the module. Many students in this cohort cannot afford to buy the book although it is an excellent resource for this section of the course. However, I intend ordering several copies for the university library so that they may have access to the book. A nicely organised text, enabling student in finding answers to some of the issues related to research A really clearly written book that will be a useful resource for students undertaking their first research project This was not a book I could ask students to use as part of course but is a book that will stay on shelf for reference This is a comprehensive and well thought out book that takes the student researcher through the different stages of qualitative research. It encourages students to think through their research projects and set clear aims and objectives in order to avoid the many pitfalls of those new to research. Comprehensive text on qualitative research. The layout is particularly for students who are new to research studies. Tips and links were useful features within the standard text. Appropriate for undergraduate level Strongly recommend as key text for students studying qualitative analysis We have chosen to use this book as one of our essential texts. The chapters serve fine as a starting point and as reference but the book itself is a little too much a textbook for my taste. Really clear,easy to follow guide to interpreting qualitative data. The use of case studies is particlarly useful and assists in clarifying text written. The glossary at the back is really useful and well placed (at the back of the book).

I suggest this book to students as I find it provides comprehensive material which if used effectively can contribute positively to a research project. clearly written and explained in plain language, making it a highly accessible textbook.