Doing Qualitative Research

About the Book

With expert advice from the author and real-life experiences from students, this book shows you how to go from the ideas of research to the practicalities of designing, conducting, and writing about your research yourself.

What’s new in this edition:

·         Fully interactive digital field guide including video tutorials and real data to practice with

·         An improved structure that takes you step-by-step form start to finish 

·         An overview and practical guidance on mixed methods and working with different kinds of data


The free digital field guide secures its place as the ‘take this everywhere’ textbook that supports students both in the classroom and in the field providing access via tablet/phone/laptop for easy access to:

    - A readymade bibliography of qualitative research contained in SAGE journal articles curated by the author, to enrich reading and offer top research articles to cite;

    - Definitions to explain key concepts and methods to deepen understanding of what is discussed in the text;

    - David's quick, practical video tips and instructional guidance for when students are in the field (or preparing to go into it). David steps in as an instant supervisor to give encouragement and avoid common pitfalls;

    - A treasure chest of online resources and weblinks chosen by David offering expert guidance on how to do research and do it better. These include research websites and resources as well as insider guides from trusted experts, links to organizations/software, online text/articles;

    - Datasets provide students with research data on which to practice organizing, analysing, and drawing conclusions;

    -'Cheat sheets' and reflective trackers students can use to monitor their progress and plan and manage projects.

*Interactivity only available through Vitalsource eBook included as part of paperback product (ISBN 9781526441614).
Access not guaranteed on second-hand copies (as access code may have previously been redeemed).

Table of Contents:
Part One: Introduction Chapter 1: How To Use This Book Chapter 2: What You Can (and Can’t) Do with Qualitative Research Why Do Researchers Use Qualitative Methods? Are Qualitative Methods Always Appropriate? Should You Use Qualitative Methods? Chapter 3: Focusing a Research Project Moira’s Research Diary Sally’s Research Diary Simon’s Research Diary Part Two: Starting Out and Project Foundations Chapter 4: Ethical Research The Standards of Ethical Research Why Ethics Matter for Your Research Ethical Guidelines in Practice Complex Ethical Issues Research Governance Managing Unfolding Ethical Demands Chapter 5: What Counts as ‘Originality’? Originality Being a Professional Independent Critical Thought Chapter 6: Research Design Interviews Ethnographies Texts The Internet Audio Data Visual Data Mixed Methods Chapter 7: Using Theories How Theoretical Models Shape Research The Different Languages of Qualitative Research Theories, Models and Hypotheses Examples Chapter 8: Formulating a Research Question Challenges Solutions Some Cautions Chapter 9: Choosing a Methodology Qualitative or Quantitative? Your Research Strategy Choosing a Methodology: a Case Study Naturally Occurring Data? Mixed Methods? Chapter 10: Writing a Research Proposal Aim for Crystal Clarity Plan Before You Write Be Persuasive Be Practical Make Broader Links A Caution: Misunderstanding Qualitative Research? Part Three: Getting Support Making Good Use of Your Supervisor Supervision Horror Stories Student and Supervisor Expectations The Early Stages The Later Stages Standards of Good Practice Chapter 12: Getting Feedback Writing Speaking The Art of Presenting Research Feedback from the People You Study Part Four: Collecting and Analysing Data Chapter 13: How many cases do you need? What is a case study? The Quantitative Model of Generalization The Rationale of Case Study Design Case study Research in Practice Chapter 14: Collecting Your Data Collecting Interview Data Collecting Focus Group Data Collecting Ethnographic Data Collecting Internet Data Chapter 15: Developing Data Analysis Kick-Starting Data Analysis A Case Study Interviews Fieldnotes Transcripts Visual Data Chapter 16: Using Computers to Analyse Qualitative Data A note on learning to use QDA software What QDA software can do for you Advantages of QDA software Text analytics Chapter 17: Quality in Qualitative Research Validity Reliability Chapter 18: Evaluating Qualitative Research Two Guides for Evaluating Research Four Quality Criteria Applying Quality Criteria Four Quality Issues Revisited Chapter 19: Effective Qualitative Research Keep It Simple Do Not Assume That We Are Only Concerned with Subjective Experience Take Advantage of Using Qualitative Data Avoid Drowning in Data Avoid Journalism Part Five: Writing Up Your Research Chapter 20: Audiences The Policy-Making Audience The Practitioner Audience The Lay Audience Chapter 21: The First Few Pages The Title The Abstract Keywords The Table of Contents Chapter 22: The Literature Review Chapter Recording Your Reading Writing your Literature Review Practical Questions Principles Do You Need a Literature Review Chapter? Chapter 23: The Methodology Chapter What Should the Methodology Chapter Contain? A Natural History Chapter? Chapter 24: The Data Chapters The Macrostructure The Microstructure Tightening Up Chapter 25: The Concluding Chapter The Concluding Chapter as Mutual Stimulation What Exactly Should Your Concluding Chapter Contain? Confessions and Trumpets Theorizing as Thinking Through Data Writing for Audiences Why Your Concluding Chapter can be Fun Part Six: The Aftermath Chapter 26: Surviving an Oral Examination Viva Horror Stories Preparing for Your Oral Doing the Oral Outcomes Revising Your Thesis after the Oral A Case Study Chapter 27: Getting Published The Backstage Politics of Publishing Strategic Choices What Journals are Looking For Reviewers’ Comments How to Write a Short Journal Article

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, where he is now Emeritus Professor in the Sociology Department as well as Visiting Professor in the Business Schools, King’s College, London, Leeds University and University of Technology Sydney and Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology. He is interested in conversation and discourse analysis and he has researched medical consultations, shelters for homeless people and HIV-test counselling. He is the author of Doing Qualitative Research (sixth edition, 2022) and A Very Short, Fairly Interesting, Reasonably Cheap Book about Qualitative Research (second edition, 2013c). He is the editor of Qualitative Research (fifth edition, 2021) and the Sage series Introducing Qualitative Methods. In recent years, he has offered short, hands-on workshops in qualitative research for universities in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.  Now retired from full-time work, he aims to watch 100 days of county cricket a year. He also enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandsons as well as voluntary work in an old people’s home where he chats and sings with residents.  

Review :
Whether you are a scared neophyte research student or a more experienced qualitative researcher this is an excellent and invaluable and most importantly accessible text that will open the lid of a treasure box of resources. You need this book.

In principle it is impossible to write a method book that will be valid forever. In practice, David Silverman did just that. Adjustments in new editions only fine-tune the text that contains everything that a qualitative researcher needs to know. 

This is an excellent textbook that gives students very practical advice of how to conduct qualitative analysis in a thoughtful way. Silverman's vast experience within qualitative methods gives the text a clarity and overview that one can only admire. 

An essential guide for anyone new to or brushing up on qualitative methodology. This clear, student-centered guide offers first person insights and true-to-life stories that prepare readers for all of the surprises that await researchers in the field. From the ins and outs of designing a study to writing up and publishing analysis (and much more), this book is an accessible, soup-to-nuts account of a complex set of methods we call qualitative research.