Doing Qualitative Research

Need practical advice on how to do your first qualitative research project? This book will guide you through each step of the research process: from brainstorming ideas and working with your supervisor to navigating the field to writing up your results. Driven by examples from other students’ projects, the book features discussions on translating social problems into research topics, collecting data in the wake of a pandemic, and guidance from Qualitative Data Analysis Software expert Christian Schmieder to help you summarise, categorise, and review qualitative data. A new chapter on how much data you need answers the age-old question: ‘how many interviews or case studies are enough?’ It also includes: - Articles and websites to build your bibliography - Questions to test your knowledge - Videos from world-leading qualitative experts - Activities to dig deeper into key concepts and think critically about research - Lessons-learned discussions with other researchers - Exercises to help you choose the right path for your project.   Key features: in addition to the online Silverman Workshops, the book includes top tips, end-of-chapter checklists to test your understanding, and annotated further reading so you can develop your knowledge further.

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 What is Qualitative Research? Why Do Some Researchers Prefer 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: Formulating a Research Question Challenges Solutions Some Cautions Chapter 5: Ethical Research The Standards of Ethical Research Why Ethics Matter for Your Research Ethical Guidelines in Practice Complex Ethical Issues Research Governance Conclusion: Managing Unfolding Ethical Demands 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: Choosing a Methodology Qualitative or Quantitative? Your Research Strategy Choosing a Methodology: A Case Study Naturally Occurring Data? Mixed Methods? Chapter 9: 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 Chapter 10: Making Good Use of Your Supervisor Supervision Horror Stories Student and Supervisor Expectations The Early Stages The Later Stages Standards of Good Practice Chapter 11: Getting Feedback Writing Speaking The Art of Presenting Research Feedback from the People You Study Part Four: Collecting and Analysing Data Chapter 12: How much data do you need? The Quantitative Model of Generalization How many interviews do you need? Purposive Sampling in interview research What is a case study? The Rationale of Case Study Design Case Study Research in Practice Theoretical sampling Chapter 13: Collecting Your Data Collecting Interview Data Collecting Focus Group Data Collecting Ethnographic Data Collecting Internet Data Collecting Your Data in the Wake of a Pandemic Chapter 14: Developing Data Analysis Kick-Starting Data Analysis A Case Study Interviews Fieldnotes Transcripts Visual Data Chapter 15: Using Qualitative Data Analysis Software: An Introduction What is Qualitative Data Analysis Software? Software for Qualitative Analysis? Great - so will it do analysis for me? OK, so how can this software help me? If I decide to use QDAS, do I have to use the program for all aspects of my analysis? You continue to mention writing - why is that so important? Will QDAS help my teamwork? Hopes and Fears connected to using QDAS What hardware do I need to run QDAS? What are some strategies for learning to use QDAS, and to see if a specific software will work for my project? Tips for doing analysis with QD Chapter 16: Quality in Qualitative Research Validity Reliability Chapter 17: 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 18: What Counts as ‘Originality’? Originality Being a Professional Independent Critical Thought Chapter 19: Considering Your Audience The Policy-Making Audience The Practitioner Audience The Lay Audience Chapter 20: The First Few Pages The Title The Abstract Keywords The Table of Contents The Introduction Chapter 21: The Literature Review Chapter Recording Your Reading Writing Your Literature Review Practical Questions Principles Do You Need a Literature Review Chapter? Chapter 22: The Methodology Chapter What Should the Methodology Chapter Contain? A Natural History Chapter? Chapter 23: Writing Your Data Chapters The Macrostructure The Microstructure Tightening up Chapter 24: Your 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 25: Managing an Oral Examination Viva Horror Stories Preparing for Your Oral Doing the Oral Outcomes Revising Your Thesis after the Oral A Case Study Chapter 26: 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 :
There is no doubt that "Doing Qualitative Research" is a Bible for all qualitative researchers. Unlike the Bible, however, it is constantly updated, taking into account both new methods and new circumstances in which research takes place. A classic, but always relevant. Doing Qualitative Research has evolved and deepened over its six editions as a result not only of the many conversations between its author and its readers over the years, but also the changing circumstances of the contexts in which it has been written and read. For instance, changes to research methods as a result of policy measures designed to deal with a pandemic are discussed in this edition. There is no better guide to the practical issues of doing qualitative research and getting it published than this book by Silverman, the leader in the field. A wide-ranging and highly distinctive introduction that addresses the practices and practicalities of undertaking different forms of qualitative research.  It powerfully explores the contributions of particular methods and discusses how one can address and resolve the challenges that arise at the different stages of a research project. It is an important resource for students and teachers alike. David Silverman notes that ‘qualitative research is a contested domain’. This is something of an under-statement, and students in particular need clear and concise guidance when seeking to grasp the complexities and harness the rich potentials of qualitative research. In his extensive writings and edited collections, Silverman provides precisely what is needed. New editions of Doing Qualitative Research have come thick and fast since 2000, each succeeding edition offering clear and incisive engagement with key aspects of qualitative research and the ways in which it, and researching generally, have developed. This new edition takes account of the global upheavals and transformations that have occurred since 2017, including the new challenges posed in data gathering and engaging in the chosen research context. The result is an invaluable resource not only for early-career but also seasoned researchers. This is an excellent resource that is so much more than a book. [...] This book′s strength is its accessibility and sound advice illustrated by real life examples. The book will become a well-thumbed companion to anyone committing to qualitative post graduate research in the social sciences.