Doing Qualitative Research

Lecturers, click here to request an e-inspection copy of this text is Professor Emeritus, Sociology Department, Goldsmiths College and Visiting Professor, Management Department, Kings College, University of London.

Table of Contents:
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION How to Use This Book What You Can (and Can’t) Do with Qualitative Research Introduction Why Do Students Use Qualitative Methods? Are Qualitative Methods Always the Best? Should You Use Qualitative Methods? Concluding Remarks The Research Experience I Introduction Moira's Research Diary Sally's Research Diary Simon’s Research Diary Concluding Remarks The Research Experience II Introduction Interviews Ethnographies Texts Audio Data Visual Data Multiple Methods Concluding Remarks What Counts as 'Originality'? Introduction Originality Being a 'Professional' Independent Critical Thought Concluding Remarks PART TWO: STARTING OUT Selecting a Topic Introduction Workable Research Questions Simplistic Inductivism The 'Kitchen Sink' Gambit The Grand Theorist Strategies for Simplistic Inductivists Strategies for 'Kitchen Sinkers' Strategies for Grand Theorists Strategies for All Researchers Concluding Remarks Using Theories Introduction How Theoretical Models Shape Research The Different Languages of Qualitative Research Theories, Models and Hypotheses Examples Concluding Remarks Choosing a Methodology Introduction Qualitative or Quantitative? Your Research Strategy Choosing a Methodology: A Case Study Naturally Occurring Data? Multiple Methods? Concluding Remarks Selecting a Case Introduction What Is a Case Study? Generalizing from Cases Types of Case Studies Combining Qualitative Research with Quantitative Measures of Populations Purposive Sampling Theoretical Sampling Generalizability Is Present in a Single Case Concluding Remarks Ethical Research Introduction The Standards of Ethical Research Why Ethics Matter for Your Research Ethical Guidelines in Practice Complex Ethical Issues Research Governance Conclusion: Managing Ethical Demands Writing a Research Proposal Introduction Aim for Crystal Clarity Plan before You Write Be Persuasive Be Practical Make Broader Links Concluding Remarks PART THREE: COLLECTING AND ANALYZING YOUR DATA Collecting Your Data Collecting Interview Data Collecting Ethnographic Data Concluding Remarks Developing Data Analysis Introduction Kick-Starting Data Analysis A Case Study Interviews Fieldnotes Transcripts Visual Data Concluding Remarks Using Computers to Analyze Qualitative Data - Clive Seale Introduction What CAQDAS Software Can Do For You Advantages of CAQDAS Limitations and Disadvantages Theory Building With CAQDAS Keyword Analysis Concluding Remarks Quality in Qualitative Research Introduction Validity Reliability Concluding Remarks Evaluating Qualitative Research Introduction Two Guides For Evaluating Research Four Quality Criteria Applying Quality Criteria Four Quality Issues Revisited Concluding Remarks PART FOUR: WRITING UP The First Few Pages Introduction The Title The Abstract The List of Contents The Introduction Concluding Remarks The Literature Review Chapter Recording Your Reading Writing Your Literature Review Practical Questions Principles Do You Need A Literature Review Chapter? Concluding Remarks The Methodology Chapter Introduction What Should The Methodology Chapter Contain? A Natural History Chapter? Concluding Remarks Writing Your Data Chapters Introduction The Macrostructure The Microstructure Tightening Up Concluding Remarks Your Final Chapter Introduction The Final Chapter as Mutual Stimulation What Exactly Should Your Final Chapter Contain? Confessions And Trumpets Theorizing As Thinking Through Data Writing For Audiences Why Your Final Chapter Can Be Fun Concluding Remarks PART FIVE: GETTING SUPPORT Making Good Use of Your Supervisor Introduction Supervision Horror Stories Student And Supervisor Expectations The Early Stages The Later Stages Standards Of Good Practice Concluding Remarks Getting Feedback Introduction Writing Speaking The Art Of Presenting Research Feedback From The People You Study Concluding Remarks PART SIX: REVIEW Effective Qualitative Research Introduction Keep It Simple Take Advantage Of Using Qualitative Data Avoid Drowning In Data Avoid Journalism Concluding Remarks PART SEVEN: THE AFTERMATH Surviving an Oral Examination Introduction Viva Horror Stories Preparing For Your Oral Doing The Oral Outcomes Revising Your Thesis After The Oral A Case Study Concluding Remarks Getting Published Introduction The Backstage Politics Of Publishing Strategic Choices What Journals Are Looking For Reviewers’ Comments How To Write A Short Journal Article Concluding Remarks Audiences Introduction The Policy-Making Audience The Practitioner Audience The Lay Audience Concluding Remarks Finding a Job Introduction Learning About Vacancies Getting On A Shortlist The Job Interview 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, 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 :
'A most welcome addition to his own corpus of works on qualitative research, in particular, and to the growing body of texts on the subject, in general...The strengths of this book are too many to mention. Students and seasoned researchers alike are surely well advised to get hold of this book...All in all, the book is a cutting-edge textbook on qualitative research and though it does not deal with all concepts discussed in a sustained manner (which is of course the usual drawback of books of this range and scope), Silverman raises the bar for future authors of textbooks on qualitative research' - Qualitative Research 'Earlier editions of this book have been highly regarded and well used by students and teachers of qualitative research...The text is certainly accessible to students from a range of disciplines, including education' - British Journal of Sociology of Education 'David Silverman's new edition of Doing Qualitative Research is a cutting-edge compendium of what students want to know about conducting and completing a qualitative study. His book sets a new standard for an inclusive student-friendly manual that cuts across disciplines and methods, while systematically unveiling ordinary research practice. Silverman includes sage advice gained through his many years of research and dissertation supervision. He offers insider tips, shortcuts, and warnings that will keep students involved in their projects and guide them through each step of the process. Throughout the book, Silverman shares his students' stories of their research experience and the obstacles they encountered along the way. In short, Doing Qualitative Research is an accessible, engaging text that sparkles with ideas, insight, and information' - Kathy Charmaz, Department of Sociology, Sonoma State University, USA 'A most welcome addition to his own corpus of works on qualitative research, in particular, and to the growing body of texts on the subject, in general...The strengths of this book are too many to mention. Students and seasoned researchers alike are surely well advised to get hold of this book...All in all, the book is a cutting-edge textbook on qualitative research and though it does not deal with all concepts discussed in a sustained manner (which is of course the usual drawback of books of this range and scope), Silverman raises the bar for future authors of textbooks on qualitative research' - Qualitative Research 'Earlier editions of this book have been highly regarded and well used by students and teachers of qualitative research...The text is certainly accessible to students from a range of disciplines, including education' - British Journal of Sociology of Education 'David Silverman's new edition of Doing Qualitative Research is a cutting-edge compendium of what students want to know about conducting and completing a qualitative study. His book sets a new standard for an inclusive student-friendly manual that cuts across disciplines and methods, while systematically unveiling ordinary research practice. Silverman includes sage advice gained through his many years of research and dissertation supervision. He offers insider tips, shortcuts, and warnings that will keep students involved in their projects and guide them through each step of the process. Throughout the book, Silverman shares his students' stories of their research experience and the obstacles they encountered along the way. In short, Doing Qualitative Research is an accessible, engaging text that sparkles with ideas, insight, and information' - Kathy Charmaz, Department of Sociology, Sonoma State University, USA -- Anne Chartier 20110210