DAVID SILVERMAN

DOING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK

THIRD EDITION

USAGE Los Angeles | London | New Delhi

Singapore | Washington DC

Contents

Preface to the Third Edition xiii

Companion Website xv

Part O n e In t roduc t ion 1

1 How To Use This Book 3

2 What You Can (and Can' t) Do with Qualitative Research 5

2.1 Introduction 5 2.2 Why Do Students Use Qualitative Methods? 6 2.3 Are Qualitative Methods Always the Best? 8 2.4 Should You Use Qualitative Methods? 11 2.5 Concluding Remarks 14

3 The Research Experience I 17 3.1 Introduction 17 3.2 Moira's Research Diary 19 3.3 Sally's Research Diary 25 3.4 Simon's Research Diary 32 3.5 Concluding Remarks 39

4 The Research Experience II 43 4.1 Introduction 43 4.2 Interviews 44 4.3 Ethnographies 49 4.4 Texts 52 4.5 Audio Data 55 4.6 Visual Data 58 4.7 Multiple Methods 61 4.8 Concluding Remarks 64

5 What Counts as 'Originality'? 68 5.1 Introduction 68 5.2 Originality 69

5.3 Being a 'Professional' 70 5.4 Independent Critical Thought 71 5.5 Concluding Remarks 74

Part Two Starting Out 77

6 Selecting a Topic 79 6.1 Introduction 79 6.2 Workable Research Questions 83 6.3 Simplistic Inductivism 84 6.4 The 'Kitchen Sink' Gambit 86 6.5 The Grand Theorist 88 6.6 Strategies for Simplistic Inductivists 89 6.7 Strategies for 'Kitchen Sinkers' 92 6.8 Strategies for Grand Theorists 95 6.9 Strategies for all Researchers 96 6.10 Concluding Remarks 97

7 Using Theories 101 7.1 Introduction 101 7.2 How Theoretical Models Shape Research 103 7.3 The Different Languages of Qualitative Research 104 7.4 Theories, Models and Hypotheses 109 7.5 Examples 111 7.6 Concluding Remarks 114

8 Choosing a Methodology 117 8.1 Introduction 117 8.2 Qualitative or Quantitative? 117 8.3 Your Research Strategy 121 8.4 Choosing a Methodology: a Case Study 125 8.5 Naturally Occurring Data? 131 8.6 Multiple Methods? 132 8.7 Concluding Remarks 135

9 Selecting a Case 137 9.1 Introduction 137 9.2 What Is a Case Study? 138 9.3 Generalizing from Cases 139 9.4 Types of Case Studies 139 9.5 Combining Qualitative Research with Quantitative

Measures of Populations 140 9.6 Purposive Sampling 141

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9.7 Theoretical Sampling 143 9.8 Generalizability Is Present in a Single Case 147 9.9 Concluding Remarks 149

10 Ethical Research 152 10.1 Introduction 152 10.2 The Standards of Ethical Research 154 10.3 Why Ethics Matter for Your Research 156 10.4 Ethical Guidelines in Practice 158 10.5 Complex Ethical Issues 168 10.6 Research Governance 173 10.7 Conclusion: Managing Ethical Demands 175

11 Writing a Research Proposal 179 11.1 Introduction 179 11.2 Aim for Crystal Clarity 181 11.3 Plan Before You Write 182 11.4 Be Persuasive 182 11.5 Be Practical 183 11.6 Make Broader Links 184 11.7 Concluding Remarks 184

Part Three Collecting and Analysing Your Data 187

12 Collecting Your Data 189 12.1 Collecting Interview Data 189 12.2 Collecting Ethnographic Data 202 12.3 Concluding Remarks 215

13 Developing Data Analysis 218 13.1 Introduction 218 13.2 Kick-starting Data Analysis 219 13.3 A Case Study 223 13.4 Interviews 225 13.5 Fieldnotes 229 13.6 Transcripts 239 13.7 Visual Data 243 13.8 Concluding Remarks 247

14 Using Computers to Analyse Qualitative Data 251 Clive Seale 14.1 Introduction 251 14.2 What CAQDAS Software Can Do for You 252

14.3 Advantages of CAQDAS 253 14.4 Limitations and Disadvantages 257 14.5 Theory Building with CAQDAS 261 14.6 Keyword Analysis 264 14.7 Concluding Remarks 265

15 Quality in Qualitative Research 268 15.1 Introduction 268 15.2 Validity 275 15.3 Reliability 286 15.4 Concluding Remarks 289

16 Evaluating Qualitative Research 292 16.1 Introduction 292 16.2 Two Guides for Evaluating Research 292 16.3 Four Quality Criteria 293 16.4 Applying Quality Criteria 297 16.5 Four Quality Issues Revisited 302 16.6 Concluding Remarks 308

Part Four Writing U p 311

17 The First Few Pages 313 17.1 Introduction 313 17.2 The Title 314 17.3 The Abstract 314 17.4 The List of Contents 315 17.5 The Introduction 316 17.6 Concluding Remarks 316

18 The Literature Review Chapter 318 18.1 Recording Your Reading 318 18.2 Writing Your Literature Review 320 18.3 Practical Questions 321 18.4 Principles 323 18.5 Do You Need a Literature Review Chapter? 326 18.6 Concluding Remarks 327

19 The Methodology Chapter 330 19.1 Introduction 330 19.2 What Should the Methodology Chapter Contain? 3 31 19.3 A Natural History Chapter? 334 19.4 Concluding Remarks 337

20 Writing Your Data Chapters 339 20.1 Introduction 339 20.2 The Macrostructure 340 20.3 The Microstructure 345 20.4 Tightening Up 348 20.5 Concluding Remarks 349

21 Your Final Chapter 352 21.1 Introduction 352 21.2 The Final Chapter as Mutual Stimulation 353 21.3 What Exactly Should Your Final Chapter Contain? 353 21.4 Confessions and Trumpets 355 21.5 Theorizing as Thinking Through Data 356 21.6 Writing for Audiences 357 21.7 Why Your Final Chapter Can Be Fun 358 21.8 Concluding Remarks 358

Part Five Getting Support 361

22 Making Good Use of Your Supervisor 363 22.1 Introduction 363 22.2 Supervision Horror Stories 364 22.3 Student and Supervisor Expectations 365 22.4 The Early Stages 367 22.5 The Later Stages 367 22.6 Standards of Good Practice 369 22.7 Concluding Remarks 369

23 Getting Feedback 371 23.1 Introduction 371 23.2 Writing 372 23.3 Speaking 373 23.4 The Art of Presenting Research 375 23.5 Feedback from the People You Study 380 23.6 Concluding Remarks 382

Part Six Review 385

24 Effective Qualitative Research 387 24.1 Introduction 387 24.2 Keep it Simple 388 24.3 Take Advantage of Using Qualitative Data 388 24.4 Avoid Drowning in Data 389

24.5 Avoid Journalism 389

24.6 Concluding Remarks 390

Part Seven The Aftermath 3 9 3

25 Surviving an Oral Examination 395 25.1 Introduction 395 25.2 Viva Horror Stories 396 25.3 Preparing for Your Oral 396 25.4 Doing the Oral 397 25.5 Outcomes 399 25.6 Revising Your Thesis after the Oral 399 25.7 A Case Study 400 25.8 Concluding Remarks 403

26 Getting Published 405 26.1 Introduction 405 26.2 The Backstage Politics of Publishing 406 26.3 Strategic Choices 407 26.4 What Journals Are Looking For 410 26.5 Reviewers 'Comments 411 26.6 How To Write a Short Journal Article 414 26.7 Concluding Remarks 415

27 Audiences 417 27.1 Introduction 417 27.2 The Policy-Making Audience 418 27.3 The Practitioner Audience 419 27.4 The Lay Audience 420 27.5 Concluding Remarks 422

28 Finding a Job 424 28.1 Introduction 424 28.2 Learning about Vacancies 424 28.3 Getting on a Shortlist 425 28.4 The Job Interview 426 28.5 Concluding Remarks 427

Appendix: Simplified Transcription Symbols 430 Glossary 432 References 440 Author Index 453 Subject Index 455

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