Qualitative Research

"Research in the field is often very different from what is described in research theory. Stage by stage Darlington and Scott outline the processes of qualitative research, drawing on the experiences of leading international researchers in the human services."

This book extends the current discourse on the role of cultural knowledge in qualitative research, especially research conducted by women of color within their own community. Each author reports on her attempts to conceptualize herself as a researcher while simultaneously trying to honor her cultural connectedness and knowledge. As women researchers analyzing the personal and professional contexts in which their research was conducted, the authors argue that their gender, race, religion, and status have played critical roles in their research agendas. They offer a female perspective, though not a feminist critique per se, for they believe that gender does play a significant role in their research efforts. Equally important, they explore the role that race has played in their research, whether as women of color or white women conducting research among people of color. In reflecting on how their unique positionality allows them to understand relationships across many boundaries, the authors observe how, in most cases, because of their position as women and/or people of color, they have not had some of the traditional problems associated with access to multicultural sites. However, they have encountered other issues and they share how, as researchers, they met and resolved these issues for their particular settings. Each author also discusses how, in addressing these issues, she labored to meet the standards of academia, often at a personal cost. This book challenges existing paradigms by questioning the assumption of objectivity in research. It is essential reading--informative, provocative, and engaging--for researchers and students in research methods, women's studies, critical theory, and cross-cultural studies.

Rejecting the artificial dichotomy between qualitative and quantitative research strategies in the social and behavioral sciences, Isadore Newman and Carolyn R. Benz argue that the two approaches are neither mutually exclusive nor interchangeable; rather, the actual relationship between the two paradigms is one of isolated events on a continuum of scientific inquiry. Through graphic and narrative descriptions, Newman and Benz show research to be a holistic endeavor in the world of inquiry. To clarify their argument, they provide a diagram of the "qualitative-quantitative interactive continuum" showing that qualitative analysis with its feedback loops can easily modify the types of research questions asked in quantitative analysis research and that the quantitative analysis results and its feedback can change what will be asked qualitatively. In their model for research - an "interactive continuum" - Newman and Benz emphasize four major points: the research question dictates the selection of research methods; consistency between question and design can lead to a method of critiquing research studies in journals; the interactive continuum model is built around the place of theory; and the assurance of "validity" of research is central to all studies.

Designed for those who study organizations and the people within them, this valuable source book of research contains analysis and discussion of research methods (both quantitative and qualitative), in terms of their uses and limitations.

Qualitative research holds great potential for the study of public relations and marketing communications due to its ability to enable researchers to be closely involved with research participants. This practical guide for those interested in conducting qualitative research takes readers through each stage of the research process. This book:* outlines research techniques* considers methods of data collection* includes sampling and strategies for data analysis, including computer analysis* appraises issues of reliability and validity from a qualitative perspectiveKey points are illustrated with examples from advertising, marketing, media relations, promotions, employee communications, public affairs and other forms of managed communication. Pedagogic features include hints for the internet, tips for overcoming problems and difficulties, examples, boxed features, summaries and overviews, and a wide range of examples and illustrations from international contexts.A highly practical and accessible guide, this is a core text for those undertaking undergraduate and master research methods courses on public relations and marketing communications degrees, and will be invaluable for those working on dissertations, theses or research as part of a professional assignment.

This volume highlights the integration of qualitative research methods into traditional journalism, offering new ways of expanding and enhancing news coverage. Designed for readers without prior experience in social science research, this collection presents a wide variety of qualitative techniques and their applications in journalistic practice. The work brings together contributions from professional journalists and journalism scholars who are highly experienced in conducting qualitative research. These experts demonstrate how valid, reliable qualitative procedures can be used to increase coverage and offer new insights. Written in a straightforward, reader-friendly style, features in this volume include: *real-world examples from contemporary newsrooms and interviews with practicing journalists who use the techniques of qualitative research in reporting; *a rationale for the use of qualitative methods in journalism, with an illustration of how various qualitative methods tie together; *step-by-step instructions for applying each methodology; *a solid foundation for understanding the history and theory behind qualitative research and its usefulness in journalism; *chapters on pairing qualitative and quantitative methods in journalism and on detailing partnerships between academics and professional journalists to facilitate newsroom research and reporting; and *a discussion of "objectivity" in qualitative research and in journalism that offers an ethic for journalists of today. The methodologies covered here include oral and life histories, textual analysis, focused interviews, ethnographies, focus groups, and case studies. In addition, a recently developed technique, civic mapping, is presented as a qualitative tool for reporting. Qualitative Research in Journalism is an indispensable resource for current and future journalists interested in enhancing their coverage of the news.

The first to focus solely upon qualitative research in tourism, this book combines discussions of the philosophies underpinning qualitative research, with reflexive chapters that demonstrate how these techniques can be used.Incorporating a range of case studies written by leading international scholars, this book makes clear the ways in which these pieces of research have been informed by the authors' epistemological, ontological and methodological standpoint. Based on a range of empirical tourism studies set in the context of theoretical discussion, it demonstrates the benefits of using a range of qualitative approaches to research tourism, exploring the ways in which a number of techniques, including participants observation, memory work, biographical diaries, focus groups and visual exercises, have been adopted by researchers from a range of disciplinary backgrounds to undertake empirical research in tourism.An indispensable text for final year undergraduates, Masters and PhD students embarking on research in the field, it also will be a valuable title for academics with an interest in either tourism research or qualitative methodology. Linking theory with research practice, it offers a holistic account of qualitative research in tourism.