AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH FOURTH EDITION SAGE © U w e Flick 2009 This f o u r t h edition first published 2009 First edition published 1998 Second edition published 2002 T h i r d edition published 2006 R e p r i n t e d 2010 Originally published as Qualitative Forschung in the 'rowohlts enzyklopadie' series C o p y r i g h t © 1995 R o w o h l t Taschenbuch Verlag G m b H , R e i n b e k bei H a m b u r g Apart f r o m any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as p e r m i t t e d u n d e r the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any f o r m , or by any means, only w i t h the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction, in accordance w i t h the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Inquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers SAGE Publications Ltd Oliver's Yard 55 City R o a d L o n d o n EC1Y ISP SAGE Publications Inc 2455 Teller R o a d T h o u s a n d Oaks, California 91320 SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd B / 1 M o h a n Cooperative Industrial A r e a Mathura Road N e w Delhi 110 044 SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd 33 Pekin Street #02-01 Far East Square Singapore 048763 Library of Congress Control Number 2008933314 British Library Cataloguing in Publication data A catalogue record for this b o o k is available f r o m the British Library ISBN - - 8 - 3 - I S B N - - 8 - - (pbk) Typeset by C & M Digitals (P) Ltd., Chennai, India Printed in Great Britian by Ashford C o l o u r Press Ltd., Gosport, Hants Printed on paper f r o m sustainable resources SUMMARY OF CONTENTS PART 1 FRAMEWORK Guide to This Book Qualitative Research: Why and How to Do It Qualitative and Quantitative Research Ethics of Qualitative Research PART F R O M T H E O R Y TO T E X T Making Use of the Literature in Qualitative Research Theoretical Positions Underlying Qualitative Research Epistemological Background: Construction and Understanding of Texts PART 10 11 12 The Qualitative Research Process Research Questions Entering the Field Sampling How to Design Qualitative Research: An Overview PART 13 14 15 16 11 23 35 45 47 56 74 87 89 97 105 114 127 VERBAL DATA 147 Interviews Narratives Focus Groups Verbal Data: An Overview 149 176 194 210 PART 17 18 19 20 21 RESEARCH DESIGN O B S E R V A T I O N A N D MEDIATED D A T A Observation and Ethnography Visual Data: Photography, Film, and Video Using Documents as Data Qualitative Online Research: Using the Internet Observation and Mediated Data: An Overview 219 221 239 254 263 281 vi AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PART 22 23 24 25 26 27 F R O M T E X T TO T H E O R Y Documentation of Data Coding and Categorizing Analyzing Conversation, Discourse, and Genres Narrative and Hermeneutic Analysis Using Computers in Qualitative Analysis Text Interpretation: An Overview PART GROUNDING AND WRITING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 28 Quality Criteria in Qualitative Research 29 The Quality of Qualitative Research: Beyond Criteria 30 Writing Qualitative Research PART QUALITATIVE RESEARCH: INTEGRATION A N D OUTLOOK 291 293 305 333 345 358 373 381 383 400 413 425 31 Qualitative Research at Work I: Grounded Theory 32 Qualitative Research at Work II:Triangulation 33 Qualitative Research: State of the Art and the Future 427 443 454 Glossary References Author Index Subject Index About the Author 467 476 492 496 505 CONTENTS List of Boxes List of Figures List of Tables List of Case Studies Preface to the Fourth Edition PART FRAMEWORK xv xvii xviii xix xxi 1 G u i d e to This B o o k Approach of the Book Structure of the Book Special Features of the Book H o w to Use this Book 4 10 Qualitative R e s e a r c h : w h y a n d H o w t o D o I t The Relevance of Qualitative Research Limits of Quantitative Research as a Starting Point Essential Features of Qualitative Research A Brief History of Qualitative Research Qualitative Research at the End of Modernity 11 12 12 14 17 20 Qualitative a n d Quantitative R e s e a r c h Relations of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Linking Qualitative and Quantitative Research in One Design Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Data Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Linking Qualitative and Quantitative Results Research Evaluation and Generalization Current Discussions about Qualitative and Quantitative Research Appropriateness of the Methods as a Point of Reference 23 24 25 29 29 30 30 31 32 Ethics of Qualitative Research 35 A Need for Ethics in Research and the Ethical Dilemmas of Qualitative Research 36 viii AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Codes of Ethics—An Answer to AH Questions? Ethics Committees—A Solution? How to Act Ethically in Your Qualitative Research Qualitative Research Ethics—Necessary for Better Research PART FROM T H E O R Y TO T E X T 36 39 40 43 45 M a k i n g Use of the Literature in Qualitative R e s e a r c h How and When to Use the Literature How to Use the Theoretical Literature about the Topic of Your Study The Use of Theories How to Use the Empirical Literature about Earlier Research in the Same Field or Similar Fields How to Use the Methodological Literature How to Use the Literature W h e n Writing about Your Study How and Where to Find the Literature 51 52 52 53 T h e o r e t i c a l Positions U n d e r l y i n g Qualitative R e s e a r c h Research Perspectives in the Field of Qualitative Research Subjective Meaning: Symbolic Interactionism The Making of Social Realities: Ethnomethodology Cultural Framing of Social and Subjective Reality: Structuralist Models Rivalry of Paradigms or Triangulation of Perspectives Common Features of the Different Positions Feminism and Gender Studies Positivism and Constructionism 56 57 57 59 62 64 65 67 69 Epistemological B a c k g r o u n d : C o n s t r u c t i o n a n d U n d e r s t a n d i n g of T e x t s Text and Realities Text as World Making: First-Degree and Second-Degree Constructions Social Constructions as Starting Points World Making in the Text: Mimesis Mimesis: Biography and Narrative 74 75 76 77 78 81 PART 87 RESEARCH DESIGN T h e Qualitative R e s e a r c h Process Research as Linear Process The Concept of Process in Grounded Theory Research 47 48 48 49 89 90 90 CONTENTS Linearity and Circularity of the Process Theories in the Research Process as Versions of the World 92 93 Research Questions Cutting Questions to Size Specifying an Area of Interest and Delimiting the Issue Sensitizing Concepts and the Triangulation of Perspectives Types of Research Questions 97 98 100 100 101 10 Entering the Field Expectations of Qualitative Researchers and the Problem of Access Role Definitions in Entering an Open Field Access to Institutions Access to Individuals Strangeness and Familiarity 105 106 106 107 109 110 11 Sampling Sampling Decisions in the Research Process A Priori Determination of the Sample Structure Gradual Definition of the Sample Structure: Theoretical Sampling Gradual Selection as a General Principle in Qualitative Research Purposive Sampling Width or Depth as Aims of Sampling Case Constitution in the Sample 114 115 115 12 H o w to D e s i g n Qualitative Research: An Overview H o w to Plan and Construct Designs in Qualitative Research Short Cut Strategies Basic Designs Case Studies Comparative Studies Retrospective Studies Snapshots: Analysis of State and Process at the Time of the Investigation Longitudinal Studies Starting Points for Selecting a Research Design First Point of Reference: Criteria-Based Comparison of the Approaches 127 117 120 122 123 124 128 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 140 141 ix x AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Second Point of Reference: The Selection of the Design and Checking its Application Third Point of Reference: Appropriateness of the Approach to the Issue Fourth Point of Reference: Fitting the Approach into the Research Process PART VERBAL DATA 141 141 145 147 13 Interviews The Focused Interview The Semi-Standardized Interview The Problem-Centered Interview The Expert Interview The Ethnographic Interview Conducting Interviews: Problems of Mediation and Steering 149 150 156 161 165 169 170 14 Narratives The Narrative Interview The Episodic Interview Narratives between Biography and Episode 176 177 185 191 15 Focus Groups Group Interviews Group Discussions Focus Groups Joint Narratives 194 195 196 203 206 16 Verbal D a t a : An Overview First Point of Reference: Criteria-Based Comparison of the Approaches Second Point of Reference: The Selection of the Method and Checking its Application Third Point of Reference: Appropriateness of the Method to the Issue Fourth Point of Reference: Fitting the Method into the Research Process 210 PART OBSERVATION A N D MEDIATED D A T A 17 Observation and Ethnography Non-participant Observation 211 211 216 216 219 221 222 CONTENTS Participant Observation Ethnography 226 233 18 Visual D a t a : P h o t o g r a p h y , F i l m , a n d V i d e o Photos as Instrument and Object of Research Film Analysis as an Instrument of Research Using Video in Qualitative Research 239 240 246 249 19 U s i n g D o c u m e n t s as D a t a What Are Documents? Using Documents as Data: More than Analyzing Texts Selecting Documents , Constructing a Corpus T h e Practicalities of Using Documents 254 255 257 257 258 259 20 Q u a l i t a t i v e O n l i n e R e s e a r c h : U s i n g t h e I n t e r n e t T h e Internet as an Object of Research Preconditions of Qualitative Online Research Transferring Qualitative Research and Methods to the Internet Online Interviewing Online Focus Groups Virtual Ethnography: Interaction and Communication 263 264 265 in the Internet Analyzing Internet Documents Limits and Perspectives of Qualitative Online Research 272 276 278 21 Observation and Mediated Data: An Overview First Point of Reference: Criteria-Based Comparison of the Approaches Second Point of Reference: T h e Selection of the Method and Checking its Application Third Point of Reference: Appropriateness of the Method to the Issue Fourth Point of Reference: Fitting the Method into the Research Process 281 PART 291 FROM TEXT TO T H E O R Y 22 Documentation of Data N e w Ways and Problems of Recording Data Field Notes 265 266 269 282 283 286 288 293 294 296 xi xii AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Research Diary 297 Documentation Sheets Transcription Reality as Text: Text as N e w Reality 298 299 302 23 C o d i n g a n d C a t e g o r i z i n g Grounded Theory Coding Thematic Coding Qualitative Content Analysis Global Analysis 305 306 318 323 328 24 A n a l y z i n g C o n v e r s a t i o n , D i s c o u r s e , a n d G e n r e s Conversation Analysis Discourse Analysis Genre Analysis 333 334 338 341 25 N a r r a t i v e a n d H e r m e n e u t i c Analysis Analyzing Narratives Objective Hermeneutics Social Science Hermeneutics and Hermeneutic Sociology of Knowledge 345 346 350 26 U s i n g C o m p u t e r s in Q u a l i t a t i v e Analysis N e w Technologies: Hopes, Fears, and Fantasies Ways of Using Computers W h y Use Software for Analyzing Qualitative Data? 358 359 360 355 Hopes and Expectancies Types of Software for Analyzing Qualitative Data Software for Analyzing Qualitative Data: H o w to Choose? Examples: ATLAS Ti, N U D * I S T / N V i v o , and MAXqda H o w to Use Software in Qualitative Research Software's Impact on Qualitative Research: Examples 361 362 363 366 367 369 27 Text Interpretation: An Overview First Point of Reference: Criteria-Based Comparison of the Approaches Second Point of Reference: T h e Selection of the Method and Checking its Application Third Point of Reference: Appropriateness of the Method to the Issue Fourth Point of Reference: Fitting the Method into the Research Process 373 374 375 375 379 Adler, P 107, 111, 1 , 2 , 2 , Bryant, A , , - , 4 Adler, P.A 107, 111, 1 , 2 , 2 , Bryman, A - , , , Agar, M 1 , 2 Bude, H - , , Agostiam, H , Biihler-Niedertarger, D , Alien,T 18 B u r m a n , E 17 Allmark, P 39, , , Altheide, D L 390 Chamberlain, K 456 Angrosino, M 238 Charmaz, K , - , , , , , 3 , Astedt-Kurki, P - Atkinson, P 3 , , , , 435,437-40,442 Cicourel, A V , , Clifford, J , , , 2 , 4 , Bampton, R , Coffey, A , Banister, P 17 Cohen, E 264,276,280 Banks, M , , Colby, A , Barbour, R , Cooley, C H 57 Barthes, R 241 Corbin, J , , , , , - , 3 , , Barton, A H Bateson, G , 393-5,399,414-15,428,429,435-6,442 Coulter, J 338 BaudriflardJ 389 Cowton, C.J 268,280 Bauer, M 3 , 3 , , , 6 CresswelI,J W26,128,133,146 Baum, F 32 Baym, N K 268 Dabbs ,J M 242 Becker, H S 24, , , 92, , , 2 , , , D'Andrade, R G 240,241,245-6,253,417,424 Deeke, A 165 Beck, U , D e l a m o n t , S 238 Benedict, R_ 420 Deleuze, G 390 Berg, E 420 Denzin, N K , - , 2 , , , - , , , , Berger, P L 69 121,192,223,226,235,240,241,245,246-9, Bergmann,J R , 2 , 6 , - , , , 3 - , , 6 , , - , , , , 405,422, 336,343,365,418,457,459 444, 445, , , , , - , , 6 Bertaux, D , 7 , DerridaJ 63,390 Bettega, N - Devereux, G 231 Billmann-Mahecha, E 250 Dey, 1.438 Birch, M 38 Dingwall, R 3 , , , Blumer, H 12, - , , , , 431 Douglas, J D 107 Bogner, A 166 Drew, P 0 , 3 B o h m , A 331 Bohnsack, R , Eberle,T S 455 BonB,W , , , Eckert,T - Borrtum, K M 463 Edwards, D 3 - , Bourdieu, P 170 Elliot, R 397 Brauer,J.P 410, 411 Emerson, R 304 Bruce, G 300 Erdheim, M Bruner, E M 422 Erzberger, C , , , 460 Bruner,J , , 7 , , , , , Evans-Pritchard, E E 420 AUTHOR INDEX 493 Feldman, C 209 Haxtmann, H , Fielding, J L 1 , H a u p e r t , B 346, 408 Fielding, N G , 1 , , , , , , Have, P ten 3 , 3 - , , , Fischer, C - , - , , 3 , Heath, C 249-50,251,253,289 Fischer-Rosenthal,'® , , - , , Heidegger, M Fiske, M 195 Heritage,J , 3 Fleck, L 69 H e r k o m m e r , S 0 - Flick, U , 2 , , , , , , , , , , , Hermanns, H 172,175,177,178,179, 76,82-4, 85,101,102-3,104,116,120,128, 180,182,185,218 135,139-40,146,158-60,174,177,185,187-9, H e w s o n , C 265 192-3,205-6,217-18,235,260,272,331,380, Heyl, B S , 399,405,412,431-2,445,446,453,460,461, Hildenbrand, B 1 , , , , , 463,465,466 Hindmarsh, J - , , 289 Flores, F , Hine, C , - , , Fontana, A , , Hitzler, R 455 Foucault, M , Hodgetts, D - Fretz, R Hoffinann-Riem, C 18,91 Freud, S 91 H o l b r o o k , 369 Frey,J H , , Hollingshead, A B 16 Fuchs, M , HolsteinJ.A 150,170 H o l t o n J A 437 Garfinkel, H , , , , - , , Honer, A 234,455 Garz, D 3 , Hood, J C 428,439 Gaskell, G 3 , Hopf, C 29,40, 44,150,154,171-2,295 Gebauer, G , - , , Huberman,A M 19,25-6,130-1,360,393,396 Geer, B 2 , , Hughes, E C 2 , Geertz, C , , , 2 , , , - , , Humphreys, L - 424,464 Gergen, K J , Iser,W 78 Gerhardt,U 117,356,408 Gibbs, G , , 3 , , Jacob, E 19 Gildemeister, R , , J a h n , W 206, , , Girder, R Jefferson, G 3 Glaser, B G , , , , , , , , - , , Jessop,J 38 101,117,118-19,126,129,131,306,313-16, Jessor, R , 317,331,370,392,407-8,412,428-9,433, J i c k , T 27 - , 4 , 4 , 4 , 456 Joas.H 57 Glaserfeld, E v , , Joffe, H - G o e t z J P Johnson, J M Goffinan, E , 2 , Jordan, A Gold, J 2 , , Jorgensen, D L 226, 238 Goodman, N 7 , - , , , Grathoff, R Kamiske, G.F , 1 Groeben, N , , Kardorff, E v , 2 , - , , Guattari, F 390 Kelle, U , , , , , , , , - , Guba, E G , , , , , 9 , , 407, , G u b r i u m J F , 372,436,460 Kendall, P - , , , , Kim,H.0.152,174 Kirk,J L , , , 9 Habermas, J , Kitzinger, 68 Hall, E T 241 Kleining, G 18, , , H a l p e r n , E S 392 Knauth, B - Hammersley, M , 3 , , - , , 9 , Knoblauch, H , , , , , 4 , Harper, D , , , , 457,459, 461,465 Harre.R 12,61,338,457 K n o r r - C e t i n a , K 61, 69,422 Hart, C 53,55 Koepping, K P 2 494 AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Konau, E 18 M e n z W 166 Konig, R Merkens, H , 2 Kowall, S 9 , 0 , Merton, R , - , , , , 0 , Kraimer, K 303 Meuser, M , , Krambeck, j 18 Mies, M 67 K r u e g e r , R A 209 Miles, M B , - , - , , , , Kruger, H H 199 Kuckartz, U , Kvale, S , , , 9 , 364,367,393,396 Miller, M , , , 9 Miller,T 38 Mishler, E G , Lather, P 389 Mitra, A , , Laurent, D 265 M o r g a n , D L , Laurie, H 361 Morse, J M , , , Lau T 108 Moscovici, S 64 Lazarsfeld, P.F 26 M u h r T 366 LeCompte, M 463 Mulkay, M Lee, R M , , , , , , Murphy, E , , , 4 , Legewie, H , 8 Murray, M 177 Leichtl, G - Lempert.L.B 434,441 Nagel, U , , Levi-Strauss, C 420, 423 Neuber, A - , , 3 Lincoln,Y S , , 2 , , , , , , , , Niemann, M 224-5 393,399,406,407,410,420,422,445,452, Northway, R - 463-4,465,466 Livingston, E 61 Oakley, A 69 Livingstone, S , , O'ConneU, D 9 , 0 , Lofland, J H , , 2 , , - , , Oerter, R Lofland, L H , , , - , Oevermann, U 18,25, 63,351,354 152—4,174 Luckmann,Th 69,341,344,457 Luders, C , , 3 , , 8 , , , , 5 , 460,461,464 Paavilainen, E - Parker, , , , , Luff, P , Park, R Lunt, P , , Parsons, T 49 Lyotard,J F 389 Patton, M Q , 2 , , , - , M a a n e n J van 4 , - , 4 P i a g e t J 69 McKinlay, J B , Pollock, F , Maddill, A 391 Potter, J 52, , , , , , , P e t e r m a n n , W 248 Maeder, C h , 338-40,343,457 Maijalla, H - Prior, L 5 - , , , Malinowski, B , Prosser, S 38 Mangold, W 197 Puchta, C , , , Mann, C 38,265,268,270,278-9,280,289 Marcus, G E , , , 4 , Raab, J , Markham, A M , Ragin, C C 92,128,134 Marotski W - , , R a p l e y T , 4 , , Marshall, C , R e d l i c h , F 16 Mason, J , Reicher, S 397 Mathes, R - R e i c h e r t z , J 18, , , , , 5 , - , Mauthner, M 38, 431 392,421-2,455 Maxwell, J A , , R e n n i e , D L 397 Maynard, M 68 Rheingold, H 273 Mayring, R 3 - , 3 Richards, L , , 6 , Mead, G H 57 Richardson, L , 4 - Mead, M - , Richards,T.J , , 6 , Meier, C 6 , - , , , , R i c o e u r , P , - , , , AUTHOR INDEX 495 Riemann, G 7 , , - , Tashakkori, A , R o h n s c h , G , , , 446 Taylor, C 464 Roller, E - Taylor, M 17 Rosenthal, G , 7 , , , - , , , Teddlie, C h , Rossman, G B , Thomas, W , , , - R u f f , F M 163 Tindall, C 17 Toulmin, S 21 Sacks, H , 3 , , Trean T.J 69 Sahle, R - Sanjek, R 304 Ulrich, C G - Sarbin,T R , 7 Ussher.J 68 Schatzman, L 18 Scheele, B , Vico, 70 Schegloff, E 3 , 3 Vogel, C 265 Schneider, G , , Schnettler, B , Walter, U - , - , , 3 Schonberger, C h - Webb, E.J 256 Schutz, A , , 7 , , 1 , 8 Weber, M , Schütze, F , 7 , , , , , , , Weitzman, E , , , , , , , 6 , Schwandt T A 392 367,372 Schwartz, F W - , - , , 3 Wengraf,T , Scott, J , , West, C 68 Seale, C , , , , , 9 , Wetherell, M 52, , , 3 , Shamdasani, P N , Shaw, L 304 339-40,343,457 W h y t e W F 112 Shils, E A 49 Wibowo, S , Shirley, C 391 Wiener, C 429 Shweder, R A , Wilkinson, S 68 Silverman, D , , , , 9 Williamson, G 38 Skeggs, B 68 Willig, C , , 3 , Smith, D , Wilson, T P 32 Soef&er, H G , 5 , Winograd,T 19,76 Spradley.J P - , , 2 , 2 , Winter, R 458 228,238,297,386 Witzel,A - , - , Sprenger, A 2 - Wolcott, H F 390 Stsinron-Rogers, W 17 Wolff, S - , - , 1 , 5 , , , Steinke, , 2 , , 336-7,414,416,423,463 Stewart, D M , Wuggenig, U 242 Stewart, F , , , , - , , Wulf, C , - , Strauss, A L , , , 2 , , , , , , , , W u n d t , W 17 93-4,96,101,102,104,117,118-19,126,129, 131,132,228,238,296,298, 300,306,307-13, Yardley, L 398 314,318,320,322,323,331,355,366,370,374, Yule, P 265 379,380,392,393-5,399,414-15,428-9,433, 435-7,440,442,444,456 Stryker, S 58 Zimmerman, D H 68 Znaniecki, F , , - , abstraction levels 121 access biographical research cont text 75 to documents 256 theory 50 to the field , , 2 - validity 388 to individuals - to institutions - , 1 action research - blurred genres 19 British Psychological Society (BPS) 36 British Sociological Association (BSA) 37 active listening - , adjacency pairs 3 , 3 canonization 20 adulthood interview - C A Q D A S see computer-aided qualitative A m e r i c a n Sociological Association (ASA) 37 data analysis software analytic induction 121, 406 case analysis 162 anonymity , , 111, , , - , cases 278,279,295 appropriateness o f methods - , , , , - constitution - reconstructing 66 selection 120—3 sampling 125 case sampling 1 , 1 text interpretation 375, 379 case studies , , , of theories - categorization , , - transcription 299 causal relations 13 area of interest 100 censorship 245 art chat rooms , f u t u r e of research 463—4 Chicago School , , , in grounded theory 441 circularity, research process 92, 94 artificial intelligence 19 circular models 142 ATLAS Ti , , 6 , - , , code of ethics - auditing - , code notes , authenticity , - , , 8 , coding , 8 , - , - authority of the text 422 ATLAS Ti 366 authorship 256 axial , - , 3 , , a u t o n o m y 37 families , , awareness contexts 314 focused , axial coding , - , 3 , , g r o u n d e d theory - , 4 line-hy-line , balancing phase , m e t h o d comparison 374, - beneficence , online research , b e t w e e n - m e t h o d triangulation 448 open 3 , - , , , , , , 3 , biographical research , , , , , 5 , 5 , 458 mimesis - 355,387,435-6 paradigm , 1 , , 3 , , 379,436 narrative analysis - , quantitative and qualitative research 29 narrative interview 7 , - , selective , , , , 435 participant observation 232 substantive 436 photographs 243 thematic - , - , , , , 4 problem-centered interviews - , - theoretical , , , SUBJECT INDEX 497 communicative validation 8 - , crisis of legitimation , comparative studies - , , crisis of representation , , , , complete collection 117 critical cases 122 complete observer 223 critical stories 416 complete participant 223 cultural studies 458 complexity , , 0 culture computer-aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) - , 7 , computers , discourse analysis 3 - structuralism - triangulation 64 see abo Internet; software;Web sites use of - data concepts, construction of 71 g r o u n d e d theory 3 - conceptual-theoretical phase, grounded theory 440 interpretation 94 confessional tales 416 management, computers 361 confidentiality , , , confirmatory selective phase, grounded theory 440 confrontational questions , consent , informed 37-8,41,279 triangulation , , 4 data collection research questions 99 triangulation 4 - deduction , constant comparative m e t h o d - deep diversity 464 constructed codes 309 deep structures 57, 62, 63, , 5 constructionism - , dependability 392 constructivism - , 3 depth content analysis , 3 - h e r m e n e u t i c classificatory - interviews - sampling - m e t h o d comparison , descriptive m e t h o d 17 triangulation 449 descriptive observation 227 context , , - , 3 conversation analysis 3 , 3 design - basic , ethics 42 checklist 144 knowledge 167 points of reference - literature 49, 50 deviant cases 122 protocols 16 diachronic reliability 385 research questions 98 dialectics 111 control - diaries , , , - convenience sampling 2 , - dignity of participants , conversation analysis 60, , , 3 - 4 , , - , discourse analysis 3 - 4 , 5 , 455,456-7 documents 261 " literature 52 m e t h o d comparison 377 feminism 68 discursive psychology - Internet 264 discussion stimulus 200 interpretation 374 documentation sheets - m e t h o d comparison 377 documents - , - online research 274 Internet - reservations 110 m e t h o d comparison , snapshots 137 software 369 electronic data 459 transcription 300 e-mail interviewing - video 251 e m b o d i e d knowledge 61 core category 312 empirical literature 48, - , core concepts 437 empirical material 67 corpus construction 258 episodic interviews , - , , 4 covert observation - , 2 , 2 - credibility - , , , , , 392,422,437,438 m e t h o d comparison thematic coding 318 episodic knowledge 185-6 498 AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH • ethics 35—44 focus groups , - committees , - feminism 68 covert observation 223 m e t h o d comparison 213 grounded theory - online , - online research - folk psychology 17 recording 295 f o r m a l stories 416 triangulation 451 framing, photographs 246 video , funding ' ethnographic interviews - , 2 ethnography - , 2 - , 5 , - grounded theory 430 triangulation 447 ethics 38 feminism 68 gender differences 225 longitudinal 138 gender studies - , 458 method generalization , 2 , , , comparison - presentation - goals - representation crisis 420 objective hermeneutics snapshots 137 qualitative and quantitative research - street corner society 112 general statements 13 validity 390 generative questions , 7 , , virtual - ethnomethodology 19,57, - , 5 , - 183-4,211,386 generic concepts 307 access 107 genre analysis 3 - 4 , 5 , 457 conversation analysis 334, 338 G e r m a n Sociological Association (GSA) 37 documents 261 global analysis - , , video 251 goals of study 129 evaluation going native 2 - g r o u n d e d theory - gradual sampling 184 guidelines - gradual selection - process - grand narratives 19 qualitative and quantitative research - grand theories 49 theory building - grounded theory , - , evaluation research 122 coding - , 4 event reconstruction - ethics 42 evidence-based practice 19 evaluation - existential sociology 107 goals 129 experience-distant concepts 415 literature , , expert interviews 165-9, 2 , 4 - m e t h o d comparison 370 explicative content analysis 327 research process - software 6 , , , familiarity 1 - 1 • grounding research - 4 feminism , , , - group discussions , - , , - 2 , , the field access , , 2 - 213,214 group formation, comparisons 131 entering - group interviews - ethics 43 group methods, comparison 1 , 2 f i e l d notes - , 4 conventions 386 h a r m avoidance 41 reliability 386 h e r m e n e u t i c classificatory c o n t e n t analysis - film 239-52,261,283,285,419 fine analysis 351 flexibility 462-3 flip-flop technique 310 hermeneutics , - , 461 see also objective hermeneutics photos 243 heterogeneous groups 198 focused coding 316, 435 h o m o g e n e o u s groups , 9 , 270 focused interviews - , 2 h o m o l o g y assumption - focused observation 227 hybridization 459 SUBJECT INDEX ideal type analysis 408 interviews cont impressionist tales 416 Internet , - indication - , mediation and steering - definition 4 - m e m o s 434 individualized universal 124 open 106,150 individuals, access to - participant observation 232 induction 17, 69 photos - analytic 121, 406 strategies 12 i n f o r m e d consent - , , initial phase, grounded theory 440 initial sampling 447 initiate role 111 insider, researcher as 111, 112 institutional ethnography 234 institutions, access to - , 1 integration of research - 6 intensity 122 problem-centered - , 2 protocol 434 reality 19 reliability 386 reservations 110 sampling 115 semi-standardized , - , , 212 semi-structured , , , , 183,195,211,267 short-cut strategies - text 75 interactional embedding 351 time 132 interaction analysis transcription 9 - Internet 265 triangulation 4 - social 250 interactionism - interpretive - video 251 internationalization 461 I n t e r n e t 261 codes of ethics - electronic data 459 literature - m e t h o d comparison online research - , - , publishing - interpretation , 7 , - of data 94 of texts 317 interpretive interactionism - interpretive o m n i p o t e n c e - interpretive repertoires - type selection validity 388 intuition systematization, grounded theory 4 - investigator triangulation , 4 in vivo codes 309 ironic validity 389 j o i n t narratives - , 213 journals - , 397 justice 37, 41 key concepts 0 - knowledge construction - forms - social construction 77 intertextuality , interviews , , - see also narrative interviews adulthood - comparison of approaches 1 - laboratory-constructivism - latent structure of m e a n i n g 62, 63 of sense 350 content analysis 328 legitimation, crisis of 76, 385 documentation 294 libraries 53 e-mail - life constructions - life history , episodic , - , , , , 4 life story 347 ethics - life worlds 1 - ethnographic - , 2 linear models 142 expert - , 2 , 4 - linear research , , field notes 296 line-by-line coding , focused - , 2 literature group - making use of - 5 guides , , , , - , , , reviews 53 499 500 AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH longitudinal studies - , , nonparticipant observation 2 - , , loose design - non-technical literature - NUD*IST 132,362,366-7,369-70 material sampling 1 , 1 numerical generalization 130 maximal variation 2 , NVivo 366-7 M A X q d a 367 meaning 257-8 conversation analysis 338 latent structures 62, 63 narrative analysis 349 objective hermeneutics 18, - , 8 , 306,334,350-5,455 h e r m e n e u t i c classificatory content analysis - objective - , 350 m e t h o d comparison , 7 , subjective 16, - , , , snapshots 137 mediated data - outlets - overview - text 75 objective m e a n i n g - , objectives 129 membership roles 107 objectivity , , - memos 298,307,434-5,441 object orientation 162 metaphysics of structures 63 observation , , , - methodological literature , , 54 see also participant observation methodological triangulation , 4 covert - , 2 , 2 - methods descriptive 227 appropriateness of - , , , , - documentation 294 choice of - ethics - selection - , focused 227 typology 121 m e t h o d comparison - variety , - nonparticipant 2 - , , mimesis - reliability 386 mixed methodologies 32 selective 227 modalization 341 self-observation 225 moderator, role - triangulation 225, 447 modernist phase 18 observer-as-participant 223 m o d e r n i t y 21 o p e n coding 3 , - , , , multi-level analyses 15 multiple realities 77 316,317,319,334,355,387,435-6 o p e n interviews , openness , , , 1 , , 402 narrative analysis 3 , - , 7 , observation 226 narrative interviews , - , , 1 , principle 18, , , interpretation 374 o p e n questions , 3 m e t h o d comparison 213 originality , narratives , - , 1 , episodic interview 185-90 fifth m o m e n t 19 j o i n t narratives - mimesis - paradigm 24 coding , 1 , , 3 , , , wars 65 paralogic/neo-pragmatic validity 389 presentation 416 participant-as-observer 2 text 75 participant observation 2 - 3 narrative-sequential approach 449 access 106 narrow content analysis 327 ethnographic interviews - natural design - field notes - naturalistic sociology 18 Internet 264 negative case analysis 406 m e t h o d comparison , netiquette 279 protocol sheets 227 networks, coding 307 researcher role 107, - non-direction - sampling 1 - nonJinearity 276 street corner society 112 non-maleficence triangulation 448 SUBJECT INDEX 501 participants 106 dignity and rights , perspective , , quantitative research - , limits - process 90 reservations 110 questionnaires, problem-centered interviews 164 welfare , questions performativity, video 249 see abo research questions personal context, interviews - confrontational , personal goals 129 generative , 7 , , - , 1 , phenomenalism 69 open 156,334 phenomenology 19,58 semi-structured 150 photographs - , , , , - structured 151 planning, design 128 theory-driven 157 pluralization of life worlds 12 unstructured 150 positivism 69—70 quixotic reliability 385 postmodernism , , , , poststructuralism - radical constructivism , practical goals 129 r a n d o m sampling , 2 , pragmatism 57 range, interviews 151 presentation 20 reactivity 224 goals 130 realism 69 of results 4 - realistic readings - presentational sampling 1 , 1 realist tales 415 primary selection 123 reality , , , , 3 , problem-centered interviews - , 2 construction 66 problem centering , films 248 problem solving, group discussion 197 multiple 77 procedural audit 410 narrative analysis 348 procedural dependability - social - procedural reliability - structuralism - procedural validity - subjective - process and text - , , , - see abo research process recording data - evaluation - reflexive phase, grounded theory 440 knowledge 167 reflexivity , , orientation 162 snapshots 137 video 249 writing 422-3 professionalization - reliability , , - , protocol sheets 227 repair organization 337 psychoanalysis , representation psychology , , , , , , , 59, 61-2, purposive sampling 2 , , , , 278,432,448 crisis of , , , , goals 130 representativeness - , , representative samples 1 , researchers qualitative data analysis (QDA) software - reflexivity 16 qualitative interviews 162 roles - , 111, 1 - , - , quality - research perspectives - assessment - research pragmatics 461 assurance 397—8 research process - , beyond criteria 0 - coding , 3 criteria - 9 content analysis 328 documents - conversation analysis 338 ethics committees , discourse analysis 341 management - 1 documents 261 qualitative and quantitative research 31 episodic interviews 190 triangulation 451 ethnography 236 502 AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH research process cont sampling cont expert interviews - purposive 2 , , , , , , 4 films 248 qualitative and quantitative research - focused interviews 155 random 13,122,125 focus groups statistical 1 , 1 - genre analysis 342 thematic coding 318 group discussions 202 triangulation 4 - j o i n t narratives within material 115 mediated data 288 secondary selection 123 method fitting 216-17 security 42 narrative analysis 349 segmentation , narrative interviews 184 selective coding , , , , objective hermeneutics 354 selective observation 227 observation 225 selective plausibilisation - online research , , , self, mimesis - patiripant observation 231 self-determination 37 photos 246 self-observation 225 problem-centered interviews 164 semantic knowledge - semi-standardized interviews 161 semiotics 19 software 370 semi-standardized interviews , - , , 2 video 251 semi-structured interviews , , , , , research questions - , 195,211,267 formulation 129 semi-structured questions 150 grounded theory 430 sensitive cases 122 resonance, grounded theory 438 sensitivity 43 resources 131-2 sensitizing concepts , 0 - , - retrospective inspection 151 sensual validity 390 retrospective narrative 180 sequential analyses , 3 retrospective studies - , , group discussions 202 rhizomatic validity 390 objective hermeneutics - , , rights of participants , sequential procedures role-plays , conversation analysis 337 roles I n t e r n e t documents 7 moderator - short-cut strategies - narrative interviews - single case 124 participant observation 2 , - situated validity 390 researchers - , 111, 1 - , - , snapshots - , , rough analysis 351 snowballing techniques , 1 , rule of economy social constructionism 68, - social constructions , , - sample size 15 f i r s t - and second-degree , 7 sampling 1 - mimesis 81—4 see also theoretical sampling social constructivism 76 case 1 , 1 social interaction analysis 250 convenience 2 , - social reality - corpus construction 258 social representations , , 3 design , , 4 - Social Research Association (SRA) 37 ethnography 236 social science hermeneutics 355 focus groups 205 social sciences - , , , , - , 7 , gradual 184 group formation 131 literature , typology 121 groups of cases 115 sociology of knowledge 355 initial 447 software - , 7 , material 1 , 1 ATLAS Ti , , 6 , - , , presentational 1 , 1 C A Q D A S - , 7 , 459 process evaluation 409 M A X q d a 367 SUBJECT INDEX software cont thematic coding - , - , , 4 NUD*IST 132,362,366-7,369-70 interpretation 374 NVivo 6 - m e t h o d comparison 370 SPSS 359 theoretical coding , , , specificity, interviews 151 theoretical generalization 130 SPSS 359 theoretical literature - , 50, 54 standardization 386 theoretical sampling , 1 - , 4 , 407, 444 degree - coding - , 3 qualitative and quantitative research 33 grounded theory , - standardized interviews 195 group discussions 202 statistical sampling 1 , 1 - Internet documents 7 , steering, group discussions 199, 201 participant observation 231 story line 312 strangers researchers as 110-11 role 229 structuralism , , - structured microanalysis 247 structured questions 151 structure laying technique , - structuring content analysis subjective meaning , - , , , subjective reality - subjective theory , , , - , 161,163,214,389 subjectivity - substantive coding 436 triangulation 447 theoretical saturation 119, , , 318, 436,438-9,441 theories , appropriateness of 14—15 development , , , - fifth m o m e n t 19 from text - presentation 4 - to text - triangulation , 4 underlying research - use of - versions of the world - writing 91 substantive theories 50 theory-driven questions 157 subversive readings - theory-generating expert interview 166 summarizing content analysis - thick description , 2 surveys , T h o m a s theorem 58 symbolic interactionism 19, - , 317 tight design - synchronic reliability 385 time, resources 132 systematization, triangulation 452 transcription , , 6 , , 9 - , systematizing expert interview 166 conventions 300 systems theories 49 rules 301 triangulation 447 tabula rasa 48 transexuality 68 tape recording 132,164, 294 transformation, quantitative and technical literature 51 technology see also computers qualitative research 29 transparency 370 triangulation 130, 405, 4 - , 460 mimesis - data , , 4 presence 298 definition 445 text authority 422 episodic interviews 190 ethnography 236 construction & understanding 74—85 expert interviews 168 as empirical material 67 focused interviews 156 f r o m theory to - Internet documents 278 interpretation , - observation 225, 447 photographs 243 of perspectives - , 0 - presentation 418 qualitative and quantitative research - , 31, 32 and reality 297, - types 405 to theory - video 251 world as 63 trustworthiness 392 world making , 7 , - truth 13, 246 503 504 AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH turn taking 3 , 3 visual data - , - , typical cases 122 voluntary participation - vulnerable population 41 unconscious 62 unstructured questions 150 waving-the-red-flag technique 310 usefulness, grounded theory 438 w e b sites , - utilization research 13 wide content analysis 327 width, sampling - validity , , , , , , - , 2 , w i t h i n - m e t h o d triangulation 448 verbal data - , - world making, text , 7 , - verstehen , - , writing 381-424,460 video - , , ^ - literature use - virtual ethnography , - memos 434-5,441 visitor role 111 theory 91 Uwe Flick is a trained psychologist and sociologist He is Professor of Qualitative Research in Social Work, Nursing and Gerontology at Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, Germany Previously, he was Adjunct Professor at the Memorial University of Newfoundland at St Johns, Canada and has been a Lecturer at the Free University of Berlin in Research Methodology, a Reader and Assistant Professor at the Technical University of Berlin in Qualitative Methods and Evaluation; and Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Sociology at the Hannover Medical School He has held visiting appointments at the London School of Economics, the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, at Cambridge University (UK), Memorial University of St Johns (Canada), University of Lisbon (Portugal), University of Vienna, in Italy and Sweden, and at the School of Psychology at Massey University, Auckland (NZ) His main research interests are qualitative methods, social representations in the fields of individual and public health, and technological change in everyday life He is author of Designing Qualitative Research (London: SAGE 2007) and Managing Quality in Qualitative Research (London: SAGE 2007) and editor of The SAGE Qualitative Research Kit (London: SAGE 2007), A Companion to Qualitative Research (London: SAGE 2004), Psychology of the Social (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), Quality of Life and Health: Concepts, Methods and Applications (Berlin: Blackwell Science, 1995), and La perception quotidienne de la Sante et la Maladie: Theories subjectives et Representations sociales (Paris: L'Harmattan, 1993) Supporting researchers for more than forty years Research methods have always been at the core of SAGE's publishing Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE in 1965 and soon after, she published SAGE's first methods book, Public Policy Evaluation A few years later, she launched the Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences series - affectionately known as the 'little green books' Always at the forefront of developing and supporting new approaches in methods, SAGE published early groundbreaking texts and journals in the fields of qualitative methods and evaluation Today, more than forty years and two million little green books later, SAGE continues to push the boundaries with a growing list of more than 1,200 research methods books, journals, and reference works across the social, behavioural, and health sciences From qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods to evaluation, SAGE is the essential resource for academics and practitioners looking for the latest in methods by leading scholars ... Ethics of Qualitative Research 35 A Need for Ethics in Research and the Ethical Dilemmas of Qualitative Research 36 viii AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Codes of Ethics An Answer to AH Questions?... 20 Qualitative a n d Quantitative R e s e a r c h Relations of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Linking Qualitative and Quantitative Research in One Design Combining Qualitative and Quantitative... constructionist qualitative research using text as empirical material 6 AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH In Part on research design we come to the more practical issues of how to plan qualitative research: