Table of Contents

About the Author
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction to Qualitative Field Research
Overview
History of Field Research
Status Characteristics
Summary
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
2. Ethical Issues in Qualitative Field Research
Informed Consent
Deception
Confidentiality
Institutional Review Board
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
3. Prelude to Qualitative Fieldwork
Selecting a Research Topic
Ethical Issues
Practicality
Accessibility
The Familiar Versus the Unfamiliar
Record Keeping
Goals and Research Questions
Review of Literature
Final Preparations
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
4. The Infrastructure of Qualitative Field Research
Paradigms
Theory
Traditions of Inquiry
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
5. Methodology
Sampling
Gaining Entrée
Arrival in the Field
Key Actors
Informed Consent
Field Relationships
Triangulation
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
6. Observations
Planning Observations
Observations of Physical Surroundings
Observations of Participants
Observations of Actions
Ethics
Summary
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
7. Interviews
Unstructured Interviews
Structured Interviews
Semistructured Interviews
Selecting the Appropriate Type of Interview
Question Construction
Framing the Interview
Ethics
Status Characteristics
Terminating the Interview
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
8. Field Notes and Leaving the Field
Content of Field Notes
Guidelines for Writing Field Notes
Leaving the Field
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
9. Coding, Memoing, and Descriptions
Coding
Strategies for Improving Coding
Memoing
Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis
Descriptions
Summary
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
10. Typologies, Taxonomies, Visuals Representations, and Themes
Typologies
Taxonomies
Visual Representations
Themes
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
11. Storytelling, Critical Events, and Analytic Induction
Storytelling
Critical Event
Analytic Induction
Interpretation
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
12. Evaluation Criteria and Final Manuscript
Evaluation Criteria
Strategies for Enhancing Validity and Trustworthiness
Writing the Final Manuscript
Format of the Final Manuscript
Conclusion
Chapter Highlights
Exercises
References
Glossary/Index

About the Author

Having received her Ph.D. from Washington State University, Carol A. Bailey is an Associate Professor in Sociology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She has won numerous teaching awards, including the university-wide Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence. She has also been Chair of the University Writing Program at the Academy of Teaching Excellence.