Despite a long history in quantitative research, it is only recently that enthusiasm for secondary analysis of qualitative data has gained momentum across health and social science disciplines. Given that researchers have long known the inordinate amount of time and energy invested in conducting qualitative research, the appeal of secondary analysis of qualitative data is clear. Involving the use of an existing dataset to answer research questions that are different from those asked in the original study, this method allows researchers to once again make use of their hard-earned qualitative dataset and to listen to their participants’ voices to the best of their ability in order to improve care and promote understanding. As secondary qualitative data analysis continues to evolve, more methodological guidance is needed. This book outlines three approaches to secondary data analysis and addresses the key issues that researchers need to wrestle with, such as ethical considerations, voice, and representation. Intellectual and interpretive hazards that can jeopardize the outcome of these analyses are highlighted and discussed, as are the criteria for assessing their quality and trustworthiness. Written as a thought-provoking guide for qualitative researchers from across the health and social sciences, this text includes a review of the state of the science in nursing and a number of in-depth illustrative case studies.

A comprehensive guide to carrying out Qualitative Secondary Analysis (QSA) that brings together expert advice and professional insight from leading researchers who have developed innovative theories and methods of QSA. Exploring crucial components of research and analysis—such as where to find resources, how to search within a resource, and working with both paper archives and non-textual data—each chapter offers insightful case studies, links to further reading and applied helpful hints and tips to help effectively apply these innovations to further the reader’s own research. A must read for Social Science students, early career researchers and researchers new to the field of QSA, this text will help readers through every aspect of a research process using QSA, from application to implications.

What is qualitative secondary analysis? How can it be most effectively applied in social research? This timely and accomplished book offers readers a well informed, reliable guide to all aspects of qualitative secondary analysis. The book: · Defines secondary analysis · Distinguishes between quantitative and qualitative secondary analysis · Maps the main types of qualitative secondary analysis · Covers the key ethical and legal issues · Offers a practical guide to effective research · Sets the agenda for future developments in the subject Written by an experienced researcher and teacher with a background in sociology, the book is a comprehensive and invaluable introduction to this growing field of social research.

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.

Focusing on the integral role of the researcher, Qualitative Research for the Social Sciences uses a conversational writing style that draws readers into the excitement of the research process. Lichtman offers a balanced and nuanced approach, covering the full range of qualitative methodologies and viewpoints about the field, including coverage of social media as a tool to facilitate research or as a venue for study. After presenting theoretical concepts and a historical overview, Lichtman guides readers, step by step, through the research process, addressing issues of analyzing data, presenting completed research, and evaluating research. Real-world examples from across the social sciences provide both practical and theoretical information, helping readers understand abstract ideas and apply them to their own research.

From diaries and letters to surveys and interview transcripts, documents are a cornerstone of social science research. This book guides you through the documentary research process, from choosing the best research design, through data collection and analysis, to publishing and sharing research findings. Using extensive case studies and examples, it situates documentary research within a current context and empowers you to use this method to meet new challenges like digital research and big data head on. In a jargon-free style perfect for beginner researchers, this book helps you to: · Interrogate documentary material in meaningful ways · Choose the best research design for your project, from literature reviews to policy research · Understand a range of approaches, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. Accessible, clear and focused, this book gives you the tools to conduct your own documentary research and celebrates the importance of documentary analysis across the social sciences.

The teaching of qualitative analysis in the social sciences is rarely undertaken in a structured way. This handbook is designed to remedy that and to present students and researchers with a systematic method for interpreting qualitative data', whether derived from interviews, field notes, or documentary materials. The special emphasis of the book is on how to develop theory through qualitative analysis. The reader is provided with the tools for doing qualitative analysis, such as codes, memos, memo sequences, theoretical sampling and comparative analysis, and diagrams, all of which are abundantly illustrated by actual examples drawn from the author's own varied qualitative research and research consultations, as well as from his research seminars. Many of the procedural discussions are concluded with rules of thumb that can usefully guide the researchers' analytic operations. The difficulties that beginners encounter when doing qualitative analysis and the kinds of persistent questions they raise are also discussed, as is the problem of how to integrate analyses. In addition, there is a chapter on the teaching of qualitative analysis and the giving of useful advice during research consultations, and there is a discussion of the preparation of material for publication. The book has been written not only for sociologists but for all researchers in the social sciences and in such fields as education, public health, nursing, and administration who employ qualitative methods in their work.