The Practice of Qualitative Research

This textbook presents an engaging introduction to the theory and methods of qualitative research in the social sciences. The authors employ a "holistic" approach to research by tightly linking research questions with the appropriate set of qualitative methods. They cover all the key mainstream qualitative methods, as well as a number of more unconventional ones such as oral history, visual and unobtrusive methods, and present an overview of mixed-methods approaches. As part of their discussion of the ethical issues underpinning all social research, the authors raise important issues concerning the problems and prospects novice researchers confront in researching human subjects.