Product Description

The Third Edition of the bestselling Basics of Qualitative Research:Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory continues to offer immensely practical advice and technical expertise to aid researchers in making sense of their collected data. Authors Juliet Corbin and the late Anselm Strauss (co-creator of Grounded Theory) present methods that enable researchers to analyze and interpret their data, and ultimately build theory from it. Highly accessible in their approach, Corbin and Strauss provide a step-by-step guide to the research act--from the formation of the research question through several approaches to coding and analysis, to reporting on the research. Full of definitions and illustrative examples, this book concludes with chapters that present criteria for evaluating a study, as well as responses to common questions posed by students of qualitative research. Significantly revised, Basics of Qualitative Research remains a landmark volume in the study of qualitative methods.

Key Features of the Third Edition:

• Allows for students to develop their critical thinking skills in the "Critical Issues" section at the end of each chapter.

• Shows the actual steps involved in data analysis (from description to grounded theory) and data gathering by means of theoretical sampling.

• Provides exercises for thinking, writing and group discussion that reinforces material presented in the text.

• Consists of a student companion Web site at www.sagepub.com/corbinstudysite that includes real data and practice with qualitative software such as MAXQDA, as well as student practice exercises.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44779 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Customer Reviews

A Grounded Theory Classic (re-edited)
Excellent book to put in the hands of every student wishing to use qualitative methodology - in grounded theory - for a research project, especially at the graduate level. Strauss (who died in 1996, two years before the new edition of the book was published) and Corbin have thoroughly revised the first edition of "Basics of Qualitative Research" and added, among other things, a FAQ based on their students' questions. Caution, though, the book is NOT a step-by-step manual or a A-to-Z handbook for forging concepts, building categories and properties, etc. and other books will have to be read as an introduction to the technical aspects of qualitative research. Also, a complete newcomer to qualitative analysis may find chapters 5, 6 and 7 unclear until he gets to chapter 8 about open coding.

This re-edition of a classic is nonetheless a must-read for every junior researcher pretending to work in the tradition of grounded theory.

Qualitative Research: A step-by-step approach
Fourth in a series of books about grounded theory, this book describes in detail the procedures and techniques used in the grounded theory method of qualitative research. The first-time qualitative researcher will now be able to go through the process with a competent guide, while the experienced researcher will be able to find answers to unanswered questions. The book starts with an explanation of the theoretical and philosphical foundations of the grounded theory method in qualitative research. Later chapters explain the different techniques that can be used in this approach, with examples. Sections that give definitions of terms used in this research approach provide a clearer understanding of the discussion in each chapter. This book is an ideal companion for anyone wishing to pursue qualitative research.

3rd Edition - Still needs editing
The bottom line with this book is that, while it delivers the goods in terms of an introduction to grounded theory, it's poorly written for a 3rd edition. By the time a text book is in its third version it should be tight, and I'm afraid this book just isn't. Structurally the book is basically fine, but I found myself mentally editing various sentences and paragraphs as I read it because it simply wasn't written very well. This is particularly annoying for a pair of respected qualitative researchers, seeing as language is the stock and trade of qualitative work.

Additionally, I felt like it was a little terminology heavy for terms that are not universally accepted as common language for discussing qualitative research, but I'm more forgiving in this latter regard. We are generally a bit challenged in the field when it comes to common language, and there remains a residual need to demarcate one's academic territory.

Three stars . . . it could have earned 4 with better writing/editing.