'Flick's An Introduction to Qualitative Research is quite simply the most important text on qualitative research methods in the world today. I continue to envy Flick's command of the field and its ever-expanding literature, much of which he has managed to include in his new edition' - Norman K Denzin, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 'Ideal for anyone wishing to understand fully the theoretical constructs behind the qualitative research methodology' - Journal of Family Studies 'The inclusion of examples, summary points and further reading is to be commended and adds to the clarity of an already clear and easy to understand text. The strength of the book lies not only in the clarity with which it is written but in the use of examples and tables...I would have no problem in recommending this text equally to both pre and post-registration students of nursing, and also to students studying for higher degrees as a useable text which is easy to read and contains a vast amount of information which is logically presented' - Nurse Researcher This Third Edition of Uwe Flick's bestselling textbook has been fully revised, expanded and updated but retains all of the student-friendly elements and carefully structured qualities of the previous edition. Brand new features include: - Updated discussions and references throughout the text - The integration into all chapters of additional features including chapter overviews, case studies, lists of key points and end-of-chapter exercises - 6 new chapters including a guide to using the book, a chapter on ethics, the uses of literature in qualitative research, an overview of research design, a discussion centred on using documents, and a final chapter on qualitative online research. This new edition will ensure that An Introduction to Qualitative Research preserves its status as the essential introductory text for all students of qualitative research.

Table of Contents

PART ONE: FRAMEWORK Guide to This Book Qualitative Research Why and How To Do It Qualitative and Quantitative Research Ethics of Qualitative Research PART TWO: FROM THEORY TO TEXT Making Use of Literature in Qualitative Research Theoretical Positions Underlying Qualitative Research Epistemological Background Construction and Understanding of Texts PART THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN The Qualitative Research Process Research Questions Entering the Field Sampling How To Design Qualitative Research An Overview PART FOUR: VERBAL DATA Interviews Narratives Focus Groups Verbal Data An Overview PART FIVE: MULTIFOCUS DATA Observation and Ethnography Visual Data Photography, Film and Video Using Documents as Data Qualitative Online Research Using the Internet Multifocus Data An Overview PART SIX: FROM TEXT TO THEORY 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 SEVEN: GROUNDING AND WRITING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Quality Criteria in Qualitative Research The Quality of Qualitative Research Beyond Criteria Writing and the Future of Qualitative Research Art or Method?