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Qualitative Research: Resources

Print Textbooks:

Doing Qualitative Research (Research Methods for Primary Care)
Benjamin F. Crabtree (Editor), William L. Miller (Editor)One of the most-cited and used textbooks for conducting qualitative research in primary care, as well as in health care and public health research more broadly See Amazon Record

The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 3rd ed
William Trochim, Ph.D., James P. Donnelly, Ph.D. An excellent general-usage research methods texts with qualitative content See Publisher Record

30 Essential Skills for the Qualitative Researcher John Creswell. Short exercises to orient and improve qualitative thinking. See Publisher Record

Online Textbooks:

e-Source Behavioral and Social Science Research (A free online methodology sourcebook from the Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research {OBSSR} at NIH)
*See especially Qualitative Methods and Software and Qualitative Analysis sections*

Research Methods Knowledge Base (Free online version of paperback text listed under "Print Textbooks")
*See especially Qualitative Methods section*

Using Qualitative Methods in Healthcare Research RWJ-sponsored Qualitative Research Guidelines Project- a website useful for people developing, evaluating and engaging in qualitative research projects in healthcare settings.

Example papers using qualitative methods

"Qualitative and Mixed Methods" - a collection of methodological articles pertaining to qualitative and mixed methods

Use of Focus Group Data & "Immersion-Crystallization" analysis:
Reis S, Biderman A, Mitki R, Borkan JM. Secrets in primary care: a qualitative exploration and conceptual model.J Gen Intern Med. 2007 Sep;22(9):1246-53. Epub 2007 May 9.

Multi-Method (observation, records, interviews, surveys, focus groups)
Nutting PA, Crabtree BF, Miller WL, Stewart EE, Stange KC, Jan CR. Journey to the patient-centered medical home: a qualitative analysis of the experiences of practices in the National Demonstration Project. Ann Fam Med. 2010;8 Suppl 1:S45-56; S92.

Document Content Analysis
Cummings KM, Morley CP, Horan JK, Steger C, Leavell NR. Marketing to America's youth: evidence from corporate documents. Tob Control. 2002 Mar;11 Suppl 1:I5-17.

In-depth Narrative Interviews w/ phenomenological analysis
Kristiansen M, Tjrnhj-Thomsen T, Krasnik A. "Sometimes you just have to walk alone"-meanings of emotional support among danish-born and migrant cancer patients.J Psychosoc Oncol. 2010 Nov;28(6):699-717.

Qualitative Analysis Software

The following packages are useful in helping organize and code large bodies of qualitative data:

NVivo - http://www.qsrinternational.com/products_nvivo.aspx

Atlas Ti - http://www.atlasti.com/

The following packages offer useful adjunct or mixed quant/qual approaches to analyzing qualitative data:

Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC2007) - http://www.liwc.net/

The Concept System for concept mapping - http://www.conceptsystems.com/

Other Resources

Techniques to Identify Themes by Gery Ryan and H. Russell Bernard.

Doing Feminist Research in Political and Social Science by Brooke Ackerly and Jacqui True See Publisher Record

Tales of the Field (On Writing Ethnography) by John VanMaanen
See Amazon Record

Key Themes in Qualitative Research by Paul Atkinson, Amanda Coffey, and Sara Delamont
See Amazon Record

Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data by Herbert J. Rubin and Irene S. Rubin
See Amazon Record

Tricks of the Trade: How to Think About Your Research While You're Doing It by Howard S. Becker
See Amazon Record

R.E. Brown, Qualitative Research Lecture:
A presentation by Dr. Roberta E. Goldman on conducting qualitative research, about 1hr 10 minutes long.
Archived by the Department of Family Medicine at the Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University

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