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This book provides invaluable guidance for thinking through and planning a qualitative study. Rather than offering recipes for specific techniques, master storyteller Robert Stake stimulates readers to discover "how things work" in organizations, programs, communities, and other systems. Topics range from identifying a research question to selecting methods, gathering data, interpreting and analyzing the results, and producing a well-thought-through written report. In-depth examples from actual studies emphasize the role of the researcher as instrument and interpreter, while boxed vignettes and learning projects encourage self-reflection and critical thinking. Other useful pedagogical features include quick-reference tables and charts, sample project management forms, and an end-of-book glossary. After reading this book, doctoral students and novice qualitative researchers will be able to plan a study from beginning to end. (20101027)
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Qualitative Research Qualitative Research Studying How Things Work Robert E. Stake THE GUILFORD PRESS New York London © 2010 The Guilford Press A Division of Guilford Publications, Inc. 72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012 www.guilford.com All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher. Printed in the United States of America This book is printed on acid-free paper. Last digit is print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Stake, Robert E. Qualitative research : studying how things work / Robert E. Stake. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60623-545-4 (pbk.: alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-60623-546-1 (cloth: alk. paper) 1. Qualitative research. 2. Research—Methodology. I. Title. H62.S737 2010 001.4′2—dc22 2009044464 Acknowledgments I think they say it takes a village to raise a book. Maybe I don’t have that quite right, but these I name here are some of the good people in my village. I thank them for helping me in special ways to make this book good for your experiential knowing. To my graduate students since 2005, who made my old seem young and who encouraged me to find better ways of explaining why issues are important as conceptual structure for qualitative research. To C. Deborah Laughton, who treated the writing dear. To Iván Jorrín Abellán, who saw the art of it. To Gordon Hoke, who brought themes from far and wide. To Terry Denny, who came home to get me to going. To Lizanne DeStefano, who protected the castle. To Stephen Kemmis, who helped get the book off the ground. To April Munson, who helped turn outlines into boxes. To Luisa Rosu, who helped turn workables into patches. To Rita Davis, who knew how I needed to say it. To Deb Gilman, who corralled the bibliography. To Susan Bruce, who pled for permissions. v vi Acknowledgments To kith and kin, as Tom Hastings put it. To all who nudged thoughts and loaned words, lately: Ivan Brady, Holly Brevig, Rae Clementz, Joy Conlon, Norman Denzin, Svitlana Efimova, Frederick Erickson, Bent Flyvbjerg, Rita Frerichs, David Hamilton, Ernie House, Brinda Jegatheesan, Stephen Kemmis, Sarah Klaus, Eva Koncaková, Saville Kushner, You-Jin Lee, Robert Louisell, Linda Mabry, Barry MacDonald, Ivanete Maciente, Robin McTaggart, Juny Montoya Vargas, Chip Reichardt, Michael Scriven, Thomas Seals, Walênia Silva, Helen Simons, Natalia Sofiy, and Terry Solomonson. To other reviewers Silvia Bettez, Janet Usinger, and Deborah Ceglowski, for their helpful comments. And, most of all: To Bernadine Evans, who made the experience possible. Contents