Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theories and Methods, Fifth Edition

by Robert Bogdan, Sari Knopp Biklen

This concise, applied, and very clearly written introduction to qualitative research methods can be used effectively in a semester, or year-long course. The purpose of this introductory-level text is to provide the reader with a background for understanding the uses of qualitative research in education to examine its theoretical and historical underpinnings, and to provide the “how-to's” of doing qualitative research. This new edition places qualitative research within current debates about research methods and alternative ways of knowing. While the authors approach the subject from a sociological perspective, they also take care to reflect the many changes in conceptualization of qualitative research brought by post-structural and feminist thought.

Genres: Education, Research, Grad School, Nonfiction, Textbooks

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Robert Bogdan is distinguished professor emeritus of special education, cultural foundations of education, and sociology at Syracuse University (Syracuse, New York).

Reviews

[Sassy Sarah Reads]

It was a helpful tool for learning about qualitative research, but some of the research and advice/tips felt a little outdated at times.

[Sam]

Robert C. Bogdan and Sari Knopp Biklen co-write an introductory guide to theory and methods in qualitative research for education. Each chapter progressively describes the development of each complementary component of qualitative research work. Topics include the history of early research, research design, qualitative data collection, fieldwork relations (or etiquette), data analysis, writing and disseminating research findings, and the application of research (e.g. evaluation, pedagogy, and action research). While some readers unfamiliar with social science research might be overwhelmed by book's content, other more familiar readers should find the available information a useful introduction for a theory and methods course.

[Apostolos]

not a bad book. good for those new to qualitative research

[Melusine Parry]

Contains the immortal sentence: 'Like the words "sex" and "snake", "ethics" is emotionally charged and surrounded with evocative and hidden meanings.' (p.42)