Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research

by Jonathan A. Smith, Paul Flowers, Michael Larkin

This book presents a comprehensive guide to interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) which is an increasingly popular approach to qualitative inquiry taught to undergraduate and postgraduate students today. The first chapter outlines the theoretical foundations for IPA. It discusses phenomenology, hermeneutics, and idiography and how they have been taken up by IPA. The next four chapters provide detailed, step by step guidelines to conducting IPA study design, data collection and interviewing, data analysis, and writing up. In the next section, the authors give extended worked examples from their own studies in health, sexuality, psychological distress, and identity to illustrate the breadth and depth of IPA research. The final section of the book considers how IPA connects with other contemporary qualitative approaches like discourse and narrative analysis and how it addresses issues to do with validity.

Genres: Research, Psychology, Nonfiction, Academic, Reference

232 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 2009

About the author

Jonathan Alan Smith is a psychologist currently based at Birkbeck, University of London. He has been very prominent in promoting qualitative research within social psychology and health psychology. In particular, he has developed and promoted a particular approach known as interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

Smith achieved a DPhil in Psychology from the University of Oxford and then held lectureships at Keele and Sheffield Universities. He has at least 160 publications to his name.

Reviews

[Amber]

This was exactly what I needed for my research project. I had heard of IPA, but never personally used it and I really found this resource useful.

[K. R.]

buku berat yang mudah dicerna dan jelas banget tahapannya, etapi akhirnya ga pake IPA di bab 3. hahaha. ya ga ada yang sia-sia lah ya kalo buat nambah pengetahuan mah...

[Kiara]

Read this in my research classes for my undergrad

[Budi Ariyanto]

mantap metode IPA nya

[Pang Khong Yun]

A complete guide to IPA approach.

[JCJBergman]

An excellent companion piece to guide my psychology project based on Near Death Experiences.
Highly recommend.

[Heidi]

I read the second edition of this book (published in 2022). As a methods book, it’s hard to rate, but I’m giving it 5 stars because I was honestly engaged the whole way through, cover to cover. I also feel way more confident diving into my own first IPA study now that I’ve read the latest authoritative book on the subject written by the scientists who came up with this unique approach.

[Joseph Jacob]

Fantastic methods book. Straightforward and concise. Loved it

[Lex]

Thorough, very clear, and really helpful.

[Oliver]

Pretty helpful for a novice IPA researcher

[Karissa Whitlatch]

I read the second edition and it doesn't seem to be in Goodreads

[Hailey H.]

This book helped me perfect my methods section of my dissertation. It helped me throughout my process of analysis and I owe it everything. It’s a must read.

[Candace]

Read for graduate program Counseling and Art Therapy.

[Dillon]

Bible