Learning in the Field: An Introduction to Qualitative Research

by Gretchen B. Rossman, Sharon F. Rallis

"What sets this book apart is its skillful integration of both the scientific and artistic dimensions of qualitative research." --From the foreword by Michael Quinn Patton, author of Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods, Third Edition The popular text that helped readers better understand and practice qualitative research has been completely updated and revised while retaining the features that made the First Edition so useful. New to this

Genres: Nonfiction

392 pages, Paperback

First published March 9, 1998

Reviews

[Alex Mobley Hildebrandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly helpful and really serves as a guide for beginners conducting qualitative research. It walks you step-by-step through the research process and uses real examples of studies with various qualitative methods throughout the book to make it coherent and engaging.

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

this is actually an anthropology / ethnography book... uh, and i learned that i would never recommend it to anyone! well, maybe an undergraduate... every chapter started off with this goofy vignette about 3 students in an anthropology class who discuss how confused they are with what they just learned in class. WTF?! I was wishing that instead of reading their insipid dialogue, that I had been able to sit in the professor's class! Skip this book.

[Chris Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many other reviewers have complained about the vignettes at each chapter's opening. While they did seem forced and artificial, they also provided a bit of relation to the text. They allow students to ease into the content and see the discussions and common frustrations literally played out. Cheesy? Yes. Effective? I think so.

Otherwise, I consider this an invaluable text. It covers a wide spectrum of topics and does so with clarity, strength, and experience.

[Kalynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be extremely helpful. The authors gave clear, and multiple, examples of the different genres of qualitative research. However, my FAVORITE part were the characters that they included--fictional students who were taking the "same course" I was, and who often had the same hurdles, questions, aha moments, that me and my friends had...this part was the real link between reading and practice for me.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for novice researchers. It goes step by step through the process of designing, implementing, and analyzing qualitative research. Throughout the book, there are vignettes of novice researchers that got annoying after a while, but the writing style was relaxed and accessible.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to qualitative research. The text is both informative and accessible. The anecdotes about the students you follow throughout the process are especially helpful and they allow you to see the bumps and glitches throughout the process.

[(Elizabeth) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boo...you book...I want fiction!