Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches / Edition 3

by John W. Creswell

Overview

In the revised Fourth Edition of the best-selling text, John W. Creswell and new co-author Cheryl N. Poth explore the philosophical underpinnings, history, and key elements of five qualitative inquiry approaches: narrative research, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study. Preserving Creswell's signature writing style, the authors compare the approaches and relate research designs to each of the traditions of inquiry in a highly accessible manner. Featuring new content, articles, pedagogy, references, and expanded coverage of ethics throughout, the Fourth Edition is an ideal introduction to the theories, strategies, and practices of qualitative inquiry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2901412995305
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	03/14/2012
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

John W. Creswell, Ph D, is a Professor of Family Medicine and Senior Research Scientist of

the Michigan Mixed Methods Program. He has authored numerous articles and 34 books on

mixed methods research, qualitative research, and research design. While at the University of

Nebraska–Lincoln, he held the Clifton Endowed Professor Chair, served as Director of the

Mixed Methods Research Office, co-founded SAGE’s Journal of Mixed Methods Research, and

was an Adjunct Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan and a consultant to

the Veterans Administration Health Services Research Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was

a Senior Fulbright Scholar to South Africa in 2008 and to Thailand in 2012. In 2011, he co-led

a National Institutes of Health working group on the “best practices of mixed methods research

in the health sciences,” served as a Visiting Professor at Harvard’s School of Public Health and

received an honorary doctorate from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. In 2014, he was

the founding President of the Mixed Methods International Research Association. In 2015, he

joined the staff of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan to Co-Direct the Michigan

Mixed Methods Program. In 2017, he coauthored the American Psychological Association

“standards” on qualitative and mixed methods research. The fourth edition of this book on

Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design won the 2018 Mc Guffey Longevity Award from the U.S.

Textbook & Academic Authors Association. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he gave virtual

keynote presentations to many countries from his office in Osaka, Japan. Updates on his work

can be found on his website at johnwcreswell.com.

Cheryl N. Poth, Ph D, is a Professor in the Faculty of Education and faculty member of the

research-intensive Centre for Research and Applied Measurement and Evaluation at the

University of Alberta. In this role, she has developed and taught graduate-level research methods

and program evaluation courses in addition to supervising and mentoring students, faculty,

and local as well as global community members in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods

research. She is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, three books as well as

numerous book chapters. Her work has been recognized by the American Educational Research

Association with the Division D Significant Contributions to Research Methodology Award

in 2023 (with Peggy Shannon-Baker) and by the Textbook & Academic Authors Association

with the Most Promising New Textbook Award in 2020 and the Mc Guffey Longevity Award

for Qualitative Research book in 2018 (with John Creswell). She served as Editor of the SAGE

Handbook of Mixed Methods Research (2023) and as Guest Coeditor of several journal special

issues, including the International Journal of Qualitative Methods. In addition to more than

40 invited talks and 150 conference presentations, she has led research methods workshops

with diverse audiences on four continents. She served as an Advisory Board Member of the

International Institute of Qualitative Methodology (2014–2020); the President of the Mixed

Methods International Research Association (2017–2018); a Research Fellow at the University

of South Africa (2018–2020); a Helen Glass Scholar in the College of Nursing within the Rady

Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba (2022); and as a MERIT Visiting

Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Mc Master University (2023–2025). In 2009, she

cofounded the interdisciplinary Alberta Clinical and Community-Based Evaluation Research

Team to advance innovative community–university research partnership supports for program

planning and impact assessments of service delivery for individuals with complex needs. She

serves as the Methodologist on several cross-disciplinary research teams and has led federally,

provincially, and locally funded research projects. She is an Associate Editor of the Journal of

Mixed Methods Research and is an editorial board member of several journals. Updates on her

work can be found on her website at https://sites.google.com/ualberta.ca/cheryl-poth/.

Table of Contents

About the Authors
Acknowledgments
Analytic Table of Contents by Approach
List of Tables and Figures
1. Introduction
Purpose and Rationale for the Book
What Is New in This Edition
Positioning Ourselves
Definition of Qualitative Research
Selection of the Five Approaches
Key Book Readings
Audience
Organization
2. Philosophical Assumptions and Interpretive Frameworks
Questions for Discussion
Situating Philosophy and Interpretive Frameworks Within the Research Process
Philosophical Assumptions
Interpretive Frameworks
The Practice of Using Interpretive Frameworks in Qualitative Research
Linking Philosophy and Interpretive Frameworks in Qualitative Research
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
3. Designing a Qualitative Study
Questions for Discussion
The Characteristics of Qualitative Research
When to Use Qualitative Research
What a Qualitative Study Requires From Us
The Features of a “Good” Qualitative Study
The Process of Designing a Qualitative Study
Ethics in Qualitative Research
The Design Structures of a Plan or Proposal
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
4. Five Qualitative Approaches to Inquiry
Questions for Discussion
Deciding Among the Five Approaches
Narrative Research
Phenomenological Research
Grounded Theory Research
Ethnographic Research
Case Study Research
Comparing the Five Approaches
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
5. Five Different Qualitative Studies
Questions for Discussion
A Narrative Study (Chan, 2010; see Appendix B)
A Phenomenological Study (Anderson & Spencer, 2002; see Appendix C)
A Grounded Theory Study (Harley et al., 2009; see Appendix D)
An Ethnographic Study (Mac an Ghaill & Haywood, 2015; see Appendix E)
A Case Study (Frelin, 2015; see Appendix F)
Differences Among the Approaches
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
6. Introducing and Focusing the Study
Questions for Discussion
Interrelating the Study Problem, Purpose, and Questions Within Research
The Research Problem Statement
The Purpose Statement
The Research Questions
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
7. Data Collection
Questions for Discussion
The Data Collection Circle
Five Approaches Compared
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
8. Data Analysis and Representation
Questions for Discussion
Ethical Considerations for Data Analysis
Three Analysis Strategies
The Data Analysis Spiral
Analysis Within Approaches to Inquiry
Comparing the Five Approaches
Computer Use in Qualitative Data Analysis
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
9. Writing a Qualitative Study
Questions for Discussion
Ethical Considerations for Writing
Several Writing Strategies
Overall and Embedded Writing Strategies
A Comparison of Writing Structures Across Approaches
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
10. Standards of Validation and Evaluation
Questions for Discussion
Validation and Reliability in Qualitative Research
Evaluation Criteria
Comparing the Evaluation Standards of the Five Approaches
Chapter Check-In
Summary
Further Readings
11. “Turning the Story” and Conclusion
Turning the Story
A Case Study: “Campus Response to a Student Gunman”
A Case Study
A Narrative Study
A Phenomenology
A Grounded Theory Study
An Ethnography
Conclusion
Chapter Check-In
Appendix A. An Annotated Glossary of Terms
Appendix B. A Narrative Research Study—“Living in the Space Between Participant and Researcher as a Narrative Inquirer: Examining Ethnic Identity of Chinese Canadian Students as Conflicting Stories to Live By”
Appendix C. A Phenomenological Study—“Cognitive Representations of AIDS”
Appendix D. A Grounded Theory Study—“Developing Long-Term Physical Activity Participation: A Grounded Theory Study With African American Women”
Appendix E. An Ethnography—“British-Born Pakistani and Bangladeshi Young Men: Exploring Unstable Concepts of Muslim, Islamophobia and Racialization”
Appendix F. A Case Study—“Relational Underpinnings and Professionality—A Case Study of a Teacher’s Practices Involving Students With Experiences of School Failure”
References
Name Index
Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

An excellent, detailed and clear guide for anyone seeking further knowledge about qualitative inquiry.

Billie Severtsen

Creswell and Poth bring clear guidelines to the area of qualitative research – an excellent resource for building the framework for a successful qualitative study.

Roy Roehl

Creswell and Poth’s newly revised edition of Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design represents an accessible yet in-depth resource for developing an understanding of both the main approaches to qualitative research in the social sciences, as well as the wide variation across and beyond these approaches.

Kai A. Schafft

The Fourth Edition of Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design is refreshingly readable and will be accessible to students of all levels. This is a great text on the subject. Kudos to the authors!"

Charles Quist-Adade

I have been using Creswell’s text since I studied the first edition as a student myself, and every edition has been a notable improvement on what was already an excellent book. I have yet to see another book that packs in as much vital information with such clarity and friendly writing.

Grant Kien

In my teaching experience, I have found this to be the best text for teaching an introductory course in qualitative research, as it demonstrates in a clear and systematic manner how qualitative research can be undertaken in the five most popular approaches in contemporary applied social science research.

William Donlan

"The vivid and extended examples of the different approaches to research that is a theme throughout the entire book is a huge strength. Those examples really help learning. In addition, the charts and tables which help the reader make distinctions among the approaches are helpful."

Tessa Milman

"After almost 6 years of teaching this class using this book, I have yet to find a student who does not like it. This is unusual in textbooks, and it shows me that the writing is clear, yet at a level of complexity that matches my students' needs. My students consider this a kind of 'formula' book, where they can follow the examples and conduct their own study with some guidance from me. I respect what Dr. Creswell has attempted to do for instructors and students, and I appreciate the approaches he takes (both methodologically and text-wise!)."

Randy Larkins

"The writing is clear and to the point. The use of jargon is minimal. Focusing on five different types of research designs is a friendly way to introduce this topic to students interested in qualitative research."

Alejandro Morales

"Creswell & Poth's text is clear, comprehensive, and compelling. The students loved this text."

Michael Kearns

This text provides a wonderful introduction, using accessible language, to theories and practices related to the design and conduct of qualitative inquiry. Moreover, it remains a good first resource for students who want to pursue qualitative inquiry; that is, they can return to this text to review fundamental concepts and to find references to other resources about specific topics, approaches, and strategies.

Carey E. Andrzejewski

Students find Creswell’s books very “user friendly”. They like his writing style, clear ideas, and simple enough language. At the same time, the book presents in-depth information, but because this information is stated in clear simple terms, it makes it easier for the students to comprehend it without difficulty.

Nataliya V. Ivankova

"I've never found one I like better!"

Trudy Salsberry

"Clean and comprehensive. Easy for students to follow."

David R. Osborn

A very welcome addition to doctoral courses and bookshelves!

Jeannine E. Klein

"This introductory research text [...] covers five approaches to qualitative research and compares them side-by-side. [This book] covers the basics in qualitative research; content which can easily be adapted to suit the needs of budding applied linguistics researchers [as well]."

New Zealand Studies in Applied Linguistics - Gary Barkhuizen

"Creswell does an excellent job categorizing the various qualitative methods into five approaches: narrative research, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study...The author has expanded on and updated the information he presented in the first edition of the book (Creswell, 1998), including discussion of the various schools of thought that have developed among qualitative researchers since the mid 1990's...Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among five approaches is a highly informative book; researchers will likely return again and against to the book as they expand their comfort zone within qualitative research."

—Peggy M. Delmas, University of Alabama

National ACademic ADvising Association - Peggy M. Delmas