Memo writing as a way of being a researcher

In teaching qualitative data analysis, I’ve found that students are frequently surprised at the value of “memo writing.” This is perhaps because memo writing is frequently seen as an additional step in the process off data analysis that takes time out from the work of analyzing data. Yet, memo writing can serve an important role … Continue reading Memo writing as a way of being a researcher

Tips for observing and taking field notes in qualitative studies

Kathryn Roulston Recently I was in a field setting observing a classroom. I thought about taking notes on my tablet or laptop, but I thought that might be distracting for those in the classroom. I went old school – I took a pad and hand wrote notes, and began by drawing an organizational map of … Continue reading Tips for observing and taking field notes in qualitative studies

Managing fear and anxiety in inductive analysis of qualitative data

There comes a time when qualitative researchers must begin working with the data that they have accumulated throughout a project, make sense of it, and present findings to others. Qualitative methodologists frequently recommend that the analytic process be pursued from the very beginning of a project – and implore researchers to begin data analysis while … Continue reading Managing fear and anxiety in inductive analysis of qualitative data

Using digital tools thoughtfully in qualitative research

There is no question that digital tools have revolutionized our work as researchers in numerous ways. For example, rather than writing down as much as I can recall from an interview after the event as Hortense Powdermaker (1966) describes in her tales of anthropological fieldwork completed over 50 years ago, all I need do is … Continue reading Using digital tools thoughtfully in qualitative research

11 thinking “tricks” when analyzing data

Kathryn Roulston A number of authors who write about qualitative research have talked about “thinking” as it relates to doing qualitative research (Freeman, 2017; Jackson & Mazzei, 2012; Saldaña, 2015); and in particular doing qualitative data analysis. One older source that I still find helpful is Tricks of the trade: How to think about your … Continue reading 11 thinking “tricks” when analyzing data

Research integrity and the qualitative researcher

Kathryn Roulston Trust is a crucial component of the enterprise of scientific research. That is because scholars trust others to conduct research ethically with human subjects, accurately report the methods that they used in research project, fairly review manuscripts for publication, and represent findings honestly. Nevertheless, researchers do not always behave in honest and trustworthy … Continue reading Research integrity and the qualitative researcher

What to do when research interviews go awry…

Research interviews do not always proceed as anticipated. For example, the anthropologist, Evans-Pritchard (1972 [1940], pp. 12-13) reports on the difficulties he encountered with the Nuer people, with whom he conducted an ethnography in the 1930s. He comments that the “Nuer are expert at sabotaging an inquiry”, and provides the opening of a conversation with … Continue reading What to do when research interviews go awry…

Make haste slowly…the value of pausing in doing qualitative research

“Make haste slowly” were words of advice given to me by the principal in the first school that I taught in many years ago. Terry, as he was known to teachers and staff, had many years of teaching and administration experience. His office appeared somewhat disorganized, with stacks of papers piled on his desk. Yet, … Continue reading Make haste slowly…the value of pausing in doing qualitative research

Qualitative Research for Social Justice

Some have argued that research for social justice compromises the scientific process. For example, Hammersley and Gomm, in their article, “Bias in social research” argue that research that aims to promote “some practical or political cause” is a threat to the scientific community. Others have argued that research is always and already part of the … Continue reading Qualitative Research for Social Justice

Examining the archives

This year I have been involved in a program that introduces faculty to archival collections at my institution, the University of Georgia (UGA). I have been learning about how archival collections are organized and catalogued, how to locate information that is useful for research purposes, and what to do next. I have a lot to … Continue reading Examining the archives