Corbin & Strauss Basics of Qualitative Research Introduction Notes

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research (3rd Ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Defining terms:
  • "Methodology: A way of thinking about and studying social phenomena (p. 1)."
  • "Methods: Techniques and procedures for gathering and analyzing data (p. 1)."
  • "Philosophical Orientation: A worldview that underlies and informs methodology and methods (p. 1)."
  • "Qualitative Analysis: A process of examining and interpreting data in order to elicit meaning, gain understanding, and develop empirical knowledge (p. 1)."

• Dewey and Mead: Pragmatist Philosophy of Knowledge

• Ontology: Assumptions About the World
  • Methodological Implications
    • Since our world is complex, the methodology used to understand our world needs to be equally complex.
    • Experience is contextual and cannot nor should not be decontextualized.

• Impact of Recent Trends on This Methodology
  • Since the researcher and the research process are inseparable, the researcher must engage in self-reflective thought.
  • "The analytic process, like any thinking process, should be relaxed, flexible, and driven by insight gained through interaction with data rather than being overly structured and based only on procedures (p. 12)."

• Why Do Qualitative Research
  • Qualitative researchers are flexible and enjoy ambiguity. To them, the analysis process is a stimulating, mental exercise.

• In Conclusion
  • Qualitative Research: "What it requires, above all, is an intuitive sense of what is going on in the data; trust in the self and the research process; and the ability to remain creative, flexible, and true to the data all at the same time (p. 16)."