Qualitative Research: Studying How Things Work

This book takes you on a journey through the complex area of qualitative research making it much simpler to understand as you go from chapter to chapter examining and exploring a number of projects using this methodology. I just with I had found this text years ago. The chapter 'Qualitative Research: How things work' is one of the most insightful, easy to read and more importantly, understand pieces explaining the philosophy of this particular method. The author pulls on his experience in this field to produce a book that is of value to both the student, early career researcher and the more experienced. Another chapter that was of particular interest to me was 'Chapter 6, Review of the Literature , Zooming to see the Problem' the explanation of concept mapping was very useful.If you need to develop an insight into the field of qualitative research methodology I suggest that this is the book for you.

One of the best evaluaion books of this year and perhaps the last five years, Robert Stakes' "Qualitative Research" is a must-have even for an experienced evaluator and certainly for a graduate student or beginning evaluator.Stake is comprehensive in his discussion of the theory and practice of qualitative research. He is among our most experienced and skillful evaluation practitioners, and this knowledge is infused in every chapter. One engages with, interacts with this book. It is an active, not a passive, experience to share the evaluation journey with so compassionate, so articulate, so knowledgeable a guide!And the writing is so engaging, one doesn't skip...Stake is just too good to skim, and risk overlooking even a paragraph of his wisdom. It is like being in a seminar with one of the best of researchers and the best of people, sharing experiences, learning from his knowledge.Robert Stake could have rested on his many laurels---he has written many books, all of them very fine indeed, and many articles, and carried out many evaluations. He has lectured, given workshops, taught, keynoted. This book, while connected to the grand trajectory of Stake's thought, could stand alone though, as a full statement of how to think about a first-rate qualitative study and then---how to do it!The essence is in his subtitle: understanding how things work. That's at the core of why we do qualitative research---understanding what's happening, what makes things go. It is also at the core of why we do research and evaluation at all: because it is one way and a good one, to make this world better and the things being examined are often efforts to improve the human condition.The book is not inexpensive but it is worth every penny. I found no serious problems or issues, although there are many manions in evaluation and researchers can and do disagree on some of the fundamentals. The reader should be aware that this book will draw you into it, require time to experience fully what Stake is saying and his ideas...not a beach book but one for your library and for the nourishment of your mind and heart.

Stake is well-known for his work in the area of case study research, and this book is a "must have" if you are interested in doing case study research. (Along with Yin's books). Stake does not provide a very specific step-by-step method, as seen in Yin's style. Both are well-known for their work in program evaluation.

the condition of the book was like new - extremely satisfied with this purchased. plus, the book is very good for a researcher beginner like me.

Well written. Good examples.