1. Chapter 1
Introduction
Logic of Inquiry,
Research Designs and
Strategies, and the
Methods Tool-Kit

2. Guiding Principles
• The researcher makes countless
conscious choices
• The research question determines the
research choices available to us, and:
– Affects how we actually make the choices
• Research should always be linked
logically to theory
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3. The Book’s Organization
• Part I: Getting Started—Thinking about
Research Choices
– (1) an introductory section that covers the
goals and history of qualitative methods;
• Including ethical and political challenges
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4. The Book’s Organization
• Part II: Choosing a Research Design
– (2) a discussion of research designs or basic
strategies for organizing research
• Part III: Focus on Ethnography
– (3) a focus on ethnography, the qualitative
research design par excellence;
• And one that poses many complex challenges
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5. The Book’s Organization
• Part IV: Choices from the Methods Tool-
Kit
– (4) a part that introduces the methods
“toolbox” and describes methods that can be
used to implement the designs
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6. The Book’s Organization
• Part V: Telling the Story
– (5) a section that discusses preparing the
research report and disengaging from the field
• A reflection on how to tell the story of the research
to the public, colleagues, participants, and oneself
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7. Key Concepts
• Research question
• Empirical inquiry
• Research design or strategy
• Research methods
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8. Key Concepts
• Research activities
• Content analysis
• Methodology
• Research techniques
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9. Quantitative Versus Qualitative
Research
• Quantitative research:
– We are interested in reaching conclusions
based on:
• Counting or measuring characteristics of the world
around us
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10. Quantitative Versus Qualitative
Research
• Qualitative research is based on
observations that can be:
– Written, spoken about, filmed, and
interpreted, but not so easily measured,
counted;
• “Put into numbers,” or generalized about on the
basis of statistical reasoning
• Unobtrusive & “Obtrusive” Research
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11. Fieldwork
• A way of thinking and feeling that is
unique to qualitative research and
ethnography.
– A major difference exists between work that is
done in labs, libraries, and offices;
• And work that is done in the open, free, exciting,
and unpredictable terrain of “the field”
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12. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

13. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. Understanding The Experiences Of
Others
• A basic principle of qualitative and
ethnographic research is the goal of:
– Understanding the experiences of others &
not merely recording their opinions & behavior
• How our views, interests, & prejudgments
were formed; recognize the influence of:
– Our own background and experiences
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.