40.7 LEARNING MORE ABOUT DOING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

The preceding discussion of evaluating qualitative research, rather than being a conclusion, is a fitting beginning point for you, the researcher, to go onward and conduct your studies. It is hoped that this chapter has served as an introduction, pointing you toward more useful resources and references.
Below is a subjective list of the authors' "top" books, listed in alphabetical, not ranked, order, for learning about qualitative research in education (full citations appear, right after, in the reference list):

Bogdan & Biklen (1992). Qualitative research for education, 2d ed.

Denzin & Lincoln, eds. (1994). Handbook of qualitative research.

Eisner (1991). The enlightened eye: qualitative inquiry and the enhancement of educational practice.

Erlandson, Harris, Skipper & Allen (1993). Doing naturalistic inquiry: a guide to methods.

Fetterman (1989). Ethnography. Step by step.

Goetz & LeCompte (1984). Ethnography and qualitative design in educational research.

Lincoln & Guba (1985). Naturalistic inquiry.

Marshall & Rossman (1984). Designing qualitative research.

Meloy (1994). Writing the qualitative dissertation: understanding by doing.

Miles & Huberman (1994). Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook; 2d ed.

Spradley (1980). Participant observation.

Strauss (1987). Qualitative analysis for social scientists.

Van Maanen (1988). Tales of the field. On writing ethnography.

Wolcott (1990). Writing up qualitative research.

Wolcott (1994). Transforming qualitative data: description, analysis, and interpretation.

Yin (1989). Case study research.

Additional references appear in Robinson and Driscoll's (1993) handout for their AECT workshop on qualitative methods.

The researcher is also wise to keep up with new publications in methodology, including new editions of these books and others. Several journals specialize in publishing qualitative research, including the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, Journal of Visual Literacy, and the research section of Educational Technology. In addition, researchers may wish to join the qualitative research bulletin board, which can be reached via Judith Preissle at the University of Georgia.

We wish you well in your explorations!