Completing your qualitative dissertation : a road map from beginning to end

Graduate students often struggle with turning qualitative research projects into a master′s thesis or doctoral dissertation because the research itself is inherently messy. This book helps address that challenge. Linda Dale Bloomberg and Marie Volpe have distilled decades of experience of dissertation advisement and successful doctoral defences into this highly practical reference for graduate students. They focus on finding and articulating a clear research problem, purpose, and questions; laying out a research design that will lead to gathering the right kind of data and support the right kind of analysis; and writing up and defending the study. To help, they provide working tools, an integrative summary discussion at the end of each chapter, comprehensive checklists, and an annotated bibliography in each chapter.

List of Tables	p. xii
List of Figures	p. xiii
List of Appendices	p. xiv
Foreword	p. xv
Preface	p. xviii
Acknowledgments	p. xxviii
About the Authors	p. xxix
Part I Taking Charge of Yourself and Your Work	p. 1
Chapter 1 A Complete Dissertation: The Big Picture	p. 3
Objectives	p. 3
Overview	p. 3
Front Matter	p. 3
1 Title Page	p. 3
2 Copyright Page (optional)	p. 4
3 Abstract	p. 4
4 Dedication and Acknowledgments	p. 5
5 Table of Contents	p. 5
Dissertation Chapters	p. 6
Chapter 1 Introduction	p. 6
Chapter 2 Literature Review	p. 7
Chapter 3 Methodology	p. 8
Chapter 4 Findings	p. 9
Chapter 5 Analysis and Synthesis	p. 10
Chapter 6 Conclusions and Recommendations	p. 11
Back Matter	p. 12
Appendices	p. 12
References	p. 12
Chapter 2 Gearing Up: There Is Method in the Madness	p. 13
Objectives	p. 13
Overview	p. 13
Organizing and Managing Your Project	p. 14
Identifying and Developing a Researchable Topic	p. 18
Seeking Suitable Advisors	p. 21
Stakeholder Responsibility and Standards of Good Practice	p. 23
Establishing a Realistic Timeline	p. 25
Chapter 3 Choosing a Qualitative Research Approach	p. 27
Objectives	p. 27
Overview	p. 27
Knowledge Claims	p. 28
Postpositivism	p. 28
Social Constructivism/Interpretivism	p. 28
Critical Theory	p. 29
Pragmatism	p. 29
Qualitative Research Traditions or Genres	p. 30
Case Study	p. 31
Ethnography	p. 32
Phenomenology	p. 32
Grounded Theory	p. 33
Narrative Inquiry/Biography	p. 34
Hermeneutics	p. 34
Action Research	p. 34
Postmodernism/Poststructuralism	p. 35
Annotated Bibliography	p. 39
Chapter 4 A First Step: Developing Your Proposal	p. 42
Objectives	p. 42
Overview	p. 42
Proposal Components	p. 43
1 Introduction to the Study	p. 43
2 Literature Review	p. 44
3 Methodology	p. 44
4 Additional Elements	p. 44
Guidelines for Good Writing	p. 45
Clarity, Coherence, and Cohesiveness	p. 46
Format and Style Requirements	p. 47
Proofreading and Editing	p. 48
Integrity Matters	p. 49
Strategies for Avoiding Plagiarism	p. 50
Institutional Review Board Approval	p. 51
Annotated Bibliography	p. 53
Part I: Summary and Discussion	p. 54
Part II Content and Process: A Chapter-By-Chapter Road Map	p. 57
Chapter 5 Introduction to Your Study	p. 60
Objectives	p. 60
Overview	p. 60
Section I: Instruction	p. 61
Research Problem	p. 61
Purpose Statement and Research Questions	p. 62
Additional Elements	p. 65
Chapter Summary Discussion	p. 66
Quality Assessment Chapter Checklist	p. 67
Section II: Application	p. 68
Annotated Bibliography	p. 71
Chapter 6 Developing and Presenting Your Literature Review	p. 73
Objectives	p. 73
Overview	p. 73
Section-1: Instruction	p. 74
Function and Purpose of the Literature Review	p. 74
Role and Scope of the Literature Review in the Dissertation	p. 75
Preparing for the Literature Review	p. 77
Step 1: Identify and Retrieve Literature	p. 78
Step 2: Review and Analyze the Literature	p. 81
Step 3: Synthesis: Write the Review	p. 84
Presenting the Review	p. 85
Step 4: Develop the Conceptual Framework	p. 86
Chapter Summary Discussion	p. 91
Quality Assessment Chapter Checklist	p. 92
Section II: Application	p. 93
Annotated Bibliography	p. 96
Chapter 7 Presenting Methodology and Research Approach	p. 100
Objectives	p. 100
Overview	p. 100
Section I: Instruction	p. 101
Introduction and Overview	p. 103
Research Sample	p. 103
Overview of Information Needed	p. 105
Research Design	p. 106
Methods of Data Collection	p. 107
Data Analysis and Synthesis	p. 109
Ethical Considerations	p. 111
Issues of Trustworthiness	p. 112
Limitations and Delimitations of the Study	p. 114
Chapter Summary	p. 114
Chapter Summary Discussion	p. 114
Quality Assessment Chapter Checklist	p. 115
Section II: Application	p. 117
Annotated Bibliography	p. 128
Chapter 8 Analyzing Data and Reporting Findings	p. 134
Objectives	p. 134
Overview	p. 134
Section I: Instruction	p. 135
Organizing and Preparing Data for Analysis	p. 135
A Systematic Procedure for Data Analysis	p. 138
Using Computer Software for Data Analysis	p. 147
Presenting Research Findings	p. 148
Chapter Summary Discussion	p. 152
Quality Assessment Chapter Checklist	p. 154
Section II: Application	p. 155
Annotated Bibliography	p. 165
Chapter 9 Analyzing and Interpreting Findings	p. 171
Objectives	p. 171
Overview	p. 171
Section I: Instruction	p. 173
Thinking About Your Analysis	p. 173
Planning Analysis of Your Findings	p. 175
Presenting Your Analysis and Synthesis	p. 180
Chapter Summary Discussion	p. 184
Quality Assessment Chapter Checklist	p. 186
Section II: Application	p. 187
Annotated Bibliography	p. 200
Chapter 10 Drawing Trustworthy Conclusions and Presenting Actionable Recommendations	p. 203
Objectives	p. 203
Overview	p. 203
Section I: Instruction	p. 204
Presenting Trustworthy Conclusions 1	p. 204
Presenting Actionable Recommendations	p. 205
Researcher's Final Reflections	p. 206
Chapter Summary Discussion	p. 207
Quality Assessment Chapter Checklist	p. 207
Section II: Application	p. 208
Part II: Summary and Discussion	p. 212
Part III Nearing Completion	p. 215
Chapter 11 Some Final Technical Considerations	p. 216
Objectives	p. 216
Overview	p. 216
Revisiting the Importance of Alignment	p. 216
Crafting a Title	p. 217
Writing the Abstract	p. 219
Assembling the Manuscript	p. 221
Proofreading and Editing	p. 222
Quality Assessment Checklist for Your Complete Dissertation: All Together Now!	p. 223
Chapter 12 Defense Preparation	p. 231
Objectives	p. 231
Overview	p. 231
Pre-defense Preparation	p. 231
Submitting Necessary Documentation	p. 231
Selecting and Forming Your Committee	p. 231
Preparing for the Defense	p. 233
Post-defense Preparation	p. 237
Making Revisions to Your Manuscript	p. 237
Publishing and Presenting Your Research	p. 238
Part III: Summary and Discussion	p. 240
Afterword	p. 242
Appendices	p. 243
References	p. 289
Author Index	p. 297
Subject Index	p. 300

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