Conceptualizing Qualitative Inquiry: Mindwork for Fieldwork in Education and the Social Sciences - Softcover

For Introduction to Qualitative Research or Qualitative Research Design courses. What to ask and how to ask it are the basic "problems" of qualitative research. This practical new text provides a means for first-time researchers to address these fundamental concerns and move their ideas through the process of conceptualizing and proposing a field-based qualitative study. Emphasizing the preliminary work-the "mindwork"-that should precede and inform any research project, the author poses the questions a first-time researcher would, and examines the frustrations and anxieties he or she might experience. He does this, first, through an ongoing case study of a real student researcher in her first project, and then by capturing "teachable" moments that focus on the how and why of researchers' efforts. The result? A framework within which students can learn how to ask informed questions and uncover informative answers.