The revised and updated second edition of Qualitative Analysis for Planning & Policy is a roadmap to help planners access qualitative data and integrate it into their planning investigations. Planning and policy decisions are not based solely on numbers, and this book equips planners with a how-to guide to see what has been missing "between the lines" of quantitative data and make good decisions using the best possible information. Each chapter offers step-by-step instruction on how to set up and enact diverse types of qualitative research, and case studies demonstrate how qualitative research techniques can be combined with quantitative methods to tackle complex real-world projects. For over a decade Qualitative Analysis for Planning & Policy has been an indispensable resource for students and researchers, experienced and novice planners. The revised second edition offers myriad tools to help twenty-first-century planners make intelligent decisions, including new qualitative research techniques, technological innovations, and contemporary case studies.

Census data, population projections, trip estimates. Planners know numbers. But numbers don't always tell the whole story. Qualitative analysis - which yields data in words and images rather than numbers - is an important tool in any research project. Planners can use field research, photography, focus groups, and content analysis and meta-analysis to develop compelling data for a variety of issues,This book explains how to use and adapt these techniques and how to integrate these methods with more traditional qualitative research. Chapters offer step-by-step guidance to setting up various kinds of qualitative research projects, collecting data, organizing data, and analyzing data. Case studies show how a mix of qualitative and quantitative research can help planners build consensus and tackle large, complicated projects.

Updated in its 3rd edition, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning presents quickly applied methods for analyzing and resolving planning and policy issues at state, regional, and urban levels. Divided into two parts, Methods which presents quick methods in nine chapters and is organized around the steps in the policy analysis process, and Cases which presents seven policy cases, ranging in degree of complexity, the text provides readers with the resources they need for effective policy planning and analysis. Quantitative and qualitative methods are systematically combined to address policy dilemmas and urban planning problems. Readers and analysts utilizing this text gain comprehensive skills and background needed to impact public policy.

This is a key text for any student embarking on a qualitative research project, it provides worked examples and valuable models which can be used as guides for plans and proposals, answering key questions and providing a comprehensive guide to a student’s project. It shows that when planning a qualitative research proposal, researchers should adopt an approach where they ask themselves the following four questions: What research paradigm informs my approach to my research area? What theoretical perspective do I choose within the paradigm? What methodology do I choose? What methods are most appropriate? Including examples of the write-up of two central types of research projects: studies on participants’ ‘perspectives’ on phenomena and studies on how participants manage or ‘cope with’ phenomena, the book outlines five research proposals to illustrate ways in which these two central ‘types’ can be varied and applied when engaging in five other types of studies, namely, policy studies, life history studies, retrospective interactionist longitudinal studies and interactionist historical studies, and ‘problem-focused’ studies.

This text provides a solid intellectual grounding in the area of qualitative research. It examines theoretical underpinnings, methodological perspectives and empirical approaches.

Qualitative Research Methods for Community Development teaches the basic skills, tools, and methods of qualitative research with special attention to the needs of community practitioners. This book teaches students entering planning, community development, nonprofit management, social work, and similar applied fields the core skills necessary to conduct systematic research designed to empower communities and promote social change. Focusing on the basic elements of qualitative research, like field observation, interviewing, focus groups, and content analysis, Qualitative Research Methods for Community Development provides an overview of core methods and theoretical underpinnings of successful research. The book provides examples from past research used in transformative community projects across multiple disciplines. From housing, community organizing, neighborhood planning, and urban revitalization, this book gives students the skills they need to undertake their own projects, and provides professionals a valuable reference for their future research. The book serves as a primary text for courses in applied qualitative research, and as a reference book for professionals and community-based researchers. In addition to content detailing core methods used in qualitative research, it includes a chapter which provides guidance for the dissemination of qualitative results to a spectrum of audiences applying qualitative methods to action research and community empowerment.

The book focuses on basic, quickly applied policy analysis methods that can be used to resolve policy problems. There are relevant, real life examples used throughout.

This book focuses on the measurement and utilisation of quantitative indicators in the urban and regional planning fields. There has been a resurgence of academic and policy interest in using indicators to inform planning, partly in response to the current government's information intensive approach to decision-making. The content of the book falls into three broad sections: indicators usage and policy-making; methodological and conception issues; and case studies of policy indicators.

Written by an experienced researcher in the field of qualitative methods, this dynamic new book provides a definitive introduction to analysing qualitative data. It is a clear, accessible and practical guide to each stage of the process, including: - Designing and managing qualitative data for analysis - Working with data through interpretive, comparative, pattern and relational analyses - Developing explanatory theory and coherent conclusions, based on qualitative data. The book pairs theoretical discussion with practical advice using a host of examples from diverse projects across the social sciences. It describes data analysis strategies in actionable steps and helpfully links to the use of computer software where relevant. This is an exciting new addition to the literature on qualitative data analysis and a must-read for anyone who has collected, or is preparing to collect, their own data.