This volume explores the use and relevance of qualitative methods for the study of quality of life. It analyzes the role of qualitative researcher and the role of the context and the culture in quality of life studies. It presents the use of qualitative methods in real projects carried out in specific fields: geography, health, community studies, labor life and yoga. Finally, the book proposes the use of mixed methods that are considered as the third methodological approach in social research. The main purpose of using qualitative methods is to understand what it means for participants to be involved in certain events, situations and actions. Such methods help understand the context in which participants act and the influence of that context on their actions. The decision to use a particular methodology implies a philosophic, theoretical and political decision. Qualitative methodology constitutes an approach that is essential for understanding people’s experiences of well-being and discovering new issues related to quality of life.

Quality underpins the success (or failure) of any piece of qualitative research. In this book, Uwe Flick takes you through the steps in method and design to ensure quality and reliability throughout the entire research process. Showing hands-on what it means to ′manage′ quality, this book puts the spotlight on practical questions and steps researchers can use to continually interrogate, improve and demonstrate quality in your research.

Provides the essential information that health care researchers and health professionals need to understand the basics of qualitative research Now in its fourth edition, this concise, accessible, and authoritative introduction to conducting and interpreting qualitative research in the health care field has been fully revised and updated. Continuing to introduce the core qualitative methods for data collection and analysis, this new edition also features chapters covering newer methods which are becoming more widely used in the health research field; examining the role of theory, the analysis of virtual and digital data, and advances in participatory approaches to research. Qualitative Research in Health Care, 4th Edition looks at the interface between qualitative and quantitative research in primary mixed method studies, case study research, and secondary analysis and evidence synthesis. The book further offers chapters covering: different research designs, ethical issues in qualitative research; interview, focus group and observational methods; and documentary and conversation analysis. A succinct, and practical guide quickly conveying the essentials of qualitative research Updated with chapters on new and increasingly used methods of data collection including digital and web research Features new examples and up-to-date references and further reading The fourth edition of Qualitative Research in Health Care is relevant to health care professionals, researchers and students in health and related disciplines.

`Many books have been published on quality of life research in recent years, but few are as thought provoking or original as this one. It is essential reading for anyone who a serious and critical interest in this topic′ - Nurse Researcher `This was a fun book to read and I would suggest it be used for a graduate level seminar - where, of course, it would lead to a lively discussion′ - Quality of Life Research `Quality of life′ is one of the fastest growing areas of research and policy. The concept has an intuitive appeal as a measure of the well-being of individuals, communities and nations. It is increasingly promoted as an aid for political decisions and public funding. But what does the concept really mean? And how can it be operationalized in teaching and research? This is the first introductory text to offer a critical overview of the concept of quality of life and the ways in which it is researched. Using an inter-disciplinary approach, the book covers every aspect of the concept and its application - from the calculation of Quality-Adjusted Life Years to conversation analysis, and from the estimation of the quality of life of nation states to ethnographic studies of the life quality of individual disadvantaged people. The book fills a huge gap in teaching and research. Written with authority, and the need to produce an accessible critical introduction to the field, it will be of interest to students of sociology, psychology, public health and nursing, health economics, politics and medicine.

The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Methods in Health Research is a comprehensive and authoritative source on qualitative research methods. The Handbook compiles accessible yet vigorous academic contributions by respected academics from the fast-growing field of qualitative methods in health research and consists of: - A series of case studies in the ways in which qualitative methods have contributed to the development of thinking in fields relevant to policy and practice in health care. - A section examining the main theoretical sources drawn on by qualitative researchers. - A section on specific techniques for the collection of data. - A section exploring issues relevant to the strategic place of qualitative research in health care environments. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Methods in Health Research is an invaluable source of reference for all students, researchers and practitioners with a background in the health professions or health sciences.

This book provides a useful guide for researchers, reviewers, and consumers who are charged with judging the quality of qualitative studies.

Using lively examples and friendly tips gleaned from his own and other researchers' experiences, and a warm, reflective writing style, Harry F Wolcott offers readers suggestions for writing up qualitative research.

Life writing projects have become part of the expanding field of qualitative research methods in recent years and advances in critical approaches are reshaping methodological pathways. Critical Approaches to Life Writing Methods in Qualitative Research gives researchers and students looking for a brief compendium to guide their methodological thinking a concise and working overview of how to approach and carry out different forms of life writing. This practical book re-invigorates the conversation about the possibilities and innovative directions qualitative researchers can take when engaged in various forms of life writing, such as biography, autobiography, autoethnography, life history, and oral history. It equips the reader with the tools to carry out life writing projects from start to finish, including choosing a topic or subject, examining lives as living data, understanding the role of documents and artifacts, learning to tell the story, and finally writing/performing/displaying through the voice of the life writer. The authors also address the ways a researcher can begin a project, work through the issues they might face along the journey, and arrive at a shareable product. With its focus on the plurality of life writing methodologies, Critical Approaches to Life Writing Methods in Qualitative Research occupies a distinct place in qualitative research scholarship and offers practical exercises to guide the researcher. Examples include exploring authorial voice, practical applications of reflexivity exercises, the relationship between the narrator and participants, navigating the use of public and private archives, understanding the processes of collaborative inquiry and collaborative writing, and writing for various audiences.

This book is a “survival guide” for students and researchers who would like to conduct a qualitative study with limited resources. Qualitative Inquiry in Everyday Life shows how everyday life materials such as books, television, the internet, the media and everyday conversations and interactions can help us to understand larger social issues. Svend Brinkmann helps readers develop a disciplined and analytic awareness informed by theory, and shows how less can be more in qualitative research. Each chapter introduces theoretical tools to think with, and demonstrates how they can be put to use in working concretely with everyday life materials.

Designed to meet the needs of public health students, practitioners, and researchers, this edition offers a firm grounding in qualitative and mixed methods, including their social science roots and public health applications.