"Goodness" is offered here as new language for judging qualitative research. Goodness requires that elements of the meaning making process are illustrated; epistemological and theoretical foundations are linked to the selected methodology; and that the method of data collection and its analysis are clear, offering new understanding that leads to…

This article describes methodological strategies, decisions, and issues that emerge when conducting qualitative research. In particular, topics such as situating the research design, sampling considerations, data collection methods, and the analytic and interpretive process are explored. Examples from published research are provided to illustrate…

Explores ethical issues related to doing qualitative research and examines harm as it is conceptualized within the qualitative inquiry literature. Serves as an examination of professional standards, administrative practices, and methodological procedures that reveal the different kinds of harm that are inevitable outcomes of qualitative inquiry.…

Notes the need for researcher accountability in qualitative analysis, examining strategies used in working with doctoral students and offering suggestions for assessing and publicly disclosing the methodological rigor and analytical defensibility of qualitative research. Introduces tabular strategies for use in documenting the relationship between…

Although the impact of the first-year experience has been investigated, there is little information on what this experience is like for Latino students particularly at predominantly White institutions. The primary purpose of this qualitative research study is to understand the first-year experience as recounted by 10 Latino college students. The…

Qualitative study involving the attitudes of 12 Northwest superintendents (four each from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho)toward site-based management. Finds among other things that in most cases school-based management has had little influence on the centralization of authority and control by the superintendent. (Contains 16 references.) (PKP)

Presents views on how to define "family" theoretically as well as data from quantitative and qualitative studies. Finds that both researchers and members of the general population differ greatly on the concept of family. Shows that such concepts include not only persons from the immediate "nuclear" family but also kin of…

A mixed-method conceptual framework was developed from the literature and refined through an analysis of 57 empirical mixed-method evaluations. Five purposes for mixed-method evaluation are identified (triangulation, complementarity, development, initiation, and expansion) and analyzed using the framework of 7 design characteristics. (TJH)

Discusses the role of semiotics in instructional systems research, and examines the implications that a semiotic perspective yields for the research training provided to students in instructional systems. Research perspectives and methodologies are described, including differences in qualitative and quantitative research, and data analysis is…

Identifies and analyzes 16 factors that influenced a largely unsuccessful collaborative writing process. Uses the language theory of Mikhail Bakhtin to explain how the factors operated together as forces impelled by the social context of the process. (RS)

Illustrates the differences between participatory action research (PAR) and action science by exploring Xerox Corporation's participatory action research (PAR) efforts. Points out practical limitations and conceptual gaps of PAR. Emphasizes that the key to valuable research is to meet the standards of appropriate rigor without sacrificing…

Provides brief analysis of methods for conducting research on distance education. Topics discussed include education research in general; qualitative versus quantitative research; the distinction between research and evaluation; the concept of triangulation as a research method; component research; and a conceptual framework for distance education…

Describes some of the primary features of educational criticism, an arts-based approach to qualitative inquiry. Examines the aims of this approach and discusses four dimensions of educational criticism: descriptive, interpretative, normative, and thematic. Addresses questions of rigor and identifies three criteria (consensual validation,…

Contrasts the epistemological assumptions and practices of qualitative methods with traditional quantitative methods, and promotes a conceptual cross-fertilization approach which will increase the credibility of both. Throughout, the article advocates both methodological diversity and rigor in the effort to understand spousal violence. (JPS)

Describes study that examined therapeutic alliance from the perspective of the involved client using phenomenological analysis. Three types of perceived alliance were identified: nurturant, insight-oriented, and collaborative. Findings suggest that some crucial features of the perceived working relationship are not accounted for in current…