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Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, 2nd edn
A. STRAUSS and J. CORBIN. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998. 312 pp. 47 (hbk), 18.99 (pbk). ISBN 0-8039-5939-7 (hbk), 0-8039-5940-0 (pbk)
This is the second edition of a book which first appeared in 1990, and it offers a theoretical foundation to the more recent book of practice and examples (Strauss and Corbin, 1997). Those familiar with the concepts and practices of grounded theory will not find the contents of this book surprising, but it is a masterly presentation of fundamental ideas, techniques and examples. The first part of the title suggests that qualitative research in general is being dealt with, but the concentration is almost exclusively on grounded theory. This is a book with pedigree, and it does not disappoint.
The target readership is social science researchers and students. Its main contribution is to enable rigorous analysis through enabling researchers to make sense of the mass of data commonly produced in qualitative research. It aims to address specific questions including how a theoretical interpretation can still be grounded in empirical reality, how biases and prejudices can be dealt with in the analytical process, and how the variety of ideas and data in an inductive approach can be brought together in a coherent way which can make sense to other audiences.
The structure has three parts. First, `basic considerations' are covered. These are deliberately introductory, covering, for example, the distinction between methods and methodology, the role of theory, and conceptual ordering in theorizing. Throughout these introductory chapters, regular references are made to later, more detailed, sections of the book, and these are helpful for finding links and retracing the steps of reading.
Part Two details `coding procedures'. These vary slightly from other versions (for example, Glaser, 1992), but are also more clear than previous versions. Open coding, axial coding, selective coding and theoretical sampling are all dealt with in individual chapters, and there is also a separate chapter on memos and diagrams. The diagrams, which are produced throughout the text,...