文档介绍：The Qualitative Report Volume 10 Number 2 June 2005 208-222
s/QR/QR10-2/
Preparing a Qualitative Research-Based Dissertation:
Lessons Learned
Glenn A. Bowen
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina
In this article, a newly minted . shares seven lessons learned during
the process of preparing a dissertation based on qualitative research
methods. While most of the lessons may be applicable to any kind of
research, the writer focuses on the special challenges of employing a
qualitative methodology. The lessons are: (1) Read, read, read; (2)
Consult the experts; (3) Adhere to university regulations; (4) Pay attention
to rigor and trustworthiness; (5) Give details of the methodology; (6)
Don’t be afraid to include numerical data; and (7) Prepare to publish.
Key Words: Confirmability, Credibility, Dependability, Grounded Theory,
Inductive Analysis, Transferability, and Trustworthiness
As the new millennium dawned, I made a decision: I would reach for something
seemingly beyond my grasp. That special something turned out to be a doctoral degree.
However, even after I had fully embarked on that upward journey of discovery, I had no
inkling of the methodological challenges that would mark many milestones on that
journey.
A social research neophyte, I have spent my adult life honing my skills and
developing expertise as a journalist and public relations practitioner. Over the years, I
have researched and written numerous news stories, feature articles, general-interest
columns, and special reports for newspapers, magazines, and radio.
Researching and writing a dissertation – particularly one based on qualitative
research methods – demanded a different set of skills and offered some special challenges
because of its nature and scope. In reflecting on that experience, I can identify various
lessons learned along the way.
During coursework, I learned all