Qualitative Research in Sport and Physical Activity

Ian Jones is the Head of the Department of Sport and Physical Activity/Associate Professor in Sport at Bournemouth University.  Dr Lorraine Brown is Associate Professor in Qualitative Methodology at Bournemouth University. Immy Holloway teaches Qualitative Methodology at the University of Bournemouth.

• PART ONE: INTRODUCING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORTQualitative Research and Its Use in Sport and Physical ActivityThe Main Characteristics of Qualitative ResearchQualitative Research in Sport and Physical Activity Ethical Considerations in ResearchRecruiting ParticipantsInformed ConsentConfidentiality and AnonymityAvoiding HarmDeveloping the Research Question and Writing the ProposalThe topic and Research QuestionWriting the ProposalThe Role of the Literature in Qualitative ResearchThe Literature and the ProposalThe Literature OverviewThe Inductive ApproachThe Ongoing Dialogue with the LiteratureKeeping Track of ReferencesSamplingPurposive SamplingSampling TypesSampling DecisionsAccessing the SampleReferring to the SamplePART TWO: COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATAInterviewsTypes of InterviewVariety of InterviewsAsking QuestionsInterviewing SkillsThe Relationship Between Interviewer and ParticipantsPractical Sspects of InterviewingPotential Problems in InterviewingFocus GroupsThe Origin and Purpose of Focus GroupsChoosing the Sample: Size, Number and CompositionConducting Focus Group InterviewsThe Involvement of the InterviewerAnalysing Focus Group DataEthical IssuesAdvantages and Limitations of Focus GroupsParticipant ObservationThe research SettingTypes of ObservationGetting StartedKeeping a RecordUsing Documentary Sources of DataProblematic IssuesPART THREE: CHOOSING THE RESEARCH APPROACHGrounded TheoryThe Origins of Grounded TheoryThe Main Elements of Grounded TheoryThe Process of GT: Data Collection and AnalysisThe Developing TheoryProblems in Grounded TheoryEthnographyFieldworkA Focus on CultureEthnographic MethodsSample and SettingThe Ethnographic RecordAnalysis and InterpretationProblems in Conducting Ethnographic ResearchPhenomenologyDescriptive and Interpretive PhenomenologyEliciting Life-World DescriptionsThe Use of Bracketing and SensitisingThe Findings of Phenomenological ResearchSamplingPhenomenological InterviewsAnalysis in Descriptive and Hermeneutic PhenomenologyInterpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)LimitationsNarrative ResearchStories and Their StructureTypes of StoryThe Functions of People’s StoriesCollecting DataNarrative AnalysisThe Distinctive Nature of Narrative ResearchA Critique of Narrative ResearchMixed Methods ResearchAdopting Mixed Methods ResearchDesigning Mixed Methods ResearchThe problems Inherent in Mixed Methods ResearchPART FOUR: ANALYSING AND REPORTING QUALITATIVE DATAData AnalysisManaging the DataTranscribing and Writing MemosData Reduction and Conceptualisation: Codes, Categories and ThemesComputer-aided Analysis of Qualitative DataInterpreting the DataThe Quality of Qualitative InquiryValidity and ReliabilityAlternative Criteria for Qualitative ResearchHow to Ensure Trustworthiness Writing Up Qualitative ResearchWriting in the First PersonThe Format of the ReportChecklist Before SubmissionTelling the Tale: Creativity and OriginalityPublishing and Presenting the ResearchGlossaryReferencesIndex

This is a ′must have′ book for aspiring qualitative researchers in the field of sport and physical activity. The book is well structured, providing the researcher with a step-by-step guide to the processes that need to occur to undertake methodologically sound qualitative research. It is intellectual and yet pragmatic which makes this a book that I will recommend to my PhD students and colleagues alike. Murray DrummondProfessor in Sport, Health and Physical Education, Flinders University This text provides students with an excellent foundation for understanding qualitative research studies and for conducting their own qualitative inquiries, in fields ranging from sport management and marketing to sport sociology and psychology. Paul M. PedersenProfessor and Director, Sport Management Doctoral Program, Indiana University-Bloomington