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Key Terms

action research
A type of qualitative research that seeks action to improve practice and study the effects of the action that was taken.

bracketing
A process in which qualitative researchers put aside their own feelings or beliefs about a phenomenon that is being studied to keep from biasing their observations.

case studies
Research studies that involve an in-depth examination of a single person or a group of people. A case study might also examine an institution.

constant comparison
Data gathered in a qualitative study are constantly or continually compared to data that have already been gathered.

content analysis
The term used to indicate the examination of communication messages that are obtained in case studies, as well as in other types of qualitative studies.

ethnographic studies
Research studies that involve the collection and analysis of data about cultural groups.

external criticism (external appraisal, external examination)
A type of examination of historical data that is concerned with the authenticity or genuineness of the data. External criticism might be used to determine if a letter was actually written by the person whose signature was contained on the letter.

grounded theory studies
Research studies in which data are collected and analyzed and then a theory is developed that is “grounded” in the data.

historical studies
Research studies that are concerned with the identification, location, evaluation, and synthesis of data from the past.

internal criticism
A type of examination of historical data that is concerned with the accuracy of the data. Internal criticism might be used to determine if a document contained an accurate recording of events as they actually happened.

key informant
A person who is knowledgeable about the culture that is being studied in ethnographic research.

participatory action research (PAR)
A special kind of action research in which there is collaboration between the study participants and the researcher in all steps of the study.


phenomenological studies
Research studies that examine human experiences through the descriptions of the meanings of these experiences provided by the people involved.





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