Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods

Michael Quinn Patton is author of more than a dozen books on evaluation including Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods, 4th ed (2015), Blue Marble Evaluation (2020), Principles-Focused Evaluation (2018), Facilitating Evaluation (2018) and Developmental Evaluation (2011). Based in Minnesota, he was on the faculty of the University of Minnesota for 18 years and is a former president of the American Evaluation Association (AEA). Michael is a recipient of the Alva and Gunnar Myrdal Evaluation Practice Award, the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award, and the Research on Evaluation Award, all from AEA He has also received the Lester F. Ward Distinguished Contribution to Applied and Clinical Sociology Award from the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology. In 2021 he received the first Transformative Evaluator Award from EvalYouth. He is an active speaker, trainer, and workshop presenter who has conducted applied research and evaluation on a broad range of issues and has worked with organizations and programs at the international, national, state, provincial, and local levels. Michael has three children—a musician, an engineer, and an evaluator—and four grandchildren. When not evaluating, he enjoys exploring the woods and rivers of Minnesota, where he lives.

"Very thoughtful and thorough coverage of qualitative design and study."

• Part 1. Framing Qualitative Inquiry: Theory Informs Practice, Practice Informs TheoryChapter 1. The Nature, Niche, and Value of Qualitative InquiryModule 1. How qualitative inquiry contributes to our understanding of the worldModule 2. What makes qualitative data qualitativeModule 3. Making methods decisionsModule 4. The fruit of qualitative methods: Chapter summary and conclusionChapter 2. Strategic Themes in Qualitative InquiryModule 5. Strategic design principles for qualitative inquiryModule 6. Strategic principles guiding data collection and fieldworkModule 7. Strategic principles for qualitative analysis and reporting findingsModule 8: Integrating the 12 strategic qualitative principles in practiceChapter 3. Variety of Qualitative Inquiry Frameworks: Paradigmatic, Philosophical, and Theoretical OrientationsModule 9. Understanding the Paradigms Debate: Quants versus QualsModule 10. Introduction to Qualitative Inquiry FrameworksModule 11. Ethnography and AutoethnographyModule 12. Positivism, Postpositivism, Empiricism and Foundationalist EpistemologiesModule 13. Grounded Theory and RealismModule 14Phenomenology and Heuristic InquiryModule 15Social Constructionism, Constructivism, Postmodernism, and Narrative InquiryModule 16. Ethnomethodology, Semiotics, and Symbolic Interaction, Hermeneutics and Ecological PsychologyModule 17Systems Theory and Complexity TheoryModule 18. Pragmatism, Generic Qualitative Inquiry, and Utilization-Focused EvaluationModule 19Patterns and themes across inquiry frameworks: Chapter summary and conclusionsChapter 4. Practical and Actionable Qualitative ApplicationsModule 20. Practical purposes, concrete questions, and actionable answers: Illuminating and enhancing qualityModule 21. Program evaluation applications: Focus on outcomesModule 22Specialized qualitative evaluation applicationsModule 23Evaluating program models and theories of change, and evaluation models especially aligned with qualitative methodsModule 24 Interactive and participatory qualitative applicationsModule 25Democratic evaluation, indigenous research and evaluation, capacity building, and cultural competenceModule 26Special methodological applicationsModule 27A vision of the utility of qualitative methods: Chapter summary and conclusionPart 2. Qualitative Designs and Data CollectionChapter 5. Designing Qualitative StudiesModule 28Design thinking: Questions derive from purpose, design answers questionsModule 29 Date Collection DecisionsModule 30Purposeful sampling and case selection: Overview of strategies and optionsModule 31Single-significant-case sampling as a design strategyModule 32Comparison-focused sampling optionsModule 33Group characteristics sampling strategies and optionsModule 34Concept and theoretical sampling strategies and optionsModule 35. Instrumental-use multiple-case samplingModule 36Sequential and emergence-driven sampling strategies and optionsModule 37 Analytically focused samplingModule 38Mixed, stratified, and nested purposeful sampling strategiesModule 39Information-rich casesModule 40Sample size for qualitative designsModule 41 Mixed methods designsModule 42Qualitative design chapter summary and conclusion: Methods choices and decisionsChapter 6. Fieldwork Strategies and Observation MethodsModule 43 The Power of direct observationModule 44. Variations in observational methodsModule 45. Variations in duration of observations and site visits: From rapid reconnaissance to longitudinal studies over yearsModule 46. Variations in observational focus and summary of dimensions along which fieldwork variesModule 47. What to observe: Sensitizing conceptsModule 48. Integrating what to observe with how to observeModule 49. Unobtrusive observations and indicators, and documents and archival fieldworkModule 50. Observing oneself: Reflexivity and Creativity, and Review of Fieldwork DimensionsModule 51. Doing Fieldwork: The Data Gathering ProcessModule 52. Stages of fieldwork: Entry into the fieldModule 53. Routinization of fieldwork: The dynamics of the second stageModule 54. Bringing fieldwork to a closeModule 55. The observer and what is observed: Unity, separation, and reactivityModule 56. Chapter summary and conclusion: Guidelines for fieldworkChapter 7. Qualitative InterviewingModule 57 The Interview Society: Diversity of applicationsModule 58 Distinguishing interview approaches and types of interviewsModule 59 Question options and skilled question formulationModule 60 Rapport, neutrality, and the interview relationshipModule 61Interviewing groups and cross-cultural interviewingModule 62.Creative modes of qualitative inquiryModule 63.Ethical issues and challenges in qualitative interviewingModule 64. Personal reflections on interviewing, and chapter summary and conclusionPart 3. Analysis, Interpretation, and ReportingChapter 8. Qualitative Analysis and InterpretationModule 65. Setting the Context for Qualitative Analysis: Challenge, Purpose, and FocusModule 66. Thick description and case studies: The bedrock of qualitative analysisModule 67. Qualitative Analysis Approaches: Identifying Patterns and ThemesModule 68. The intellectual and operational work of analysisModule 69. Logical and matrix analyses, and synthesizing qualitative studiesModule 70. Interpreting findings, determining substantive significance, phenomenological essence, and hermeneutic interpretationModule 71. Causal explanation thorough qualitative analysisModule 72. New analysis directions: Contribution analysis, participatory analysis, and qualitative counterfactualsModule 73. Writing up and reporting findings, including using visualsModule 74. Special analysis and reporting issues: Mixed methods, focused communications, and principles-focused report exemplar.Module 75 Chapter summary and conclusion, plus case study exhibitsChapter 9. Enhancing the Quality and Credibility of Qualitative StudiesModule 76. Analytical processes for enhancing credibility: systematically engaging and questioning the dataModule 77. Four triangulation processes for enhancing credibilityModule 78. Alternative and competing criteria for judging the quality of qualitative inquiries: Part 1, universal criteria, and traditional scientific research versus constructivist criteriaModule 79. Alternative and competing criteria, Part 2: artistic, participatory, critical change, systems, pragmatic, and mixed criteriaModule 80 Credibility of the inquirerModule 81 Generalizations, Extrapolations, Transferability, Principles, and Lessons learnedModule 82 Enhancing the credibility and utility of qualitative inquiry by addressing philosophy of science issues