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"Stretching" Exercises for Qualitative Researchers
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"Stretching" Exercises for Qualitative Researchers

Fourth Edition


October 2015 | 320 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
In the new Fourth Edition of her inventive, one-of-a-kind book, author Valerie J. Janesick uses dance, yoga, and meditation metaphors to help researchers tap into the intuitive and creative side of their research. In every chapter, “stretching” exercises help readers develop, practice, and hone fieldwork skills and vital habits of mind such as observation, interviewing, writing, creativity, technology, and analysis. While reading the book and working through the exercises, readers can complete a researcher’s reflective journal—an invaluable tool that will remain useful throughout their careers.
 
Chapter 1. Qualitative Research and Habits of Mind
Identifying, Practicing, and Developing Habits

 
Getting Feedback and Writing About It

 
Finding Your Theoretical Habit

 
Developing Habits of Mind

 
Terms Used to Describe Qualitative Research

 
Characteristics of Qualitative Work

 
Questions Suited to Qualitative Research Methods

 
Using Theory in Qualitative Research

 
Artistic Approaches to Qualitative Research

 
Contemplative Qualitative Inquiry and the Zen of Research

 
Why Try These Exercises?

 
How to Use This Book

 
The Audience for This Book

 
Suggested Resources

 
 
Chapter 2. The Observation, Reflection, and Writing Habit
Exercise 2.1: Observing a Still Life Scene

 
Description of a Still Life Scene

 
Constructing a Researcher Reflective Portfolio

 
Types of Portfolios and Assessment

 
How the Electronic Portfolio Works

 
Portfolio Contents

 
Exercise 2.2: Physical Description of This Setting

 
Exercise 2.3: Observation in the Home or Workplace

 
Exercise 2.4: Description of a Familiar Person or a Stranger

 
The Qualities of Exemplary Case Studies

 
Exercise 2.5: Observing at an Art Museum or at a Movie

 
Exercise 2.6: Observing an Animal at Home, the Zoo, or a Pet Shop

 
Exercise 2.7: Drawing to Become a Better Observer: Drawing Upside Down

 
 
Chapter 3. Advancing the Observation, Reflection, and Writing Habit
Exercise 3.1: Nonparticipant Observation Assignment

 
Exercise 3.2: Reflecting to Strengthen the Writing Habit

 
Exercise 3.3: Writing Your Educational Autobiography

 
Exercise 3.4: Writing a Pedagogical Letter

 
Next Steps: Self-Evaluation

 
Pitfalls in Observation

 
Chapter Summary

 
Suggested Resources

 
 
Chapter 4. The Interview and Writing Habit
Two People Talking, Communicating, and Constructing Meaning

 
Types of Interview Questions

 
Preparing Questions

 
Examples of Interview Questions From a Recent Study

 
Exercise 4.1: Interviewing Someone You Know

 
Exercise 4.2: Interviewing a Stranger

 
Exercise 4.3: The Oral History Interview

 
Exercise 4.4: The Focus Group Interview Demonstration Exercise

 
Exercise 4.5: Presenting Interview Data as a Found Data Poem

 
Exercise 4.6: Describing Your Role in a Research Project as Identity Poetry

 
Exercise 4.7: The Digital, Virtual Interview and Google Groups

 
Exercise 4.8: Interviewing Someone Twice

 
Exercise 4.9: Practicing an Online Interview

 
Conducting Qualitative Interviews: Some Rules of Thumb

 
Chapter Summary

 
Suggested Resources

 
 
Chapter 5. The Creative Habit
The Role of the Researcher and the Researcher Reflective Journal

 
Exercise 5.1: Variations on Writing Your Name

 
Exercise 5.2: The Camera as an Extension of the Eye, the Eye as an Extension of the Soul

 
Exercise 5.3: Building a Collage: My Role as a Researcher

 
Exercise 5.4: Constructing a YaYa Box or Making a Quilt Patch

 
The Qualitative Researcher and the Intuitive Sense

 
Exercise 5.5: Writing About Your Favorite Vegetable

 
Serendipity

 
Intuition, Creativity, and Compassion in Research

 
The Researcher Reflective Journal as Creative Act

 
Exercise 5.6: Your Journey

 
Future Directions

 
Exercise 5.7: Reflective Journal Writing Practice in Dialogue Form

 
Exercise 5.8: Haiku and Any Form of Poetry on the Role of the Researcher

 
Exercise 5.9: Framed Photograph and Narrative Writing Exercise

 
Exercise 5.10: Writing Timeline Exercise

 
Chapter Summary

 
Suggested Resources

 
 
Chapter 6. The Analysis Habit
The Qualitative Researcher as Contemplative and Mindful

 
Checkpoints for Data Analysis, Reporting, and Interpretation

 
Various Approaches to Analysis and Interpretation of Data

 
Ethics and the Qualitative Researcher

 
True Stories: Sample Ethical Dilemmas

 
Attributes of the Qualitative Researcher

 
Qualitative Researchers Interacting With Institutional Review Boards, IRBs

 
Chapter Summary

 
Exercise 6.1: Design and Create a Cover for Your Researcher Reflective Journal

 
Exercise 6.2: Describe Your Favorite Meal

 
Exercise 6.3: Writing About Change in Yourself in Any Five-Year Period

 
 
Chapter 7. The Technology Habit
Benefits for Small-Scale Studies Using Technology

 
The Context

 
The Power of Skype Interviewing

 
Next Steps: Editing Through Audacity

 
Transcription With Express Scribe, Dragon, iTalk, iSpeak, and MS Word

 
Voice Recognition Software

 
Researcher Reflective Portfolios

 
Excel as a Text/Data Analysis Tool

 
Analysis Strategies From MS Word to MS Excel

 
Overall Virtual Interview: From Collection to Analysis

 
Electronic Mailing Lists, Websites, Journals, and Software Options

 
Exercise 7.1: Conducting and Transcribing a Skype Interview Using Express Scribe for Transcription

 
Exercise 7.2: Create a Word Cloud Using Wordle and One With Tagxedo

 
Exercise 7.3: Create a Glog, a Poster Online Through Glogster

 
Chapter Summary

 

"Stretching" Exercises for Qualitative Researchers is an important text, and a must have for qualitative researchers. For my students—and myself—the opportunities to deepen the creative self provide essential tools for broadening our horizons of understanding and approaches to our participants, our work, and ourselves.

Dave Shen-Miller
Bastyr University

Research methods is a rigorous and over-rational man sitting in a pond. People are afraid of him and hold him in awe. No one invites him to dance. But Valerie J. Janesick did, because he saw his emotion, his passion, and his possibility to be a dancer. 

Wenfan Yan
University of Massachusetts, Boston

I loved this book by Janesick, have used it myself and will continue to use it. It is a great book with fantastic insights. I referenced it in class frequently, but the chapters were not practical enough for new graduate students to purchase as a full course text.

Dr Kerstin Roger
Community Health Sciences, Univ Of Manitoba
December 11, 2015

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