Qualitative Research Methods in Sport, Exercise and Health

Students and researchers at all levels are now expected to understand qualitative approaches and be able to employ them in their work. In this comprehensive and in-depth introductory text, Andrew C. Sparkes and Brett Smith take the reader on a journey through the entire qualitative research process.
The nature of qualitative research is explained in terms of both its core assumptions and what practitioners actually do in the field when they collect data and subject it to analysis. Each chapter is vividly illustrated with cases and examples from published research, to demonstrate different qualitative approaches in action and their relative strengths and weaknesses. The book also extends the boundaries of qualitative research by exploring innovative contemporary methodologies and novel ways to report research findings. Qualitative Research Methods in Sport, Exercise and Health is essential reading for any student, researcher or professional who wishes to understand this form of inquiry and to engage in a research project within a sport, exercise or health context.

Andrew C. Sparkes is Professor of Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure in the Research Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK.. Brett Smith is Reader in Qualitative Health Research within the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University, UK. He is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health.

Introduction Chapter 1 - What is Qualitative Research? Chapter 2 - Traditions in Qualitative Research Chapter 3 - Getting Started with Some Pre-study Tasks Chapter 4 - Data Collection Chapter 5 - Qualitative Analysis Chapter 6 - Representing Qualitative Findings Chapter 7 - Judging the Quality of Qualitative Research Chapter 8 - Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research Chapter 9 - Brief Reflections