Engaging Crystallization in Qualitative Research: An Introduction

"This is the best book I have read in quite some time. Professor Ellingson writes clearly yet artfully and in a scholarly voice that is accessible to students and faculty alike. The weaving between description and illustrative case studies takes readers through the step-by-step journey of crystallization (as experienced and offered by Ellingson). The book is clearly grounded in philosophies of knowing and methods-- yet, it offers practical strategies, questions, and choices for researchers."
-- Lynn M. Harter, Ohio University

Engaging Crystallization in Qualitative Research, the first "how to" book to both explain and demonstrate crystallization methodology, offers a framework for blending grounded theory and other social scientific analyses with creative representations of data, such as narratives, poetry, and film. Author Laura L. Ellingson explores relevant epistemological questions that arise when crossing methodological boundaries, provides detailed steps for design and planning, offers guidelines for improving both social scientific and creative/artistic writing, and suggests strategies for targeting publication outlets for multigenre representations.

Features

• Articulates the principles of crystallization and how it enables researchers to both represent multiple perspectives on a phenomenon and highlight the partial nature of all claims of truth
• Breaks down the qualitative research barriers between the grounded theorists and those who favor artistic, interpretive, and creative approaches, exemplifying the possibilities for all
• Demonstrates the rich possibilities for blending social scientific, creative/artistic, and critical approaches to research
• Provides hands-on strategies that help practitioners and students collect, analyze, and represent qualitative data through crystallization
• Explores ethical challenges, the political nature of research findings, and the need for social justice activism among researchers
• Illustrates concepts with exemplars, featuring cutting-edge research in social sciences, education, and allied health

Suitable for experienced practitioners and advanced students of qualitative methods, Engaging Crystallization in Qualitative Research is ideal for such courses as Intermediate/Advanced Qualitative Research, Ethnographic Methods, Grounded Theory, Field Research Methods, and Qualitative Inquiry.