ABSTRACT
The aim of this part of the book is to give the reader some idea of the important techniques in qualitative research that are regularly used in psychology. The use of qualitative methods in psychology has increased significantly in recent years, and yet to many psychologists, qualitative research is an area of deepest mystery. To others it may even be a source of contempt. Even qualitative researchers themselves argue fiercely about the methods they use, and some prefer not to use the term ‘methods’ at all (Parker 1992). So complex are the issues around qualitative research that it has become a broad research topic in its own right, with social scientists from various disciplines specialising in the field (Denzin and Lincoln 2000 is a mighty volume gathering together a vast range of writing on the topic).
