ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the stages followed when undertaking qualitative social work research. This rostra or journey is also known as the research process, in which tasks, skills, techniques and procedures are applied in order to achieve specific results, or research outcomes. Although few qualitative research projects follow a logical or linear progression of planned stages (due to unforeseen circumstances such as the discovery of new findings), there are still important processes that we must follow, and stipulating such tasks and roles provides a guide that can help us to clarify what it is we intend to do and how this might be achieved. It may also help us to identify in a brief overview what we are likely to be doing in the near future. In practice, most qualitative research stages tend to flow into one another and overlap, whilst also regularly changing over the course of any research journey. Some may also begin at different timeframes to those originally planned. This is often due to changing circumstances and other factors outside of our control, such as when participants decide they are ready to be interviewed. In essence, qualitative methods and stages are difficult to predict and control, yet inevitably we can and need to make some general plans ahead.
