Qualitative Research Methods

In recent years, there has been resurgence in the use of qualitative research methods in social sciences. Once the preferred method for research in social science, qualitative methods in the midtwentieth century were supplanted by quantitativemethods, in large part due to the fact that computers made it much easier to do extremely complex mathematical calculations quickly and accurately. However, qualitative research methods are reclaiming their place in social science inquiry. Public administration scholars are also increasingly engaging in qualitative research (e.g., Abolafia, 2004; Brower and Abolafia, 1996, 1997; Carr and Brower, 2000; Charmaz, 2006; Frederickson and Frederickson, 2006; Kelly and Maynard-Moody, 1993; Maynard-Moody and Musheno, 2006; Yanow, 1999). Unfortunately, with some exceptions, many qualitative public administration studies lack methodological rigor or credibility, which suggests a great need to train students with rigorous qualitative methods (Brower, Abolafia, and Carr, 2000; Lowery and Evans, 2004; Perry and Kraemer, 1994).