An essential companion for students across the social and health sciences, this text provides a wide-ranging coverage of qualitative methods complemented by extended illustration from the array of academic disciplines in which qualitative research is found and employed.Written in a lively and reader-friendly style, the guide covers a comprehensive range of topics, including:- a concise definition of the method- a description of distinctive features- examples to convey the flavour of a technique or principle- a critical and reflective evaluation of the method or approach under consideration- cross references to associated concepts within the dictionary- a list of key readings.