Background Reading
This has four sections: References to help you get started with constructing and carrying out
an interview, references to help you understand how to carry out a grounded theory
analysis, references to help you understand how to write up your findings and finally
references to help you with the topic.
How to construct good interview questions:
This is of relatively low importance for this report as we will collaborate together on this
issue in the lecture and via Blackboard. However, if you are concerned about question
construction then you might like to consult the following sections of your core text books.
There are many other research methods text books in the library that will also help to get
you started.
McBurney, D. H. & White, T. L. (2007). Research methods. Belmont, CA: Thomson
Wadsworth. [Chapter 10 will be useful for information on how to devise good
interview questions, although they are looked in relation to surveys rather than
interviews].
Hayes, N. (2000). Doing psychological research. Buckingham: Open University Press [Chapter
7 contains information on devising and carrying out interviews.]
How to carry out a sound grounded theory analysis:
Note: these references are just a small selection to get you started as there are many many
more books that cover qualitative methods in the library, so a) please don’t panic if some of
the below texts are out on loan and b) browse the ‘qualitative research methods’ shelves in
the library to look for titles beyond those listed here.
Charmaz, K. (1995). Grounded theory. In J. Smith, R. Harre and L. Van Langehove (Eds.)
Rethinking methods in psychology. London: Sage. (chapter 3)
Henwood, K. & Pidgeon, N. (1992). Qualitative research and psychological theorising. British
Journal of Psychology, 83, 97-111.
Pidgeon, N. & Henwood, L. (1997). Using grounded theory in psychological research. In N.
Hayes (Ed.) Doing qualitative analysis in psychology. Hove: Taylor & Francis. (pp. 245273).
Strauss, A. L. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures
for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.) Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage.
Strauss, A. L. & Corbin, J. (2005). Grounded theory methodology: an overview. In N. K.
Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.) Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed.) Thousand Oaks,
Calif: Sage. (pp. 273-285). [Note: copies of 1st and 3rd edition also available, but page
numbers will vary]
In addition, your set text book also contains relevant information:
Hayes, N. (2000). Doing psychological research. Buckingham: Open University Press [Chapter
11 gives a brief overview of grounded theory.]
How people ‘write up’ their findings when using grounded theory:
The following references have used grounded theory as their methodological approach (all
available via Leicester e-link from PsycINFO). These papers are from the Health Psychology
field but should still be useful to show you how to write up your findings in the analysis
section. There are of course many other papers out there so feel free to explore the
available literature to find them. Meticulous coding is important BUT this is worth nothing if
you cannot then communicate what you have found in a clear concise way.
Draucker, D. B., Martsolf, D. S., Ratchneewan, R. & Thomas, B. (2007). Theoretical sampling
and category development in grounded theory. Qualitative Health Research, 17, 11371148.
Hoyt, M. A. & Kennedy, C. L. (2008). Leadership and adolescent girls: A qualitative study of
leadership development. American Journal of Community Psychology, 42, 203-219.
Larsson, I. E., Sahlsten, M. J. M., Sjöstörm, B., Lindencrona, C. S. C., & Plos, K. A. E. (2007).
Patient participation in nursing care from a patient perspective: a grounded theory
study. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 21, 313-320.
Previous research on attitudes towards computers and books:
These texts are all available via PsycINFO and Leicester E-Link. You should already be
familiar with these texts from Practical 1, so your markers will expect to see evidence of
wider reading. However, to ensure you are on the right track these suggested texts should
be used as a basis for your work on this topic.
Garland, K. J., & Noyes, J. M. (2004). Computer experience: A poor predictor of computer
attitudes. Computers in Human Behavior, 20(6), 823-840.
Garland, K. J., & Noyes, J. M. (2004). Changes in learning expectations and confidence
toward computers: A study of five successive years of undergraduate. Journal of
Educational Computing Research, 31, 273-279.
Garland, K. J., & Noyes, J. M. (2005). Attitudes and confidence towards computers and
books as learning tools: A cross-sectional study of student cohorts. British Journal of
Educational Technology. 36, 85-91.
Garland, K. J., & Noyes, J. M. (2008). A review of changing attitudes towards computers in
educational settings. In T. B. Scott & J. I. Livingston (Eds.) Leading Edge – Educational
Technology. New York: Nova Science. (pp. 195-209).
Noyes, J. M., & Garland, K. J. (2005). Students’ attitudes towards books and computers.
Computers in Human Behavior, 21(2), 233-241.
Noyes, J. M., & Garland, K. J. (2006). Explaining students’ attitudes towards books and
computers. Computers in Human Behavior, 22(3), 351-363.