by Sutarto Hadi

I think you will have the same feeling with me whenever you hold this book. It is thick. The cover is ordinary, not too interesting. Yet it is better for you to look at back-cover and read the comments. I am sure it will encourage your curiosity to read further the content. If you claim yourself a qualitative researcher you must have this book on your shelf. Norman K. Denzin, one of the prominent academics in this field recommended this. He also said that no significant work could be done in this area without reference to this book.

In my perspective the authors of this book assure the quality, practicality and usefulness in qualitative research. Both of the authors have long experience in the field. Matthew B. Miles, a social psychologist, has had a career-long interest in educational reform and strategies for achieving its. Michael Huberman has long-term interest in scientific epistemology and in adult cognition and knowledge use.

How to read this book effectively? If you are a novice in this field like me, then please follow their guidance: firstly, look at the overview (Figure 13.1) in Chapter 13; then read Chapter 1, section F; finally, scan the ideas on displays in Chapter 9. But, I guarantee this way doesn’t give you much as my experience. Therefore, please read Chapter 1 in detail. After that read the book according to your intention related to your research project. I do not recommend that you read the book sequentially, from start to the end. Because it will make you frustrated. As it said, protect yourself from getting overwhelmed by looking at the big picture (p.14).

In general the content of this book is mediocre, not difficult to read but also not easy. Interestingly the book is written in two-column format. I think it is a good idea for the wide book like this. The language is also mediocre, understandable. While reading this book I need dictionary, because sometimes I found difficult words.

After finish reading the book I grasp the structure. In general they divided the content of the book into four parts:

First, Chapter 1 Introduction. It gives background, general idea etc. that will bring you to general insight of the qualitative research. Chapter 1 discusses about philosophy of qualitative research. This chapter is very important to read. Don’t miss this chapter. You will get insight about the issues embedded in this research. Just to give you general view, in this chapter they mention some issues. These issues include general problem in qualitative research such as qualitative paradigm, qualitative inquiry, validity and reliability; varieties of qualitative research, and the nature of qualitative data. In this chapter they also describe about the nature of the book, such as audience and approach. It is very important before you continue your reading.

Second, Chapter 2 and 3 discuss about design issues. In Chapter 2 they emphasis on conceptual aspect, including developing a conceptual framework, formulating research questions, defining the case, sampling, and instrument. These design issues explain further in Chapter 3.

Third, Chapters 4 to 11 explore data analyzing and displaying. Reading these chapters is tiring. Actually, it is the essence of the book. If someone says that this book gives practical guidance for conducting qualitative research, it is true because of these chapters. Do not miss to read Chapter 10, because it is important to make research results plausible. How to make good sense by drawing and verifying conclusion. In this chapter they discuss about 13 tactics for drawing meaning from a particular configuration of data in a display. Chapter 11 reminds you about ethical issues in analysis. Both Chapters 10 and 11 are small chapter, so it does not take you a long time to read it.

Fourth, Chapter 12 and 13 give explanation about writing a report and also the concluding remark about qualitative data analysis, reflection and advice.

If you interested in sampling issues in qualitative research, you can read page 28. In Figure 2.6 they describe typology of sampling strategies. There are many types of sampling and the purpose of each type. Interestingly I found some new types here, such as maximum variation, critical case, theory based, extreme or deviant case, and politically important cases.

For you who come from quantitative background it is good to know some key features of qualitative sampling. Qualitative researchers usually work with small samples of peoples, nested in their context and studied in-dept – unlike quantitative researchers, who aim for larger numbers of context-stripped cases and seek statistical significance. Qualitative samples tend to be purposive rather than random. It is usually not wholly pre-specified, but can evolve ones fieldwork begin.

Sampling in qualitative research involves two actions that sometimes pull in different directions. First, to set boundaries, and second to create a frame to help you uncover, confirm, or qualify the basic process or construct that under-gird the study.

In qualitative research activities like collecting, organizing, coding and analyzing data more complicated than quantitative research. Especially because the data usually in the form of words rather than number. Words are, as Miles and Huberman acknowledge, fatter than number and usually have multiple meaning (p.56).

In Chapter 4 of the book you can find the practical guidance how to analyze, particularly in early step, the data. They describe eight main methods, namely

• Contact summary sheet;
• Codes and coding;
• Pattern coding;
• Memoing;
• Case Analysis Meeting;
• Interim Case Summary;
• Vignettes; and
• Prestructured Case.

If you are not familiar with these methods, don't worry. You must come from quantitative research background, the same with me. I suggested that you have to read this chapter before starting fieldwork for collecting data. You can find what method useful for you in collecting information and which will avoid you from overloading. Sometimes at the beginning everything is important. There is a temptation to collect everything. But, after we back to table and start to analyze the problem occurs. It is often that the researchers lost their spirit when encounter huge number of data collected. It could reduce the quality of analysis, which leads to the poor quality of research.

To enhance the explanation of concepts sometime they use figures. I am concern of this, because the objective of giving figure is to make the readers understand. But, in some parts it is difficult to make connection between figure and narration. I think it is because of my lack understanding of the context and background where the figures come from. Maybe it is because of the difference of social and cultural background between the authors and me. Some texts in the figure used in abbreviations make the non-English mother tongue readers difficult to grasp the figure immediately. It is take time just to find out the meaning of, for instance, ‘Supt.’, ‘Dir Mgmt Info Svcs’, ‘AP’, ‘TE’, etc. (p. 103).

I am really surprised to realize that data display in qualitative research is very rich with different types. It could change my perception that reading research report is boring and tiring. Qualitative research is a very democratic approach. There is no limitation in displaying data and information as long as it can reveal the phenomenon.

If you hold the book right now, please open page 110, see Box 5.1. What do you think? If you realize it is a poem, you are right. It is one way to display the data. The name is The Transcript as Poem. I agree with the argument that the display is striking. It brings the reader very close to a condensed set of data, has a compelling flow, and forbids superficial attention by the analyst.

When we talk about research usually we concern about causality. How does qualitative research handling this issue? We can understand its stance from the statement: People are not billiard balls, but have complex intentions operating in a complex web of others’ intentions and actions (p. 145). The way of thinking about causality in qualitative method following this direction: determining causality, local emphasis, causal complexity, temporality, retrospection, variables and process.

The qualitative analysis is a very powerful method for assessing causality. Let me quote the following statement to give the idea: Qualitative analysis, with its close-up look, can identify mechanism, going on beyond sheer association. It is unrelentingly local, and deals well with the complex network of events and process in a situation. It can sort out the temporal dimension, showing clearly what preceded what, either through direct observation or retrospection. It is well equipped to cycle back and forth between variables and process – showing that "stories" are not capricious, but include underlying variables, and that variables are not disembodied, but have connections over time (p. 147).

If you concern about generalization you can read Chapter 7 on Cross-Case Display. In fact this is an important issue. But I think it is useful to quote here this statement: Looking across cases deepens our understanding and can increase generalizability. But cross-case analysis is tricky. Simply summarizing superficially across some themes or main variables by itself tells us little. We have to look carefully at the complex configuration of process within each case, understand the local dynamics, before we can begin to see patterning of variables that transcends particular cases. Combining "process" and "variable" approaches is needed (p. 205).

How to acquire this book? Unfortunately, there are only two copies at University of Twente. One in the TO Library and the other in Management Library (BB building). If you really interest to have this book you can buy it with the price f 80.85. Ask the Campus Bookstore, and they will order for you to the publisher. But they do not know exactly how long you have to wait. According to librarian at TO Library you can also ask the publisher via Internet and pay it by your VISA Card. You will receive the book in two or three days.

Finally, for you who will undertake developmental research I warn you that this book can not be used solely. In my view this book is useful in combination with other specific book related to your project. If your project is about evaluation then you will get strong combination with the Brinkerhoff’s book on Program Evaluation. I like this combination very much. If you want to conduct case study, you will get additional support from Yin's book entitles Case Study Research: Design and Method.