Handbook for Synthesizing Qualitative Research

Abstract

Designated a Doody's Core Title! Written for graduate-level students and faculty in health care science disciplines, this handbook will help you integrate the findings in reports of primary qualitative studies as well as extrapolate the methods and techniques used to create a qualitative research synthesis.Using reports of studies in two domains of research and across behavior, social science, and practice disciplines, this handbook will help you: Locate qualitative research synthesis in qualitative research, research synthesis, research utilization, and evidence-based practiceLocate the qualitative research synthesis enterprise in reading and writing practicesDifferentiate qualitative research synthesis from other forms of inquiryFormulate significant research problems and purposes for a qualitative research synthesis studyDesign credible qualitative research synthesis studies that fit available resourcesConduct comprehensive searches for primary qualitative research reports in a target domain of inquiryConduct judicious appraisals of these qualitative research reportsCompare and classify findings across qualitative research reportsSelect methodological approaches appropriate to the content and form of the qualitative research findingsUse qualitative metasummary and metasynthesis techniques to integrate qualitative research findingsOptimize the validity of qualitative research synthesis studiesPresent the results of qualitative research synthesis studies in effective, audience-appropriate waysSupplemental materials that illustrate the transformation of research findings into research syntheses in Chapters 3, 4, 6, and 9 are available online at: www.unc.edu/ msandelo/handbook