background: in many sub-saharan african countries the rate of antenatal care (anc) has been increased but skilled birth attendance rate is still low. the objective of this study was to evaluate the reasons why women prefer home delivery when facility based delivery is available at minimal cost. methods: this study was conducted in northwest nigeria using a qualitative method (phenomenology) amo...

Qualitative inquiries normally take pains to make clear that they are not generalizable" (Kilbourn, 2006, p. 534). I disagree that this is or should be the norm for qualitative research in education. In this article, I discuss the kinds of generalization that come from qualitative inquiry. I argue that there are several well-established means of in which warranted generalizations can be produce...

Background Fifteen years ago in Health Services Research (1999) qualitative research methods were argued to be useful and valid. Since that time qualitative research methods have gained increasing legitimacy however qualitative research papers remain underrepresented in high impact health journals [1]. The rigour of qualitative methods and their relevance in policy evaluation and development is...

In this article, the author explains how and why one particular qualitative research approach, the naturalistic inquiry paradigm, was implemented in an e-learning research study that investigated the use of the World Wide Web technology in higher education. A framework is presented that situates the research study within the qualitative research literature. The author then justifies how the stu...

In this keynote address, the author focuses on what we bring to qualitative inquiry and how we conduct our research. What we do, why we do it, and how we do it remain contested issues. She proposes that we look at our methodological premises anew, revisit our principles, and revise our practices. Throughout this address, she draws on Goffman's methodological insights to provide a foundation for...