ABSTRACT
Before moving ahead to the dissertation Chapter III, students need to make decisions about what type of qualitative approach is best suited for the dissertation. This chapter provides an overview of some of the most common qualitative approaches. These approaches include case study, ethnography, policy analysis, program evaluation, action research, narrative research, phenomenology, and generic qualitative research. Students need to make decisions about the research approach based on a host of factors, such as time, access to resources, and the goals of the study. The chapter briefly summarizes each approach and details the kinds of studies best suited. Strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches are included as well as further reading.
