Wordcraft: Applied Qualitative Data Analysis Qda : Tools for Public and Voluntary Social Services

A pragmatic guide to performing meaningful qualitative analysis

This text helps students and social service personnel better evaluate agency programs using the various qualitative documents (such as case intake forms and case progress notes) already at their disposal. Author Vincent E. Faherty shows readers not just what to do with qualitative data, but also how they should interpret the meanings. This text begins by examining the requisite knowledge and skills needed to design and execute a comprehensive research or evaluation report based using qualitative data. It then offers guidance on writing up the final report and disseminating the results to the wider community.

Key Features

• The Qualitative Data Analysis Model, a non-computer based method of data analysis, takes readers through the research process in order to gain a complete picture of the agency′s performance
• Case examples of published journal articles from SAGE contain margin notes and introductory and conclusive remarks
• The author applies the conceptual material to pragmatic, agency-based situations that would be relevant for a broad range of human service professions and disciplines.

Anyone in a managerial role with a community-based social agency―as well as social work undergraduate and graduate students―will benefit from this straightforward guide.

Vincent Faherty earned his doctorate in Social Work (DSW) from the University of Utah in 1976. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) from the International Management Institute of the University of Geneva (1985), a Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University (1970), and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cathedral College & Seminary (1958).  He has taught statistics and social work research methods for the past 18 years at the University of Southern Maine.  Prior to that, he taught at the University of Northern Iowa and at the University of Columbia-Missouri.