Showing papers on "Grounded theory published in 2001"

Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Abstract: Part I: AN INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH. 1. The Process of Conducting Research. 2. Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Part II: THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF RESEARCH. 3. Identifying a Research Problem. 4. Reviewing the Literature. 5. Specifying a Purpose and Research Questions or Hypotheses. 6. Collecting Quantitative Data. 7. Analyzing and Interpreting Quantitative Data. 8. Collecting Qualitative Data. 9. Analyzing and Interpreting Qualitative Data. 10. Reporting and Evaluating Research. Part III: RESEARCH DESIGNS. 11. Experimental Designs. 12. Correlational Designs. 13. Survey Designs. 14. Grounded Theory Designs. 15. Ethnographic Designs. 16. Narrative Research Designs. 17. Mixed Methods Designs. 18. Action Research Designs. Appendix A: Answers to the Chapter Study Questions. Appendix B: Determine Size Using Sample Size Tables. Appendix C: Non-Normal Distribution. Appendix D: Strategies for Defending a Research Proposal. Glossary. References. Author Index. Subject Index.

Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology

Abstract: About the authors Acknowledgements Part 1: Conceptual Preparation From recipes to adventures Epistemological bases for qualitative research Qualitative research design and data collection The role of interpretation Putting together a research proposal Part 2: Doing Research Thematic analysis Grounded theory methodology Phenomenological methods Case studies Discursive psychology Foucauldian discourse analysis Narrative psychology Visual methods Part 3: Reflections and Conclusions Quality in qualitative research Review and conclusion: Where next for qualitative psychology? Appendix 1: What influences a person's decision to want to stop using drugs? A grounded theory study exploring the experiences of heroin users Appendix 2: The experience of body dysmorphic disorder: An interpretative phenomenological analysis and photo elicitation study Appendix 3: Constructing self-harm at the turn of the 21st century: A Foucauldian discourse analysis References

Checklists for improving rigour in qualitative research: a case of the tail wagging the dog?

Abstract: Qualitative research methods are enjoying unprecedented popularity. Although checklists have undoubtedly contributed to the wider acceptance of such methods, these can be counterproductive if used prescriptively. The uncritical adoption of a range of “technical fixes” (such as purposive sampling, grounded theory, multiple coding, triangulation, and respondent validation) does not, in itself, confer rigour. In this article I discuss the limitations of these procedures and argue that there is no substitute for systematic and thorough application of the principles of qualitative research. Technical fixes will achieve little unless they are embedded in a broader understanding of the rationale and assumptions behind qualitative research. #### Summary points Checklists can be useful improving qualitative research methods, but overzealous and uncritical use can be counterproductive Reducing qualitative research to a list of technical procedures (such as purposive sampling, grounded theory, multiple coding, triangulation, and respondent validation) is overly prescriptive and results in “the tail wagging the dog” None of these “technical fixes” in itself confers rigour; they can strengthen the rigour of qualitative research only if embedded in a broader understanding of qualitative research design and data analysis Otherwise we risk compromising the unique contribution that systematic qualitative research can make to health services research In medical research the question is no longer whether qualitative methods are valuable but how rigour can be ensured or enhanced. Checklists have played an important role in conferring respectability on qualitative research and in convincing potential sceptics of its thoroughness.1–3 They have equipped those unfamiliar with this approach to evaluate or review qualitative work (by providing guidance on crucial questions that need to be asked) and in reminding qualitative researchers of the need for a systematic approach (by providing an aide-memoire of the various stages involved in research design and data analysis4). Qualitative researchers stress the …

Qualitative Marketing Research

Abstract: PART ONE: SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH AND MARKETING Philosophy of Research Scope of Research in Marketing Design of a Research Problem Academic, Business and Practitioner Research PART TWO: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES Justification of a Qualitative Research Methodology In-Depth Interviewing Case-Based Research Focus Group Interviewing Observation Studies Ethnography and Grounded Theory Action Research and Action Learning PART THREE: APPLICATIONS AND OUTCOMES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Organizing, Processing and Visualizing Data Writing Qualitative Research Reports Integrative Multiple Mixes of Methodologies Qualitative Research Future Evolution

Bringing Work Back In

Abstract: In this essay we argue that organization theory's effort to make sense of postbureaucratic organizing is hampered by a dearth of detailed studies of work. We review the history of organization theory to show that, in the past, studies of work provided an empirical foundation for theories of bureaucracy, and explain how such research became marginalized or ignored. We then discuss methodological requirements for reintegrating work studies into organization theory and indicate what the conceptual payoffs of such integration might be. These payoffs include breaking new conceptual ground, resolving theoretical puzzles, envisioning organizing processes, and revitalizing old concepts.

Focus groups as a research method: a critique of some aspects of their use in nursing research

Abstract: Focus groups as a research method: a critique of some aspects of their use in nursing research Objective. To evaluate and critique reports in the nursing literature in the period 1990–1999 of the use of focus groups as a research method. Methods. The articles were identified by a computerized search of the CINAHL database and subjected to critical review. Findings. The result of the search was that very few articles were found that reported on a specific piece of research using the method. Methodological discussions were more common and these were sometimes at a somewhat superficial level without analysis or critique. The largest category of articles was concerned with service development projects. The research-based articles were found to be relatively unsophisticated in their use of the method, in particular in relation to data analysis and social interaction within focus groups. Terms such as ‘content analysis’ and ‘grounded theory’ were used in nonrigorous ways and incompatibility between the underlying research approach and implementation of the method was identified in the cases of phenomenology and grounded theory. Whilst selection of the focus group method was often justified in terms of the benefits that participant interaction could yield, this interaction was rarely reported or discussed in the articles. One author proposed a scheme for analysing this type of interaction, and this is recommended to future researchers as a possible framework for interaction analysis. Conclusions. The article concludes by calling for more in-depth consideration at the research planning stages of the underlying assumptions of methodological approaches that may be used to underpin focus group research and methods to be used to analyse and report the data generated.

Enhancing the Rigor of Grounded Theory: Incorporating Reflexivity and Relationality

Abstract: Some proponents of the grounded theory method appear to treat interview and participant observation data as though they mirror informants' realities. Others claim that grounded theory incorporates reflexivity. It is claimed in this article that the principal texts on grounded theory do not attend to the effects of interactions between researchers and participants in interview and participant observation contexts. Descriptions of the effects of interactions on interview data and attention to relationships between interviewers and interviewees are necessary for attending to the rigor of grounded theory findings. Therefore, it is argued that reflexivity and relationality, which are defined as attending to the effects of researcher-participant interactions on the construction of data and to power and trust relationships between researchers and participants, should be incorporated into grounded theory.

Qualitative research through case studies

Abstract: What Is Qualitative Research? PART ONE: THE INTERPRETIVE TRADITION Addressing 'Lived Experience' Symbolic Interactionism and Ethnography Varieties of Symbolic Interactionism Grounded Theory and Dramaturgical Analysis Investigating Practices Ethnomethodological Ethnography Researching Language Conversation Analysis PART TWO: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES From Description to Critique Feminism and Qualitative Research Postmodern Ethnography PART THREE: CONCLUSION The Craft of Qualitative Research

Patients’ and relatives’ experiences and perspectives of ‘Good’ and ‘Not so Good’ quality care

Abstract: Patients’ and relatives’ experiences and perspectives of ‘Good’ and ‘Not so Good’ quality care Aims. To explore patients’ and relatives’ perceptions of care and identify key criteria used to evaluate quality care, via descriptions of actual care experiences. Method. A qualitative approach using Grounded Theory was adopted; data collected by semistructured interviews, from a purposive sample of 34 acute medical patients and 7 relatives, was subjected to question and thematic analysis. Findings. The nature of the care provided and interpersonal aspects of caring emerged as key quality issues for patients. Good Quality Care was characterized as individualized, patient focused and related to need; it was provided humanistically, through the presence of a caring relationship by staff who demonstrated involvement, commitment and concern. Care described as ‘Not so Good’ was routine, unrelated to need and delivered in an impersonal manner, by distant staff who did not know or involve patients. Conclusions. Empirical evidence was found which support these findings, which are in opposition of the received view that patients place greater emphasis on the technical aspects of care tasks. The quality issues identified as important by patients and relatives in this study are not always evaluated in care audits. Those responsible for evaluating health care quality might consider combining traditional (professional/technical) audit criteria with those used by health care users to achieve a more comprehensive evaluation.

A synthesis technique for grounded theory data analysis

Abstract: A synthesis technique for grounded theory data analysis Aims. The purposes of this paper are to examine the issues surrounding current changes in grounded theory (GT) research methods and to explicate an innovative synthesis technique to GT data analysis. Background. In recent years there has been a steady rise in the number of published research reports that use the GT method. However, this growing body of GT literature has been criticized for its lack of adherence to the method as explicated by its originators, Glaser and Strauss. Methods. Recent and past literature that explicates, describes, and discusses GT methods is reviewed. A synthesis technique for grounded theory data analysis was developed to analyse qualitative data collected for a grounded theory study on caregiving. This synthesis technique was derived from the works of four grounded theorists (Kathy Charmaz, Mark Chesler, Juliet Corbin and Anselm Strauss). Results. The lack of clarity and the inconsistencies surrounding GT analysis, as reported in the literature, resulted in the development of a synthesis technique based on the works of the aforementioned-grounded theorists. The product was a synthesis approach that included analytical steps from each of these authors. Conclusions. This synthesis approach increased understanding and enhanced clarity of GT data analysis techniques. This paper illustrates how integration of works by noted qualitative scholars is an appropriate and effective means to advance the discourse on data analysis for GT research studies.

Purchasing's Role in Environmental Management: Cross-Functional Development of Grounded Theory

Abstract: SUMMARY Are government regulations a driver or barrier to environmental activities? Does greater functional involvement within a firm help to ensure the success of environmental projects? Do environmental projects improve or harm financial performance? This research finds that none of these questions can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead, this article distinguishes between successful and unsuccessful environmental projects, through an examination of not only their consequences but also their drivers and barriers and the functional interplay that occurs during their implementation. The findings result from an inductive study leading to theory grounded in the data but related to extant findings, and are based on case studies that tap the perspectives of purchasing managers and the managers in multiple, additional functional areas with whom they interact when initiating environmental projects.

Using grounded theory in nursing

Abstract: "This uniformly fine book extends and intensifies the dialogue about grounded theory and nursing.... well-designed, well-crafted, and accessible." --Sally A. Hutchinson, PhD, RN, FAAN ..".the torch has been passed to a new generation of grounded theorists.... The editors have assembled chapters by many of the best-known scholars in North America." --Sandra P. Thomas, PhD, RN, FAAN What is grounded theory? How is it done? When is it most appropriate to use? Grounded theory can be the research method of choice for nurses seeking to find out how people cope with existing or potential health challenges. This book offers broad coverage of method, background, philosophical roots, and new directions for grounded theory in nursing.

An encounter with grounded theory: tackling the practical and philosophical issues

Abstract: INTRODUCTION The purpose of this chapter is to explore the practical and philosophical issues of applying the grounded theory approach to qualitative research in Information Systems Over the past decade, we have seen a substantial increase in qualitative research in general (Klein, Nissen and Hirschheim, 1991; Walsham, 1995; Markus, 1997; Myers, 1997; Myers and Walsham, 1998; Klein and Myers, 1999; Walsham and Sahay, 1999; Trauth and Jessup, 2000; Schultze, 2000) and also an increase in the use of grounded theory (Toraskar, 1991, Orlikowski, 1993, Urquhart, 1997, 1998, 1999a, 1999b; Adams and Sasse, 1999, Baskerville and Pries-Heje, 1999, Trauth, 2000) Over the past three years, the most frequent request I have had from postgraduates is for some insight into the ‘how-to’ of coding and grounded theory Obviously these observations are not unconnected, as an increase in the use of qualitative methods in information systems results in a

Myth of empowerment in chronic illness

Abstract: Myth of empowerment in chronic illness Aims. This article presents several findings of a study, conducted between 1996 and 1998, to investigate self-care decision making in diabetes. Rationale. The underlying assumption of many practitioners is that an invitation to people with chronic illness to participate as equal partners is sufficient to guarantee their empowerment. Design. Using grounded theory, the research examined self-care decision making using a convenience sample of 22 Canadian adults with longstanding type 1 diabetes nominated as expert self-care managers. Participants audiotaped their decision making as it occurred for 3 weeks over the course of one calendar year. These audio-recordings were followed by an interview to clarify participants’ decision making and factors that affected their decisions. Findings. Participants identified several covert and subtle ways that practitioners contradict their stated goal of empowerment in their interactions with diabetics. Participants revealed that despite their intention to foster participatory decision making, practitioners frequently discount the experiential knowledge of diabetes over time and do not provide the resources necessary to make informed decisions. Conclusion. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for practice.

Grounded Theory: Methodology and Theory Construction

Abstract: Grounded theory is introduced as an inductive, comparative methodology that provides systematic guidelines for gathering, synthesizing, analyzing, and conceptualizing qualitative data for the purpose of theory construction. The founders of grounded theory, Barney G. Glaser and Anselm L. Strauss, offered the first explicit, codified statement of how to analyze qualitative data. The intellectual traditions of each of its founders are discussed. Strauss brought Chicago School pragmatism, symbolic interactionism, and field research to grounded theory and Glaser's training in survey research gave the method its systematic approach, positivist proclivities, and procedural language. Debates between Glaser and Strauss and Corbin are noted and the distinction between objectivist and constructivist grounded theory is introduced. Objectivist grounded theory assumes the reality of an external world, takes for granted a neutral observer, views categories as derived from data, and sees representation of data and subjects as non-problematic. Constructivist grounded theory places priority on the studied phenomenon over the methods of studying it, uses grounded theory strategies as tools, not as prescriptions, and acknowledges the researcher's role in interpreting data and creating categories. Techniques involved in three major grounded theory strategies are described: coding, memomaking, and theoretical sampling. Last, a statement of current emphases and future directions is provided.

The importance of symbolic interaction in grounded theory research on women's health.

Abstract: A variety of grounded theory studies are presented in this issue of Health Care for Women International that attend to different factors and situations impacting women's health. In this paper I will provide the basic principles of symbolic interactionism (SI) for the reader unfamiliar with the conceptual underpinnings of the grounded theory research method. I will discuss why SI is a fitting perspective for use in the study of women, women's perspectives, and women's health. I will conclude with a brief discussion of challenges to researchers maintaining the symbolic interaction perspective in grounded theory research.

The benefits of mutual support groups for parents of children with disabilities.

Abstract: This study examined what parents of children with disabilities and special needs found helpful about belonging to mutual support groups. Quantitative data (based on 56 parents from 6 groups) indicated that members found the groups very helpful and were very satisfied with the support they received from their groups; they also described the groups as high in cohesion, expressiveness, task orientation, and self-discovery. A grounded theory analysis of focus group data (based on 43 parents from 5 of the groups) indicated that such support was helpful in three broad domains: (1) the sociopolitical, which involved developing a sense of control and agency in the outside world; (2) the interpersonal, which involved a sense of belonging to a community; and (3) the intraindividual, which involved self change. A central theme of identity change emerged as superordinate to these three categories.

Are current research approaches in marketing leading us astray

Abstract: This article is about methodology in research in marketing. It questions the mainstream choice of approaches and suggests alternative directions with qualitative rather than quantitative inquiry in focus. It deals with my personal journey through Methodologyland; the establishment of a Hall of Fame of my favorite research approaches supplemented with a Chamber of Horror; and a brief commentary on some pivotal concepts in science. It concludes that the absence of the developmentof general marketing theory is partly due to the preoccupation with erroneouslychosen methodology and claims that scholarly research boils down to four basicstrategies: curiosity, courage, reflection, and dialogue; the rest is technical support.

Are you better? A qualitative study of the meaning of recovery

Abstract: Purpose Research into the meaning of illness has often focused on an individual's transition into a state of being ill, for example the adoption of a sick role The question “Are you better?” addresses the transition out of this state and is fundamental to the patient–clinician relationship, guiding decisions about treatment However, the question assumes that all patients have the same meaning for “being better” The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of the concept of recovery (getting better) in a group of people with upper limb musculoskeletal disorders Methods Qualitative (grounded theory) methods were used Individual interviews were conducted with 24 workers with work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb The audiotaped interviews were transcribed and coded for content Categories were linked, comparisons made, and a theory built about how people respond to the question “Are you better?” Results The perception of “being better” is highly contextualized in the experience of the individual Being better is not only reflected in changes in the state of the disorder (resolution) but could be an adjustment of life to work around the disorder (readjustment) or an adaptation to living with the disorder (redefinition) The experience of the disorder can be influenced by factors such as the perceived legitimacy of the disorder, the comparators used to define health and illness, and coping styles, which in turn can influence being better Conclusion Two patients could mean very different things when saying that they are better Some may not actually have a change in disease state as measured by symptoms, impairments, or function

A systemic framework for the field of information systems

Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to present a systemic framework of what the field of Information Systems (IS) is about; its connecting areas and its central theme. It was born out of a search for structure in providing a cohesive picture of the subject and field of IS for students and business managers. The average manager and executive has difficulty in obtaining an integrated and holistic view of information systems, and it is said that this leads to a lack of alignment between IS and the strategic aims of the enterprise. Students, particularly MBA students, have a similar problem. Using a large number of disparate data sources, including a delphic survey of leading academics, the paper adopted a grounded theory approach in developing an integrating framework of five main areas for the field: (1) IS development, acquisition & support (2) people & organization, (3) information & communications technology, (4) operations & network management, and (5) information for knowledge work, customer satisfaction & business performance. The latter area is proposed as the central, distinguishing theme for the field. The paper also discusses the implications of the framework and how it might be used in teaching, the organizational setting, and IS research.

Qualitative Methods for Marketplace Research

Abstract: PART ONE: APPROACHING QUALITATIVE METHODS Why Qualitative Research? Five Models of Qualitative Research Applications of Qualitative Methods for Marketing PART TWO: GETTING READY TO RESEARCH Issues and Concerns Designing a Study and Writing a Proposal PART THREE: CHOOSING A RESEARCH MODEL History, Living Biography and Self-Narrative Using the Case Method Phenomenology and Grounded Theory Using an Ethnographic Approach PART FOUR: DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS Observation and Fieldwork Ways of Knowing Field Interviews Ways of Knowing Structured Interviews Projective Techniques PART FIVE: TEXT ANALYSIS AND REPORTING Analyzing Visual and Material Text Analyzing Verbal Data Writing Field Stories and Narrative Reports

Communication about sexual problems and sexual concerns in ovarian cancer: qualitative study.

Abstract: The assumption that ovarian cancer and its treatment (hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and chemotherapy) have considerable psychosexual effects is reasonable. Studies in other gynaecological cancers show that sexual activity is affected and that communication about this topic is poor.1–4 These issues have been neglected in ovarian cancer, so this qualitative study explored its psychosexual impact and the level of communication between women and healthcare professionals about sexual issues. Participants, methods, and results Detailed interviews were conducted with 15 women with ovarian cancer (median age 56 (range 42-71) years, median time since diagnosis 18 (8-120) months) who were identified from a sampling survey as sexually active or as inactive for reasons related to the condition. Topics included pre-diagnostic and current sexual behaviour and response, satisfaction with sex life, and importance of sex. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using grounded theory methods,5 starting after the first interview. Each author read the transcript, noting themes and issues, and concepts pertaining to similar issues were grouped into categories. As more interviews were conducted, a thematic framework of the categories and their associated themes was produced, and this was systematically applied to each transcript, searching for evidence of the categories and themes. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the women and 43 clinicians and nurses in Leeds to determine their attitudes about, and experiences of, written or verbal communication about sex. Local research ethics committee approval was granted.

Counselling psychologists' perceptions of the impact of mandatory personal therapy on professional development--an exploratory study

Abstract: A qualitative study was carried out with recently qualified and trainee counselling psychologists to investigate their opinions as to the impact of mandatory personal therapy on their professional development. The methodology employed was grounded theory using data obtained from indvidual and group interviews. The results indicate that mandatory personal therapy can lead to perceived positive outcomes in terms of professional development including: a sense of the self as a professional through developing reflexivity as a result of being in the role of client; socialization into a professional role through validational and normative experiences such as the therapist modelling good and poor practice; support during times of personal difficulty; and, personal development that leads to a perceived improved ability for the participant to distinguish between personal issues and those of the client. An important effect for participants who did not have a previous substantial experience of personal therapy appear...

Negotiating lay and professional roles in the care of children with complex health care needs

Abstract: Negotiating lay and professional roles in the care of children with complex health care needs Background. Children with complex health care needs are now being cared for at home as a result of medical advances and government policies emphasizing community-based care. The parents of these children are involved in providing care of a highly technical and intensive nature that in the past would have been the domain of professionals (particularly nurses). Aims of the paper. To assess how the transfer of responsibility from professionals to parents was negotiated, the tensions and contradictions that can ensue, and the implications for professional nursing roles and relationships with parents. Design. Using a Grounded Theory methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 mothers, 10 fathers and 44 professionals to gain insight into the experience of caring for children and supporting families in the community. Findings. From the parents’ perspective, their initial assumption of responsibility for the care of their child was not subject to negotiation with professionals. Prior to discharge, parents’ feelings of obligations, their strong desire for their child to come home, and the absence of alternatives to parental care in the community, were the key motivating factors in their acceptance of responsibility for care-giving from professionals. The professionals participating in the study had concerns over whether this group of parents was given a choice in accepting responsibility and the degree of choice they could exercise in the face of professional power. However, it was following the initial discharge, as parents gained experience in caring for their child and in interacting with professionals, that role negotiation appeared to occur. Conclusion. This study supports other research that has found that professionals’ expectations of parental involvement in the care of sick children role can act as a barrier to negotiation of roles. In this study, parental choice was also constrained initially by parents’ feelings of obligation and by the lack of community services. Nurses are ideally placed to play the central role not only in ensuring that role negotiation and discussion actually occurs in practice, but also by asserting the need for appropriate community support services for families. Being on home territory, and in possession of expertise in care-giving and in managing encounters with professionals, provided parents with a sense of control with which to enter negotiations with professionals. It is important that changes in the balance of power does not lead to the development of parent–professional relationships that are characterized by conflict rather than partnership.

Parents of Children with Autism using an Email Group: A Grounded Theory Study:

Abstract: Parents of children with autism have difficulties obtaining adequate information and support to guide them in the care of their children. However, the growth of communication technologies such as email has created greater opportunities for accessing such resources. This article presents a grounded theory analysis of the messages sent to an email group by parents of children with autism. The core category emerging from the analysis indicates that the group functioned in making sense of autism. The core category comprises four categories: searching for meaning; adjusting to changes; providing support and encouragement; and narrative sharing of experiences. Although email groups function as a social support mechanism, we suggest that this is not the only legitimate function: such groups may contribute towards the development of parental representations of autism.

A qualitative study of six medical students in a problem-based curriculum: Toward a situated model of self-regulation

Abstract: The authors followed 6 first-year medical students through their first semester in a problem-based learning curriculum to understand how they self-regulated their learning. The study, using a situated research strategy, resulted in a grounded theory built around the central phenomenon of stance. In short, learners illustrated different types of stances-proactive, reactive, retroactive, interactive, and transactive-that served to govern their perceptions of themselves and the environment, their selection of goals, and their adoption of learning strategies. Furthermore, recursive patterns of stances were longitudinally described as either evolving or shifting. Findings indicated that more successful students demonstrate an evolving, interactive-transactive stance that affected the ways they participated in the learning environment and the professional identities they were beginning to develop.

Taking Risks, Negotiating Relationships: One Teacher's Transition toward a Dialogic Classroom.

Abstract: Building on previous work that showed the importance of discussion for teaching literature and that discussion in low-achieving high school English classes is particularly infrequent (Nystrand, 1997), this study investigated a low-achieving class that featured regular discussions to gain insights into how dialogically organized instruction emerged within the context of a traditional recitation instructional setting, further complicated by poverty and linguistic diversity. Using a combination of grounded theory (Strauss, 1987) and conversation analysis, for 18 weeks the researchers observed a ninth-grade English class in a Midwestern inner-city high school, the majority of whose students were Hispanic. Though the profile of classroom discourse was typical of that found in most American high schools using a dominant IRE (Initiation--Response--Evaluation) pattern, the teacher sought to open up her classroom; she characterized herself as a teacher in transition. To investigate the dimensions of this transition, the researchers conducted 51 observations during the spring semester, observing 14 discussions, or instructional conversations (Tharp and Gallimore, 1988). The study documents three key strategies that the teacher used in her efforts to make such discussions possible: developing an ethos of involvement and respect, using scaffolding and specific ways of phrasing questions to encourage (and discourage) discussion, and, most importantly, acknowledging and making space for the presence of students' interpersonal relationships. This study shows that dialogic discourse can happen when teachers are adept at linking--and enabling links between--academic objectives and student concerns that often originate beyond both the classroom and the school. (Contains 46 references, a figure, and 3 notes. Appendixes contain Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. definitions of key variables, details of discussions analyzed, and transcription conventions.) (Author/RS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. CELA RESEARCH REPORT TAKING RISKS, NEGOTIATING RELATIONSHIPS: ONE TEACHER'S TRANSITION TOWARDS A DIALOGIC CLASSROOM JULIE NELSON CHRISTOPH MARTIN NYSTRAND CELA RESEARCH REPORT NUMBER 14003 NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER ON ENGLISH LEARNING &ACHIEVEMENT THE UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY