This outstanding new textbook provides a comprehensive overview of qualitative approaches to educational research. The text draws upon a broad range of real-life examples to describe and illustrate the methods through which educational data may be analyzed. Through a detailed yet concise explanation, the reader is then shown how these methods work and how their outcomes may be interpreted. Key features of this title include: - Links theory and practice by locating forms of analysis within a clear theoretical perspective. - Locates qualitative research in the social and cultural context in which it originates. - Contains a variety of `real-life' examples and case studies. - Each chapter concludes with a set of exercises and questions for further discussion. Qualitative Research in Education presents a thorough explanation of the complexities of educational research and demonstrates the importance of placing this knowledge within cultural, linguistic and sociological contexts. It is an extremely informative text, which constitutes essential reading for those engaged in the research and analysis of educational data.