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Book Review: Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of Qualitative Research:
Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory (3rd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Article  in  Organizational Research Methods · July 2009

DOI: 10.1177/1094428108324514

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Book Review Organizational
Research Methods
Volume 12 Number 3
July 2009 614-617
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of Qualitative Research: © 2009 SAGE Publications
10.1177/1094428108324514
Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory (3rd ed.). http://orm.sagepub.com
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. hosted at
http://online.sagepub.com

The book Basics of Qualitative Research is a nice easy read, although in totality, it is
more suited for an introductory text than a reader. The first seven chapters (158 of 327
pages) are a concise and relevant refresher for those of us who practice qualitative
research or for any interested novice. Corbin and Strauss suggest a researcher has to have
‘‘clarity of purpose,’’ and their book is clear and true to its purpose as summarized within
its title and subtitle. In addition to stressing development of grounded theory from qualita-
tive data, a useful by-product is a demonstration of how qualitative research can lead to
the generation of questions and concepts for further research.
Basics of Qualitative Research is foremost a text about techniques and procedures
for developing grounded theory through ‘‘listening to data.’’ It can be separated into four
distinct sections. The first section refresher presents techniques of data collection and
analysis using participant observations, interviews, and a broad range of published materi-
als. Concepts are well presented instructionally via examples. Some traditional methods
such as ethnography, case studies, and clinical research are not specifically covered. The
key focus of this review will be this section as it describes ‘‘doing’’ qualitative research.
‘‘Remember, the primary purpose of doing qualitative research is discovery, not hypoth-
esis testing’’ (p. 317), ‘‘not trying to control variables, but to discover them’’ (p. 318).
Section 2 (chapters 8-11) demonstrates, via an ongoing example, how data can be
‘‘read’’ toward discovery of categories that lead to core concepts derived from the ‘‘art
and science of doing’’ qualitative research. In the tradition of discovery learning, Basics
of Qualitative Research is light on how-tos, but the hands-on examples more than fill
missing instructional roles. This section could be seen by some readers as more an attempt
for Corbin to face her own ‘‘issues’’ with the Vietnam War rather than an example of
qualitative research. I did not see it that way after completing the text. Corbin through
her Vietnam War example demonstrates that researchers can separate themselves from
preconceived ideas about topics and remain open even though they do not come into any
analysis empty-headed. Corbin’s comment that ‘‘I was not a passive recipient of the data’’
(p. 270) applies to all researchers.
The progression of Corbin’s Vietnam War example demonstrates three research con-
cepts. First, researchers must admit that they are not passive observers no matter how hard
they try to be. Second, closely viewing data of socially complex issues brings realization
that ignorance builds confidence that only knowledge can erase. Last, ‘‘One should
include as many different perspectives on the issue or topic as feasible’’ (p. 273).
My opinion that Corbin changed her view and was using the Vietnam War example as
a self-adjustment is backed up by her statements throughout the Vietnam example. Corbin
expresses many times that we must look at the Vietnam data differently realizing that
soldiers, politicians, and the informed and uninformed public will have differing views on
many issues. This is widely understood and indicated to me that Corbin stressed this for
herself as well as her readers. She stressed that when viewed in the afterlight of more

614
 Service / Book Review 615

knowledge and multiple perspectives, we can and should change our minds. Corbin’s own
words will close this useful aside:

Some readers might be disturbed by the topic chosen (p. 161) . . . . It is difficult to judge beha-
vior in war from the standpoint of an outsider (p. 177) . . . . Having a military and having a
war are two different things (p. 205) . . . . Here is something that I’ve begun to feel . . . ‘‘under
conditions of war’’ [one must] ‘‘reconcile differing realities’’ (p. 179) . . . . It is interesting
how much I’ve changed since beginning this research project (p. 230) . . . . The changes in
myself[?] . . . I know that I’ll never look at a Veteran of any war in quite the same way.
(p. 231)

The book’s third section (embedded in most chapters) relates to the use of computer
programs in qualitative research. It simply states computers can help in sorting, matching,
recording, and so on, but not in idea development.
Finally, section 4 includes a relatively extensive group of exercises at the end of each
chapter: chapter 13—writing theses, monographs, and giving presentation; chapter 14—
quality and criteria for evaluating qualitative research; and chapter 15—common student
questions about qualitative research with Corbin’s answers. These elements would be use-
ful in teaching a qualitative research course. I found a few of the questions of value for
my MBA strategy class. As a final note, Corbin says, Basics of Qualitative Research was
written after Strauss was deceased, and because of this it contains clearly delineated ‘‘I’’
(Corbin) and ‘‘we’’ (Corbin and Strauss) components: This review reflects that.
The research world of business school disciplines (my field)—in fact, all social sciences
research—is indeed a world of global multiply confusing interactive social phenomena
where varied perceptions, complexities, and ambiguities abound. All researchers experi-
ence this multifaceted murky complexity as we dissect the human actions and interfaces
necessary to comprehend the abstraction of order underlying theory and good research
questions. Basics of Qualitative Research does a nice job of simplifying the baffling nat-
ure and responses of humans to advance ‘‘quality discovery’’ research. Yet, ‘‘What is
important is that research findings don’t oversimplify phenomena, but rather capture some
of the complexity of life . . . conditions/consequences do not exist in a vacuum’’ (p. 91).
Uses of interviews (structured and unstructured—in-person and via e-mail), secondary
reports, and nontechnical and technical reports are all well described in this text. Key is
being able to look at the data no matter their source with a critical and unbiased objective
eye to report the results properly. Fortunately, and refreshingly, Corbin and Strauss realize
that objectivity is a myth and consequently stress sensitivity to the data and acknowled-
ging one’s biases. They stress that only by admitting biases are we likely to properly
account for them in the interpretation of the validity of our perceptions. ‘‘All of the past is
in the present[,] . . . and all the future arises out of the present’’ (p. 87). Corbin says to
remember to stay open for early analysis is about generating initial conceptualizations that
can evolve into core concepts that can lead to theory. ‘‘[It is a] circular process’’ (p. 145).
Moreover, as the authors note, in reading, writing, and presenting findings and notes about
one’s research, views are added, shaped, reshaped, deleted, and changed.
Corbin and Strauss say at some point we must take data and do something with them:
analyze them. Here one begins to examine the data to find out what they are, how they work,
and what they represent. The analysis stressed and demonstrated in Basics of Qualitative
616 Organizational Research Methods

Research is a very dynamic process where one gathers, reviews, thinks, clarifies, recollects,
rereviews, and uses creative procedures to solve analytical problems and address unusual
cases in a way that can be categorized into useful conceptual statements. The richness of
qualitative data makes it nearly impossible to develop only one story that leads to one the-
ory. Corbin and Strauss discuss quality, rigor, validity, credibility, originality, resonance,
truth, believability, and usefulness of qualitative research. They ultimately simplify these
elusive concepts well when they call for research that fits and is useful, plausible, creditable,
and believable. Basics of Qualitative Research’s total criteria for perceptual concepts are fit,
applicability, concepts, contextualization of concepts, logic, depth, variation, creativity, sen-
sitivity, evidence of documentation via memos, sample considerations, category emergence,
indicators of categories, how theoretical formulation guides data collection, statements that
ground formulations, evidence that negative cases were considered, how core categories
were selected, systematic relatedness of concepts, variation built into the theory, explanation
of variations, consideration for process—researchers and in the subject of study, significance
of findings, and finding the subject of further discussion and possibly research. As one can
see, it would take a lengthy article to fully delve into each of these 22 criteria. Suffice it to
say these are elements that must be considered to judge research as good. As the authors
say, criteria are meant as guidelines, and categorization must not override understanding.
The Basics of Qualitative Research running example shows how one can look at a
situation without guiding research questions from differing views and evolve to core con-
ceptions. The authors demonstrate this journey of qualitative discovery research. In their
example, the views of those going to war, those at war (combatants and noncombatants),
those coming home from war, and those who have returned lead to discovery of the initial
concept of culture of war. In the end, the analysis results in a core concept of reconciling
different realities. Corbin’s ‘‘Integrative Diagram—Survival’’ shows the reconciling
necessary to deal with the multiple realities of a civilian culture, a culture of war, and the
need to heal and return to a civilian culture while carrying the burden of ‘‘the ghosts of
war.’’ The development of this core concept of reconciling different realities is powerful
and illustrates well what one could develop from a structured, purposeful and innovative
‘‘dialogue with data’’ in any area of interest.
As Corbin and Strauss suggest, it is often a good idea to put concepts in the words of
the actual participants in the studied events and/or accounts: ‘‘in-vivo code, indicating that
the term came out of the data’’ (p. 82). With that in mind, we see Corbin saying:

[Basics of Qualitative Research] is not a recipe for doing qualitative research and I would be
offended if it is viewed as such (p. ix) . . . . This is a basic book about analysis. It’s an attempt
to take an extremely complicated process and make it understandable to beginning qualita-
tive researchers . . . . I would not say that this new edition is as much oriented toward forma-
lizing method as it is teaching persons how to think more self-consciously and systematically
about data . . . [for] research and qualitative researchers today, ‘‘Clearly simplistic classifica-
tions do not work (p. 9) . . . . I wanted to give readers something more than just a book about
procedures, I wanted to let readers inside . . . insights into my analytic journey. (p. 230)

Basics of Qualitative Research’s quiet strengths lie in its simplification of complexity

and its demonstration of methodological analysis that shows the spurting starts and stops
 Service / Book Review 617

of analysis coupled with researcher biases do not have to result in sloppy work. Corbin
and Strauss stress that innovative creative elegant emotional thinking can be balanced
with evidence-based logical theoretical precepts. The literature reviewed related to the
quality requirement of research is outstanding and helps one construct the full meaning of
quality research. A final strength is that Basics of Qualitative Research demonstrates how
the method applies broadly within the social sciences. The book’s weaknesses are the
other side of the coin of its strengths: too simple and too much on quality.
In summary, using Corbin’s words: ‘‘Readers are advised not to worry needlessly about
every little facet of analysis. Sometimes a researcher has to use common sense and not get
caught up worrying about what is the right or the wrong way’’ (p. 327). This reviewer
would like to add that those reading this review should not use Basics of Qualitative
Research or this review to compare and contrast to other research methods for I, like
Corbin, ‘‘must admit that I am not an expert in other methods’’ (p. 326). Remember, ‘‘The
importance of ‘remaining open’ is essential even for experienced researchers working on
their own program or research’’ (p. 40). I close by saying common sense is so uncommon,
and no researchers are totally empty-headed and open. Each of us must simply realize our
own preferences and views and try to overcome them to become and remain innovative in
doing quality qualitative research. I and Corbin and Strauss all agree that hearing what the
data say must be separated from hearing what we wish them to say.

Robert W. Service
Samford University

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