A fundamental principle is the notion of scaffolding readers' knowledge and understanding of qualitative research. Readers are supported to interact with the commentary in each chapter through a series of ongoing interactive tasks and reflections that enable them progressively to apply the concepts in their own research studies. The illustrations of qualitative studies in each chapter, many of them carried out by novice qualitative researchers themselves, are drawn widely from international contexts

Responding to two fundamental questions asked by new researchers ?What is qualitative research? How should I carry out a qualitative research study?? this is the text for applied linguistics/TESOL courses that introduce the key ideas and initiate students into these processes.