United States of America

Abstract

As we stand poised to enter the next millennium there is perhaps no better opportunity to reflect on the beliefs, values and techniques that are shared and debated by qualitative researchers throughout the United States. This paper explores some of the challenges facing those who pursue qualitative inquiry in the course of completing a graduate research degree: how we learn about research methodology and how we think about, use, and support the use of computer software research tools. The paper explores some of the assumptions inherent in the language of inquiry and discusses critical issues that qualitative researchers struggle with and continue to debate. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs000136