Coverage and Treatment of Qualitative Inquiry in General Research Methods Textbooks

In contrast to an often-repeated and reductive story about the establishment of psychological research practices, the narrative of the field's methodological development is unfolding, contentious, and situated within a wide range of historical developments. Such dynamism is evident in the recent ascension of qualitative inquiry. A new generation of researchers, scholars, and instructors are embracing methodological pluralism and qualitative inquiry, but their expectations may be incompatible with existing curricular materials that are rooted in the historical legacy of the standard storyline. To assess the extent to which (and how) qualitative research was presented to readers, we conducted a summative content analysis of nine best-selling U.S.-based introductory research methods in psychology textbooks. We found that the coverage and treatment of qualitative research is varied, spotty, dependent on a problematic and pejorative framing, and incommensurate with contemporary methodological thinking and learning standards. The perpetuation of misleading and/or incoherent epistemic narratives and the minimal and/or absent presentation of qualitative inquiry are significant obstacles for the next generation of research methods instructors. The dearth of sufficiently inclusive methodological training materials poses a challenge for new teachers who recognize the need for a more sophisticated approach to science education-specifically within the field of psychology.