‘Qualitative Research: A Field Manual For Ministry Students’ Published by Atla Open Press

The editorial board of Books@Atla Open Press is excited to announce the open access publication of Qualitative Research: A Field Manual for Ministry Students, by Timothy D. Lincoln. He is Research Professor in Theological Education and Library Director at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Ministry students are often asked to engage in research about religious experience in master’s and doctor of ministry (DMin) programs. This book teaches students about the specific steps of a qualitative research project. The book relates qualitative research to the field of practical theology and helpfully contrasts qualitative and quantitative research methods. One chapter is devoted to the distinctive expectations of final doctoral projects, a key component of DMin education.

The author notes in the introduction, “According to an old joke, you get to Carnegie Hall by practice; you become a qualitative researcher the same way.” Written in a conversational tone for North American seminary students, Qualitative Research contains many practice exercises and a large databank of research material gleaned from the author’s own studies. In the exercises, students engage their own identities and are asked to imagine the social realities of others. While the book addresses theological and philosophical issues posed by social science methods, the primary focus is practical: what decisions does the researcher need to make to shape a study? How does the researcher decide on data gathering techniques? How can a researcher recruit study participants? How does a researcher analyze data? What are the ethical obligations that constrain a researcher? How does the researcher defend the rigor of a study?

The book is suitable as a textbook in seminary research methods classes and as a resource for seminary faculty whose training did not include social science techniques but who are called upon to work with DMin students. Theological librarians will appreciate the discussion (chapter three) of the importance of a literature review in qualitative studies and specific steps that students should take as they seek high-quality information pertinent to their work.

This book should be required reading for all ministry students, not just those about to conduct qualitative research, as well as their advisers.

Jane Elder, Head of Reference, Research, and the Bridwell Theological Writing Center at Southern Methodist University’s Bridwell Library shares: “What Lincoln has accomplished specifically is to take the art and science of research out of the realm of the theoretical and address the mundane, but the oh-so-critical question asked by students everywhere: ‘How in the world do I do this?’… This book should be required reading for all ministry students, not just those about to conduct qualitative research, as well as their advisers. Further, it should be part of the collections of every theological and religious studies library in the land.”

Qualitative Research: A Field Manual for Ministry Students is available as an open access EPUB and PDF under a CC-BY-NC license and as a Print on Demand volume through Amazon.