Reworking qualitative data

Reworking Qualitative Data is, to say the very least, an interesting and relatively novel text. For many nurse researchers (including me), this will be unfamiliar territory and a refreshing addition to the staple diet of research methodology books currently available. As the title suggests, the book explores the possibility and principles of undertaking secondary analysis of qualitative data sets. As the author acknowledges, secondary analysis of pre-existing statistical data sets has been commonplace for over the past 30 years, whereas the secondary analysis of qualitative data sets is still very much in its infancy. Given the novelty of this approach this book serves as a useful introduction for anyone considering the use of qualitative secondary analysis. It is packed with thought-provoking and interesting ideas and attempts to cover all the bases in terms of defining the methodology, discussing the types of qualitative secondary analysis, as well as attempting to grapple with the thorny epistemological and ethical and legal issues. The author even offers modi operandi for those wishing to undertake secondary analysis of a pre-existing data set.