Essentials of Ideal-Type Analysis: A Qualitative Approach to Constructing Typologies

The brief, practical texts in the Essentials of Qualitative Methods series introduce social science and psychology researchers to key approaches to capturing phenomena not easily measured quantitatively, offering exciting, nimble opportunities to gather in-depth qualitative data.

This volume is ideal for qualitative researchers who want to explore individual cases in depth but also build an understanding of patterns across multiple cases. The authors introduce readers to ideal-type analysis, a method for forming typologies from qualitative data. They present the background to this approach, the steps required to conduct an ideal-type analysis, and guidance on writing up a study using this method. Filled with practical examples and tips, the book serves as an ideal introduction to a qualitative method that is not yet widely known.

About the Essentials of Qualitative Methods book series: Even for experienced researchers, selecting and correctly applying the right method can be challenging. In this groundbreaking series, leading experts in qualitative methods provide clear, crisp, and comprehensive descriptions of their approach, including its methodological integrity, and its benefits and limitations. Each book includes numerous examples to enable readers to quickly and thoroughly grasp how to leverage these valuable methods.