Description:
Naturalistic Inquiry provides social scientists with a basic but comprehensive rationale for non-positivistic approaches to research. It confronts the basic premise underlying the scientific tradition that all questions can be answered by employing empirical, testable, replicable research techniques. The authors maintain that there are scientific facts that existing paradigms cannot explain, and argue against traditional positivistic inquiry. They suggest an alternative approach supporting the use of the naturalistic paradigm.
Brief description: Yvonna S. Lincoln is Professor of Higher Education and Educational Administration at Texas A & M University. She is author, coauthor, or editor of such books as Naturalistic Inquiry and Fourth Generation Evaluation (both with Egon G. Guba), and Organizational Theory and Inquiry. Vice President of Division J (Postsecondary Education) of the American Educational Research Association, Dr. Lincoln formerly served as president of the American Evaluation Association and is the recipient of many prestigious awards. Dr. Lincoln coedited, with Dr. Denzin, the Handbook of Qualitative Research.
Review Quotes: "An interesting, well written, fascinating critique of positivism. I wish this would be sufficient to put the nails in the coffin of positivism once and for all."--Ian I. Mitroff