1. How would you design a study of the causal influence of police crackdowns on driving behaviour that overcame the threats to internal validity listed in Box 30.2 and the threat to external validity mentioned later in the chapter?

2. Seek out and read two studies that represent different 'moments' in the history of qualitative research. For example, choose a study that involves grounded theorising and another where the author situates him- or herself within postmodernism. How do the studies differ in their conception of what makes a good research study? How might each author apply these criteria to the other's work?

3. Choose a research study in an area of work where you have some knowledge of existing literature and assess it in the light of the following questions:

(a) How consistent are the findings with what is already known?

(b) What evidence is supplied to support the credibility of the conclusions and how persuasive is this?

(c) What relevance might the study have for political or practical affairs?

5. This exercise requires you to work with others on some qualitative data, such as some interview transcripts.

• Without discussing your ideas with others in your group, read one part of the data transcript (for example, a single interview) and draw up a list of key themes you perceive in the data.
• Compare the themes you have identified with those of others in your group. What are the similarities and differences?
• Take four or five themes from those identified by members of the group and, working individually again, apply them to some new data (for example, a second interview) by marking parts of the transcript which you believe exemplify each theme.
• Compare what you have done with others in the group. What difficulties are there in consistently applying the themes? Does inconsistency matter?