Best Selling Books by Patricia Leavy

This user-friendly book provides a step-by-step guide to using the five major approaches to research design: quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts-based, and community-based participatory research. Chapters on each approach follow a unique format--they present a template for a research proposal and explain in detail how to conceptualize and fill in every section. Terminology commonly used within each approach is identified, and key moments of ethical decision making are flagged. Interdisciplinary research examples draw on current events and social justice topics. Unique coverage includes hot topics: replication studies and data sharing, tailoring proposals to different audiences, and more. The book also includes a general introduction to social research; an in-depth, practical discussion of ethics; and a chapter on how to begin a research study, from planning a topic to developing a research question via a literature review. Pedagogical Features *Multiple "Review Stops" in each chapter--quick quizzes with answer keys. *End-of-chapter writing exercises, research activities, and suggested resources. *Bold-face key terms and an end-of-book glossary. *Boxed tips from experts in the respective approaches. *Supplemental PowerPoint slides for instructors using the book in a class.

Professor Peyton Wilde has an enviable life teaching sociology at an idyllic liberal arts college--yet she is troubled by a sense of fading inspiration. One day an invitation arrives. Peyton has been selected to attend a luxurious all-expense-paid seminar in Iceland, where participants, billed as some of the greatest thinkers in the world, will be charged with answering one perplexing question. Meeting her diverse teammates--two neuroscientists, a philosopher, a dance teacher, a collage artist, and a farmer--Peyton wonders what she could ever have to contribute. The ensuing journey of discovery will transform the characters' work, their biases, and themselves. This suspenseful novel shows that the answers you seek can be found in the most unlikely places. It can be read for pleasure, is a great choice for book clubs, and can be used as unique and inspiring reading in qualitative research and other courses in education, sociology, social work, psychology, and communication.

The turn to fiction as a social research practice is a natural extension of what many researchers and writers have long been doing. Patricia Leavy, a widely published qualitative researcher and a novelist, explores the overlaps and intersections between these two ways of understanding and describing human experience. She demonstrates the validity of literary experimentation to the qualitative researcher and how to incorporate these practices into research projects. Five short stories and excerpts from novellas and novels show these methods in action. This book is an essential methodological introduction for those interested in studying or practicing arts-based research.

Shooting Stars is a novel about walking through our past traumas, moving from darkness to light, and the ways in which love – from lovers, friends, or the art we experience – heals us.

This is a novel about appearance versus reality – how our lives and relationships appear to others versus how they are experienced, and the complex ways that social class shapes identity, relationships, and the codes of friendship. American Circumstance also provides a window into the replication of wealth, power, and privilege. The novel can be used as supplemental reading in courses across the disciplines that deal with gender, social class, inequality, power, family systems, relational communication, intimate relationships, identity, American culture, narrative or creative writing. It can also be read in book clubs or entirely for pleasure. “American Circumstance is wonderful! The characters and story invite you into a world that is both familiar and unfamiliar. Highly recommended!!” – Carl Leggo, Ph.D., University of British Columbia “American Circumstance kept me up! I wanted to see how the characters’ lives untangled. I loved how Leavy challenged my cultural assumptions. Students will have a lot to talk about as they discover the 'sociology of everyday life' embedded in the fiction.” – Laurel Richardson, Ph.D., The Ohio State University “The characters were so compelling that I couldn’t stop reading ... a great beach read, or class text.” – U. Melissa Anyiwo, Ph.D., Curry College “Leavy writes in an engaging way that helps you ask important questions about class issues in America. This story keeps you interested and wondering why women make the choices they do.” – Margaret A. Robbins, The Journal of Language & Literacy Education “American Circumstance is one of my favorite texts to assign to my sociology students.” – Cheryl Llewellyn, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Lowell Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is an award-winning independent sociologist and best-selling author.

"This book presents the first comprehensive introduction to arts-based research (ABR) practices, which scholars in multiple disciplines are fruitfully using to reveal information and represent experiences that traditional methods cannot capture. Each of the six major ABR genres/m-/narrative inquiry, poetry, music, performance, dance, and visual art/m-/is covered in chapters that introduce key concepts and tools and present an exemplary research article by a leading ABR practitioner. Patricia Leavy discusses the kinds of research questions these innovative approaches can address and offers practical guidance for applying them in all phases of a research project, from design and data collection to analysis, interpretation, representation, and evaluation. Chapters include checklists to guide methodological decision making, discussion questions, and recommended print and online resources"--

Twinkle is a novel about the nature of doubt, the struggle to feel worthy of love, the relationship of the small part to the greater whole, and the ways in which love can help us move from trauma to healing.

Constellations follows Tess Lee and Jack Miller after three years of marriage as they navigate the meaning of love and family over a series of holidays. Tess is a wildly successful and world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore our innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack is a former federal agent. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. Both healing from past trauma, together they have finally built the life they wish to live. What will happen to their blissful union when Jack’s childhood family resurfaces? When Tess and Jack visit the Millers for Christmas, how will insecurity, a sense of missed opportunities, and the need for redemption test their relationship? When a terrible accident threatens everything in an instant, will they learn the true meaning of unconditional love? Their loved ones are along for the ride: Omar, Tess’s sarcastic best friend who calls her Butterfly; the female president of the United States, with whom Tess talks politics and bakes cookies; Joe, Jack’s friend from the Bureau who understands the sacrifices he’s made; Bobby and Gina, their younger friends who never fail to lighten the mood; and the Miller family. Constellations is a novel about family – those into which we’re born and those we create – the human desire to belong and feel connected, the true nature of intimacy, and the power of love to heal and redeem. Written as unfolding action, Constellations is a poignant novel that moves fluidly between melancholy, humor, and joy. It can be read entirely for pleasure, selected for book clubs, or used as supplemental reading in a variety of courses in communication, psychology, social work, sociology, or women’s studies/gender studies.

Low-Fat Love unfolds over three seasons as Prilly Greene and Janice Goldwyn, adversarial editors at a New York press, experience personal change relating to the men, and absence of women, in their lives. Ultimately, each woman is pushed to confront her own image of herself, exploring her insecurities, the stagnation in her life, and her reasons for having settled for low-fat love. Along with Prilly and Janice, the cast of characters’ stories are interwoven throughout the book. Low-Fat Love is underscored with a commentary about female identity-building and self-acceptance and how, too often, women become trapped in limited visions of themselves. Women’s media is used as a signpost throughout the book in order to make visible the context in which women come to think of themselves as well as the men and women in their lives. In this respect, Low-Fat Love offers a critical commentary about popular culture and the social construction of femininity. Grounded in a decade of interview research with young women and written in a fun, chick-lit voice, the novel can be read for pleasure or used as supplemental reading in a variety of courses in women’s/gender studies, sociology, psychology, popular culture, media studies, communication, qualitative research, and arts-based research. “Sometimes, when I read an especially wonderful book I say to myself, “I wish I had written that!” And that is how I feel about Low-Fat Love. To write a page-turner of a book that teaches about contemporary gender relationships is a major feat. Patricia Leavy has done that with Low-Fat Love. Brilliant!” Laurel Richardson, Ph.D., The Ohio State University “Patricia Leavy writes with passion, verve and skill. I will use this in my relational communication and women’s studies classes because it is beautiful, relatable, and offers smart critique of how pop-culture’s expectations for intimate relationships often lets us down. Leavy offers readers a way to think through their close relationships and demand better of themselves and others.” Sandra L. Faulkner, Ph.D., Bowling Green State University “I couldn’t put it down! Low-Fat Love is a remarkable novel that every women’s studies class and interpersonal class would do well to read. The title is indicative of the search for meaningful, deep, enriching relationships beyond the artificial, low-fat love that is all too pervasive in society today. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.” Robin Patric Clair, Ph.D., Purdue University “Low-Fat Love is absolutely brilliant. This new edition is a must-read for anyone who has lived, loved, dreamed, and at times, settled for less than what we deserve – in other words, this is a book for everyone.” Anne Harris, Ph.D., Monash University and Australian Research Fellow in Creativity and Arts in Education Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is an internationally known independent scholar and novelist. She has published eighteen books including Method Meets Art: Arts-Based Research Practice and Fiction as a Research Practice. She was named the 2010 New England Sociologist of the Year by the New England Sociological Association and received the prestigious 2014 Special Achievement Award from the American Creativity Association. www.patricialeavy.com

Ideal for courses in multiple disciplines, the third edition of this award-winning text has been revised and updated with new topics, examples, and guiding questions to introduce each chapter’s sections. Patricia Leavy presents a practical guide to the full range of arts-based research (ABR) genres--narrative inquiry, fiction-based research, poetry, music, dance, theatre, film, and visual art. Each genre-specific chapter is paired with an exemplary research article or online video link (at the companion website). Following a consistent format, chapters review how the technique was developed, explore its methodological variations and the kind of research questions it can address, and describe diverse sample studies. Checklists and practical advice help readers harness the power of these innovative techniques for their own studies or dissertations. New to This Edition *Covers additional ABR practices: concrete research poetry, musically enhanced narrative inquiry, community music projects, musical spoken word, scored transcripts, comics/graphic novels, wordless narrative research, and installation art. *Discussions of research design, collaborative ABR, and ways to overcome common ABR challenges, plus tips for getting started. *Numerous new research examples, including three new end-of-chapter exemplars. *Increased attention to the impact of research, with a heightened focus on ethics, public scholarship, and issues of audience. Pedagogical Features *Checklists of issues to consider when deciding how to use a particular method. *Discussion questions and activities for in-class use or assignment. *Annotated lists of suggested readings and websites, including links to online performance pieces. *Compelling research examples from multiple disciplines. *Chapters follow a consistent format and can be read independently or in sequence; new guiding questions introduce sections within chapters. Winner—2021 USA Best Book Awards, Art category

From Patricia Leavy, a leader in arts-based research, this is the first comprehensive guide to what social fiction is and how to write it. In an engaging, personal tone, Leavy explores the unique contribution that creative writing--such as novels, series, and short stories--can make to addressing qualitative research questions. In-depth discussions of narrative models (such as the three-act structure) and elements (such as plot, metaphor, dialogue) are accompanied by excerpts from Leavy's published fiction, reflections on the writing process, and technical suggestions. The book offers evaluation criteria for social fiction as well as practical publishing advice. Instructive features include "tip bubbles" with additional writing hints, end-of-chapter "Skill Building" and "Rethink Your Research" exercises, and an appendix with suggested readings.

A roadmap to guide individuals on the ever-changing path of public scholarship The academic landscape is shifting greatly in the 21st century, and modern researchers must be able to navigate this sphere. With increased communication via the Internet and social media, researchers have developed new ways of conducting and representing research. Popularizing Scholarly Research: The Academic Landscape, Representation, and Professional Identity in the 21st Century explains how research has turned from disciplinary to transdisciplinary, the new structures research may take, as well as what a scholar's professional life may look like. An impressive list of contributors cover transdisciplinary research, public intellectuals, audience and voice, creative nonfiction, writing collaboratively, visual images, writing for broad audiences, academic blogs, publicity, funding, and public policy. Additionally, Patricia Leavy includes supplemental resources to augment the information presented by contributors. Taking influence from Oxford Handbook of Methods for Public Scholarship, this book is required for anyone who wants to understand and keep up with modern research practices and build a career in this shifting arena.

Blue follows three roommates as they navigate life and love in their post-college years. Tash Daniels, the former party girl, falls for deejay Aidan. Always attracted to the wrong guy, what happens when the right one comes along? Jason Woo, a lighthearted model on the rise, uses the club scene as his personal playground. While he’s adept at helping Tash with her personal life, how does he deal with his own when he meets a man that defies his expectations? Penelope, a reserved and earnest graduate student slips under the radar, but she has a secret no one suspects. As the characters’ stories unfold, each is forced to confront their life choices or complacency and choose which version of themselves they want to be. Blue is a novel about identity, friendship, figuring out who we are during the “in-between” phases of life, and the search for people who “get us.” The characters in Blue show how our interactions with people often bump up against backstage struggles we know nothing of. Visual art, television and film, appear as signposts throughout the narrative, providing a context for how we each come to build our sense of self in the world. With a tribute to 1980s pop culture, set against the backdrop of contemporary New York, Blue both celebrates and questions the ever-changing cultural landscape against which we live our stories, frame by frame. Although fictional, Blue is grounded in interview research, teaching and personal observations. It can be read entirely for pleasure or used as supplemental reading in a variety of courses in women’s/gender studies, sociology, psychology, communication, popular culture, media studies, qualitative inquiry, narrative inquiry or arts-based research. The protagonist, Tash Daniels, originally appeared in the best-selling novel Low-Fat Love (Blue is set several years later). Blue can be read as a stand-alone novel. Blue is a joyful, inspiring and painfully beautiful novel written by gifted scholar and writer, Patricia Leavy.” Norman Denzin, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign I love it. Tash is so familiar and yet unique. I get her discontents and I am rooting for her. I find the novel to be cool, hip, and awesome! It would be fantastic in any number of college courses. Young adults should read this. BRAVO, Patricia Leavy!” Laurel Richardson, Ph.D., The Ohio State University An engaging piece of public scholarship, Blue provides rich food for thought about the pop culture landscape and how its shapes our own stories. This will be a useful and fun teaching tool.” Sut Jhally, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at Amherst; Founder & Executive Director, Media Education Foundation Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is an award-winning independent sociologist and best-selling author.

Film follows three women who moved to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams. With a tribute to popular culture, set against the backdrop of Tinseltown, it celebrates how the art we make and consume can shape our stories, scene by scene.

Oral History is part of the Understanding Qualitative Research series, which is designed to provide researchers with authoritative guides to understanding, presenting, and critiquing analyses and associated inferences. There are three subareas in this series: Quantitative Research, Measurement, and Qualitative Research. This volume fits in the Qualitative Research group and addresses issues surrounding oral history - how to both fully and succinctly report and present this material, as well as the challenges of evaluating it.

The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research, Second Edition presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary overview of the field of qualitative research. Divided into eight parts, the forty chapters address key topics in the field such as approaches to qualitative research (philosophical perspectives), narrative inquiry, field research, and interview methods, text, arts-based, and internet methods, analysis and interpretation of findings, and representation and evaluation. The handbook is intended for students of all levels, faculty, and researchers across the disciplines, and the contributors represent some of the most influential and innovative researchers as well as emerging scholars. This handbook provides a broad introduction to the field of qualitative research to those with little to no background in the subject, while providing substantive contributions to the field that will be of interest to even the most experienced researchers. It serves as a user-friendly teaching tool suitable for a range of undergraduate or graduate courses, as well as individuals working on their thesis or other research projects. With a focus on methodological instruction, the incorporation of real-world examples and practical applications, and ample coverage of writing and representation, this volume offers everything readers need to undertake their own qualitative studies.

Iconic Events explores the social forces that have shaped the meanings around and enduring significance of events that have captured the public's imagination, including: Titanic, Pearl Harbor, Columbine, and September 11th. The book focuses on three interpretive phases including journalistic representations, political appropriations, and popular adaptations and pays particular attention to the development of dominant and resistive event narratives.

"Low-Fat Love Stories is a collection of short stories and visual portraits based on interview research with women about a dissatisfying relationship with a romantic partner or relative, or their body image. The stories focus on settling in relationships, the gap between fantasies and realities, relationship patterns, divorce, abuse, childhood pain, spirituality, feeling like a fraud, growing older, and daily struggles looking in the mirror. Once upon a time and happily ever after take on new meaning as the women’s stories reveal the underside of fairytales and toxic popular culture. Written in the first-person with language taken directly from each woman’s interview, the stories are raw, visceral, and inspirational. As a collection, the stories and art set you on an emotional rollercoaster and illustrate the different forms “low-fat love” may take, and the quest for self-worth in the context of popular culture that tells women they are never enough. The authors developed an original method of “textual visual snapshots” for this book. Low-Fat Love Stories can be used in a range of courses in art education, gender/women’s studies, popular culture, psychology, relational communication, sociology and social work; or as an exemplar in research or qualitative methods, narrative inquiry, arts-based research or creative writing courses; or it can be read entirely for pleasure by individuals or in book clubs.“An important addition to the fields of gender and media studies that is certain to stimulate self-reflection and lively discussion.” – Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D., author, feminist activist, and creator of the Killing Us Softly: Advertising’s Image of Women film series“Breathtaking! The images are glorious – emotionally compelling – those eyes, the pain, the fragility; the stories are captivating.” – Laurel Richardson, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University and Cooley Book Award winner “A powerful book that challenges the representations of women that dominate popular culture, offering alternative narratives and images grounded in women’s real experiences.” – Sut Jhally, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at Amherst; Founder & Executive Director, Media Education Foundation“A wonderful model of the infinite possibilities for art as research. An inspirational affirmation of life for all people.” – Shaun McNiff, University Professor, Lesley University and author of Art as Research, Art Heals, and Imagination in Action Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is an award-winning independent sociologist and author. Victoria Scotti, Ph.D., is an art therapist and artist."

Transdisciplinary research is issue-driven, addressing contemporary social questions from a range of critical theoretical perspectives unhampered by the theoretical and methodological restrictions of traditional disciplinary boundaries. In this brief, informative guide, Patricia Leavy shows how a transdisciplinary approach can produce more effective results for researchers hoping to ameliorate social problems and foster social justice. Leavy demonstrates the value of transdisciplinary approaches in mixed methods design, and how trans approaches actually help fulfill the promises and goals of mixed methods research. She explains its relationship to multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and its value in community-based and arts-based research projects. Providing the key principles and methods needed to conduct a transdisciplinary study, Leavy also offers numerous examples from multiple research sectors to show its effectiveness. Ideal as a brief introductory text for students engaged in this style of research.

"Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people's innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack Miller is a former federal agent. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. The night Tess and Jack met, their connection was palpable. She examined the scars on his body and said, "I've never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides." The two embarked on an epic love story. Now in their fourth, blissful year of marriage, one catastrophic event will change everything and push their relationship to the brink. Can Tess move through this new trauma? Will Jack's need for vengeance destroy their relationship? When trust is violated, can there be forgiveness? In order to find their way through to the end, Tess and Jack will need to go back to the beginning. Supernova is a novel about walking through our past traumas, moving from darkness to light, and the ways in which love-from lovers, friends, or the art we experience-heals us and helps us learn to forgive ourselves and others. Written as unfolding action, Supernova is a poignant novel that moves fluidly between melancholy, humor, and joy. It can be read entirely for pleasure, selected for book clubs, or used as supplemental reading in a variety of courses in communication, psychology, social work, sociology, or women's studies/gender studies"--

Covering all the key mainstream qualitative methods, this book offers candid wisdom & tips from leading researchers that will help students with the process of completing a successful research project.

"Candy Floss Collection is a set of three previously released, bestselling novels: Low-Fat Love, Blue, and Film. Together these novels create an overarching message about what it truly means to live a "big life" and the kinds of relationships we need with others and ourselves along the way. This is not a trilogy. This collection can be understood as installation art. Written with humor, cultural insight, and a wink, we follow each female protagonist and cast of offbeat characters as they search for love, friendship, and a sense of self. The characters must learn to mind the gap between their lives as they are and as they wish them to be, to chase their dreams even as they stumble on their insecurities, and to never settle for low-fat love. Along the way, characters are imaged in the glow of television and movie screens, their own stories shaped and illuminated by the stories in pop culture. Set in contemporary New York and Los Angeles, with special tributes to 1980s pop culture, each book questions and celebrates the ever-changing cultural landscape against which we live our stories, frame by frame. Candy Floss Collection can be read entirely for pleasure or used as supplemental reading in a variety of courses in women's studies/gender studies, sociology, psychology, communication, popular culture, media studies, or qualitative inquiry. The book includes further engagement for class or book club use"--

Exploring the breadth of contemporary feminist research practices, this engaging text immerses the reader in cutting-edge theories, methods, and practical strategies. Chapters review theoretical work from around the globe and describe approaches to conducting quantitative, qualitative, and community-based research with participants; doing content or media analysis; and evaluating programs or interventions. Ethical issues are addressed and innovative uses of digital media highlighted. The focus is studying gender inequities as they are experienced by individuals and groups from diverse cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and with diverse gender identities. Delving into the process of writing and publishing feminist research, the text covers timely topics such as public scholarship, activism, and arts-based practices. The companion website features interviews with prominent feminist researchers. Pedagogical Features *Case examples of feminist research. *Running glossary of key terms. *Boxes highlighting hot topics and key points for practice. *End-of-chapter discussion questions and activities. *End-of-chapter annotated suggested reading (books, articles, and online resources). *Sample letters to research participants. *Appendix of feminist scholars organized by discipline.

Celestial Bodies is a series of six novels that follow the epic romance of Tess and Jack: Shooting Stars, Twinkle, Constellations, Supernova, North Star, and Stardust. An exploration of the power of love, each novel focuses on love at the intersection of another topic: healing, doubt, intimacy, trust, commitment, and faith. While external threats occur in each book, this is ultimately a story about internal threats-the audio playing in our own heads.Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people's innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Despite her extraordinary success, she's been unable to find happiness in her personal life. Jack Miller is a federal agent who specializes in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He's dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself. The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, "I've never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides." The two embark on a beautiful love story that asks the questions: What happens when people truly see each other? Can unconditional love change the way we see ourselves? Their friends are along for the ride: Omar, Tess's sarcastic best friend who calls her Butterfly; Joe, Jack's friend from the Bureau who understands the sacrifices he's made; and Bobby and Gina, Jack's younger friends who never fail to lighten the mood. Along the way, others join their journey: the female president of the United States, with whom Tess bakes cookies and talks politics; the Millers, Jack's childhood family; and many others. Celestial Bodies is about walking through our past traumas, moving from darkness to light, learning to live in color, and the ways in which love-from lovers, friends, or the art we experience-can heal us. Written as unfolding action, this collection moves fluidly between melancholy, humor, and joy. It can be read for pleasure or selected for book clubs.