EDUC 3104: Introduction to Qualitative Methods
Spring 2015
Thursdays, 1:00-3:40 pm
University of Pittsburgh School of Education
Section 1355 (5400 Posvar)
Dr. Michael Gunzenhauser
5610 Posvar Hall
412/648-2119
mgunzen@pitt.edu
Section 1360 (4300 Posvar)
Dr. Amber Pabon
5111 Posvar Hall
412/648-6034
apabon@pitt.edu
Course Description
This course introduces students to different inquiry traditions (e.g. post-positivist, interpretive, critical,
and post-structural) and modes of research (e.g. narrative, ethnographic, phenomenological, historical,
rhetorical, and linguistic) associated with qualitative research in the social sciences and humanities. In
small-scale projects, students gain experience with various elements in the research process and research
methods characteristic of qualitative research. Differing assumptions about how knowledge is generated
and the nature of truth claims are explored.
Rationale
This course serves an essential need for doctoral students to understand and apply the multiple forms of
research that fall under the umbrella of “qualitative research.” Essential in this course is understanding
the various ways in which particular forms of qualitative research are fundamentally grounded in theories
of knowledge (epistemologies), theories of the social world (paradigms or theoretical perspectives), and
traditions of practice (methodologies, genres or discourse communities).
Objectives of the Course
The specific goals for this course are the following:
 To learn more about the research process and how to use qualitative research techniques
as part of this process.
 To understand different approaches to qualitative research and the epistemological and
ontological assumptions associated with these approaches.
 To develop practices to support dissertation and thesis research.
 To prepare students so that they may choose and explore specific methodologies further
in order to conduct, with appropriate guidance, a methodologically vigorous qualitative
dissertation.
Required Texts
The following texts are available at the University Store on Fifth. Be sure to obtain the most recent
editions of each text.
1. Emerson, R.M., Fetz, R.I., & Shaw, L.L. (2011). Writing ethnographic fieldnotes, 2nd ed. Chicago, IL:
University of Chicago Press.
2. Ferguson, A.A. (2001). Bad boys: Public schools and the making of Black masculinity. Ann Arbor,
MI: University of Michigan Press.
3. Lutrell, W. (2012). Qualitative educational research: Readings in reflexive methodology and
transformative practice. New York, NY: Routledge.
4. Maxwell, J.A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach, 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage Publications.
5. Seidman, I. (2005). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and
the social sciences, 4th ed. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
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Grading Basis
1. Attendance, Preparation, Participation & Disposition
8 points
2. Weekly Reflection Paper
12 points
3. IRB Certification (required to conduct study)
0 points
4. Critical Analysis of Bad Boys
20 points
5. Researcher Positionality Statement
10 points
6. Research Proposal
10 points
7. IRB Study Approval (required to conduct study)
0 points
8. Revised Interview Questions (required, ungraded)
0 points
9. Interview Transcript
5 points
10. Field Notes
5 points
11. Analytic Memo
25 points
12. Roundtable Presentation
5 points
Total
100 points
Grading Scale
A+ = 99-100 points
A = 94-98 points
A- = 90-93 points
Fail = below 70 points
B+ = 88-89 points
B = 84-87 points
B- = 80-83 points
C+ = 78-79 points
C = 74-77 points
C- = 70-73 points
Incomplete grades: Incompletes are rarely awarded except in exceptional cases. The student must have
actively attended to the course requirements and needs extended time to complete the required work to meet
minimum expectations. If you are allowed to take an incomplete, a proposed plan of action outlining how
you will complete the work by the end of the following term must be drafted and approved.
Course Requirements and Expectations - Assignments
All assignments must be completed in order to pass the course. Assignments are due at or before the
beginning of class. Late work is not accepted without prior discussion with the instructor.
All of the writing you do for this seminar should be word-processed in 12 point font, double-spaced with
one inch margins (yielding approximately 250-275 words/page). Proficiency with the conventions of
Academic Written English must be. Please use APA style as appropriate.
The course will be conducted as a doctoral seminar, with the expectation that you will be fully prepared
for class discussion and exercises. The two instructors will occasionally combine the sections and switch
sections for instructional activities. Your work will be graded and evaluated by the instructor of your
section. A few weeks into the term, you will be assigned to a peer-debriefing group for class exercises.
You are encouraged to follow up with your group members outside of class for de-briefing on
assignments.
At any point during the semester if you are not doing satisfactory work, your instructor will let you know
immediately.
You are expected to adhere to the University of Pittsburgh’s policy regarding academic integrity. To
access the University’s policy on academic integrity please see http://www.provost.pitt.edu/info/ai1.html.
See also the General Academic Regulations for graduate students at
http://www.bulletins.pitt.edu/graduate/. Instances of plagiarism will be grounds for failing this course and
possible further disciplinary action.
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Communication
Sending emails
 Use your pitt.edu email address. You can email directly from the Courseweb site or from your
username@pitt.edu email. Instructors may not receive emails that are not from a pitt.edu address
because of spam. Please be careful about this.
 Tell your instructor who you are and indicate what you need. In the subject, indicate the course
name, and remember to sign your email.
Getting an email response
 Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm
 Response Time: 48 hours
Meeting and feedback on assignment drafts
 Your instructor is glad to schedule a conference at a mutually convenient time. Email your
instructor and suggest 2 or 3 available days and times.
 Your instructors are committed to providing you the feedback you need on your assignments.
With the volume of students and assignments, it is not possible to individually grade and fully
comment upon assignments ahead of the deadline. If you would like your instructor to review a
paper or assignment ahead of the deadline, please email your instructor to arrange a brief
appointment in person or over the phone.
If you have a disability that requires classroom modifications, please notify me and the Disability
Resources and Services (648-7890/William Pitt Union, Room 216) as soon as possible. You will be asked
to provide documentation of your disability to determine appropriate accommodations.
Absentee Policy
1) You are permitted ONE EXCUSED ABSENCE per course per term. An excused absence means
that you have communicated with your instructor that you will miss or have missed a class and
have the necessary documentation to allow your instructor to make a decision on whether the
absence is excused or unexcused. It is NOT up to you to decide whether your absence is excused
and simply telling the instructor that you will miss a class does not excuse you from the class.
You must receive verbal or written confirmation from the instructor that your absence has been
excused. An excused absence may be given for only extenuating circumstances such as death in
the family or serious illness that requires medication and/or hospitalization (headaches, a slight
cold, or fatigue do not count as serious illnesses). Excused absences will not be given for cars
breaking down, traffic congestion, family obligations, doctor or dentist appointments, a planned
family vacation, or delays at your school site. We all teach classes, work in schools, have family
responsibilities, and deal with transportation issues.
2) The one excused absence will not have an effect of your final course grade. You are, however,
responsible for finding out what you missed from other students in the class and lack of
knowledge about course content because of an absence is not excusable or reasonable. In
addition, you are required to submit a 4-page weekly reflection paper (in lieu of the regular 2page paper).If you do not receive confirmation from the instructor that your absence is excused,
you may assume that your absence is unexcused and will have an impact on your course grade
(see #2).
3) Beyond the one excused absence, each additional absence will result in the lowering of your final
course grade by one letter grade step (A to A-, or A- to B+ for example). Keep in mind that in
graduate school you may be required to re-take a course for which you have received a C. A
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grade of C is not an acceptable grade for a graduate student. The expectation is that you will do
exemplary work in all your courses. A QPA of 4.00 should not be an unreasonable expectation
for you. In the future, you will be seeking strong letters of recommendation for positions, and
mediocre work in courses does not permit an instructor to recommend you highly with no
reservation.
Assignments
1. Attendance, Preparation, Participation, Disposition
This course requires your active, thoughtful, daring, candid and respectful participation in all activities.
Come prepared to be actively engaged in each class. Prepare for each session by completing all readings
and assignments to enable you to enter fully into the discussions and contribute to the development of our
class conversations. You are expected to write a one-page reflection on each week’s reading, upload to
CourseWeb prior to class and bring a hard copy for reference and submission in class. Professional
dispositions include: attending all classes, arriving at class on time, or explaining any absence or lateness
(before it happens or as soon afterwards as is possible).
2. Weekly Reflection Paper (500 words each*)
You will write a 2-page reflection paper in preparation for class during weeks 1-7. This reflection requires
you to identify the author’s thesis, note the main ideas that support this thesis, summarize the text in your
own words and evaluate how the author conveyed his/her ideas. This exercise is designed to support your
classroom discussion and development of a critical analytical lens. Be sure that your paper includes the
following elements:
a. Identify the author’s thesis. Ask yourself what the context of the argument is and why the
author may have felt the need to argue it. Ask yourself if the author offers a solution to any
problems they raise in their thesis. If so, ask if this solution is realistic. Take notes on all these
initial thoughts as you read.
b. Note the main ideas. Identify the main ideas of the work in order to analyze the structure. In an
academic article, the main ideas can usually be found amongst the topic sentence of each
paragraph or sentence. Again, take notes.
c. Describe the work in your own words. Write a brief summary after a thorough reading of the
text. The summary should only be one or two paragraphs. Try to phrase the summary in your own
words as much as possible.
d. Evaluate how well the author conveyed meaning. Determine how effective the author's appeals
were from your own perspective as a reader. Ask yourself if you had an emotional response to an
emotional appeal. Did you become happy, upset, or angry at any point? If so, ask yourself why.
Determine if the author's attempts at logic and reason were enough to change your mind. Also ask
yourself if the material was clear, accurate, and cohesive. Ask yourself if you believe the author
to be credible. Determine why or why not.
3. IRB Certification
Bring to class on the date indicated on the course schedule print-outs of your pitt.citi.edu IRB certification
modules. IRB certification is required to submit your study for IRB approval.
4. Critical Analysis of Bad Boys: Public Schools and the Making of Black Masculinity (1500-2000
words*)
*
A note on word limits: Word ranges provide a sense of the depth expected for the assignment.
Typically there are about 250 words per double-spaced page when printed in a 12-point font.
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This 6-8 page paper is an opportunity for you to reflect on the Ferguson study, using resources inside and
outside of the course. You are welcome to incorporate published reviews, duly cited. Your paper should
have an introduction, thesis statement, supporting points, and a conclusion. You should use excerpts from
the Ferguson text to support your points. In this paper, you will need to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Identify an issue that the study addresses.
Address a theme of the text and the author’s development of the theme through data.
Discuss how the author incorporates prior literature.
Explore issues of ethics, politics, rigor, and representation of voices.
Synthesize how the author informs educational practice and policy.
5. Researcher Positionality Statement (1000-1250 words*)
This 4-5 page assignment requires you to synthesize the readings as well as our discussions about your
epistemological stance. It asks you to engage with questions that many scholars wrestle with in their
work: What is you role as researcher in relation to your research? This means a deep engagement with
your position in the world and how that affects access to information, knowledge and power. Further, this
means questioning how your privilege or lack of privilege influences the way your knowledge is
perceived by others. Questions to consider include:
a. How has your identity (gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, class etc.) informed you about the world
around you?
b. What has brought you to your project? Can you trace when you first became interested in this
subject/your research question? Why is this project important to you?
c. As you have already begun thinking about your project, think about you role as a researcher.
How does your gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, class, nationality (or any other important identity
category) affect your motivation and/or perspective for your project?
d. What power and privileges do you bring to your research project? What might you take for
granted in terms of access to information, certain research methodologies, or “insider”/“outsider”
status?
6. Research Proposal (1250-2000 words* and 10-15 interview questions)
Your problem statement and research questions act as a road map for a potential study for which you will
begin to collect data in this course. Although the focus often does change after entrance into the field, a
thoughtful problem statement and focused research questions provide important structure that enables the
researcher to conceptualize the study and to re-conceptualize it as the study proceeds. You will bring
drafts to class and then submit revised electronic copies by the end of the week.
The proposal should have all of the following components:
a. An introduction that explains the topic and its significance as a topic and as personal interest.
b. A brief literature review that places your topic in the context of prior research. Refer to at least
ten (10) references from the literature that inform your focus, question, and analysis. At least two
(2) should be theoretical or conceptual pieces, and if these two references report data, that should
not be the only function of the piece. At least six (6) should be research articles. In other words,
the literature chosen should have some theoretical depth to it.
Some guidance here:
a.) Use ERIC and other scholarly databases to locate research articles related to your focus, and
if you’re digging into something new or arcane, look for studies that overlap with your topic –
that study a similar phenomenon, that study the same setting or population, or that use the same
theoretical frame. Use E-Z Proxy obtain secure remote access to restricted library materials (See
http://www.library.pitt.edu/offcampus )
b.) Plan at least one trip to Hillman Library to access articles and books not available
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c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
electronically and to scan the latest issues of pertinent journals not yet catalogued in ERIC.
c.) Use the Library of Congress database (loc.gov) for books not listed in Hillman.
d.) Use Interlibrary Loan when needed.
e.) Be on the lookout for the types of journals you cite. Supplement articles in practitioner
journals (which sometimes refer to research studies but often do not) with research articles.
f.) When using ERIC, favor EJ documents and limit the number of non-peer-reviewed studies and
ED documents (often non-reviewed conference papers) you rely upon.
g.) As you go along, systematically keep track of all your references and citations, perhaps using
Mendeley or EndNote.
h.) Attend one of the library orientation sessions scheduled specifically for education graduate
students during the term (schedule provided in class and/or on Courseweb). Contact a reference
librarian and/or attend a library instructional session for advanced assistance.
A problem statement and statement of purpose.
Research questions that address the problem statement and that connect to the literature review.
A draft protocol of interview questions. You may not have read and/or absorbed the appropriate
Seidman section at this point, so do your best, and you’ll have a chance to revise them.
A sampling strategy. Identify the number and kinds of persons you would interview in order to
get the best data possible. In addition, identify whom specifically you will interview for the
subsequent class assignment (without telling me the individuals’ names). The best learning
experience will come from interviewing adult persons you do not know or don’t know very well.
Do not interview a best friend, close colleague, or family member – there could be good reasons
for conducting research with these significant others, but it is difficult to learn interview methods
that way (and nearly impossible for someone else to offer suggestions when reading your
transcript). Also, unless you make prior arrangements with your instructor, do not plan to
interview anyone under the age of 18.
A tentative data collection strategy, to include the three required interviews, one required
observation, one required document analysis, and additional data collection you believe you’ll
need to write your analytic memo. A rule of thumb for this assignment is at least 10 total hours
of data collection (in combination of interviews, observations, document analysis, and other data
forms).
An unsigned consent form adapted from the samples provided on Courseweb. Also, in your
paper, indicate what you will say to your respondent to obtain informed consent and to maintain
confidentiality.
7. IRB Study Approval
Submit an application to the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board for approval of your
study. Use the OSIRIS system to create an “Exempt” study, indicating either your advisor or your
instructor as the mentor for the project. By the date indicated on the syllabus, email your instructor the
IRB approval letter.
8. Revised Interview Protocol
Consider the feedback and suggestions from your classmates and the instructor (and ideas from your
continued reading) to revise your interview protocol. This assignment does not receive a grade.
9. Interview TRANSCRIBED (45-60 minute segment; bring two or more copies to class) and
Description of Setting and Nonverbal Communication (1000 words,* one copy)
It is important that this be an individual interview with an adult, because group interviews, focus group
interviews, and interviews with children have different dynamics, require particular skills, and require
different informed consent processes. This assignment has the following steps:
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a. To reiterate, select two persons who will be appropriate informants for the phenomenon you are
studying. Do not interview a minor, a member of your family, or a close friend (sorry to keep
repeating myself).
b. Conduct two 45 to 60 minute interviews (one with each respondent) and audio-record them both.
(If an interview lasts less than 45 minutes, conduct and audio-record another one with that person
or someone else until you have at least 45 minutes to transcribe from one person and at least 90
minutes of total interview time). Do not video-record the interview.
c. After you have completed both interviews, decide which one (1) you will transcribe verbatim.
Then, personally transcribe the interview word for word, including your questions and anything
else you say (do not hire someone to transcribe). Record “ums,” “ahs,” incorrect grammar,
sentence fragments, etc. Indicate pauses in speech or “dead air.” Set aside about 5 to 7 times the
length of the actual interview for this process, depending on your typing ability and the
availability of transcription devices.
d. For the second interview, record the data from that interview in whatever manner you decide.
You will need to use data from that interview for subsequent assignments.
e. On both transcripts, assign pseudonyms to your interviewee, place names, and organizations. Do
not use the respondent’s initials as the pseudonym.
f. Write a detailed description of the interviewee and the setting of the interview and record all
nonverbal communication between you and the interviewee. Make this chronological, and if
possible, make cross-references to your transcript.
g. Prior to coming to class, take some time to read back over your transcript. For class exercises the
day your transcript is due, identify (highlight or pull out) four passages (of easily readable length)
that you think might be significant (those that seem like “good” data). Also, highlight areas that
you recognize (in hindsight) would have been appropriate areas to ask follow-up questions.
h. Bring one copy of your description and at least two copies of your transcript to class (you’ll need
enough to share with a small group, and the instructor gets one copy at the end of class). We will
devote time in class to group work with your materials.
10. Observational Field Notes (at least 1000 words*)
This assignment has the following steps:
a. Select a setting relevant to your topic of interest. It should be a setting in which you can be an
observer rather than either a participant or a participant-observer.
b. Conduct one 40 to 60 minute observation or series of observations. (The length of the
observation will depend on the amount of action, the richness of the setting, and your interest in
and willingness to record minute detail).
c. Obtain the verbal assent of those you observe, unless what you are observing is in full public
view.
d. Your ultimate goal is to create meaning. To do so, put yourself in the shoes of those you observe,
and concentrate on details that will enable you to recreate the scene for someone who is not
there.
Take detailed field notes as you observe and record all action by participants. Include time,
temperature, weather, lighting, noise level, overheard voices, and any other physical attributes of
the setting. Describe in full detail the people you observe, using descriptive language (as opposed
to interpretive or evaluative language – we’ll talk about this distinction in class). Consider
including information on body language, tone of voice, facial expression, and movement. It is
very difficult to avoid focusing exclusively on the spoken dialogue, but you must learn to do so.
Whenever you feel your attention is centered solely on conversation, pull back and relocate your
attention to the observable non-verbal context.
e. During the observation, try to be as unobtrusive as possible. Avoid speaking unless spoken to or
unless absolutely necessary. Record attempts to remain solely an observer. Indicate to what
degree you participated in the setting.
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f.
Record your interpretation of the mood of the setting, any evidence of tone in voices, and any
evidence of meaning in non-verbal communication.
g. In a separate place in your field notes, note your own disposition at the time of the observation (in
other words, record it but don’t make your field notes all about your experience).
h. Type up your field notes. Use the Hatch text as a guide. As much as possible, write in complete
sentences.
i. Once you’ve finished with your field notes, generate a list of questions that you might ask those
you have observed (or others you would like to interview) in order to clarify or make fuller
meaning of what you have seen. Note what additional observations you would like to make in
order to understand the setting more completely.
j. Bring at least two copies of your field notes to class. We will devote time in class to group work
with your materials.
11. Analytic Memo (3000-5000 words*)
By the end of the semester, you will have collected a small amount of data on a topic that has some
connection to a prior research literature. You will probably not feel comfortable writing something
definitive about your topic or the data that you have collected, so think about this assignment as a “memo
about findings.” In this assignment, the idea is to explore one or more themes that emerge from the data
and which speak (more or less directly) to the prior literature that you consulted for your first assignment.
The paper should have a meaningful introduction and conclusion, along with the following components:
a. Theme. Take one or more of the analytic themes that you have identified and explore it
tentatively in written form. Flesh out the theme as much as possible and quote from your data to
exemplify it.
b. Data. Make use of all of the data that you have collected for this project, making sure to
represent interviews, documents, and observational data.
c. Speak to literature. Make connections between your data and the research literature. “Speaking
to the literature” can mean any number of things. This could be an interpretation of your data
based on prior theory, an explanation of how your research fills a particular gap in the literature,
or a comparison and contrast between your data and a prior study. Make the relation between
your theme and the research literature fit what you have in your data.
d. Future research. Identify how you would proceed to investigate this theme further if you were
to explore it more in depth in the future. You should address additional data to be collected,
analysis methods to be used, and theory/literature to be consulted.
e. Method. Summarize at some point in the memo the methods of data collection and analysis you
used to arrive at your interpretations.
f. Positionality. Revisit your positionality statement. Speak to the strengths and limitations of
your method, your involvement in the study, and the ways in which you have participated in the
creation of meaning from the data.
12. Roundtable Presentation
You will prepare a roundtable presentation based upon the format of an individual paper session
conducted at annual meetings of the American Educational Research Association. You will prepare a
handout using PowerPoint or similar software and provide copies for your classmates.
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Course Calendar
(Tentative and subject to change at the instructors’ discretion)
Part One: Situating Qualitative Research
1. Course overview & introduction
2. Purposes, principles & traditions of qualitative research
3. Establishing relationships, reciprocity, ethics and IRB
4. Indications of quality, trustworthiness and vigor
Week Date
Readings
Assignments due
1
1/8
2
1/15
3
1/22
4
1/29
Ferguson, pp. 1-99
(#2)Two-page reflection
Ferguson, pp. 101-235
Luttrell, Intro, Chs. 1,20
Lutrell, Chs. 2-5
Maxwell, Chs. 1-3
Lutrell, Chs. 6-10, 12-16
(#2)Two-page reflection
(#3)IRB certifications
(#2)Two-page reflection
(#4)Critical Analysis
(#2)Two-page reflection
Part Two: Design and Methods
1. Relationship between research questions & study design
2. Entering the field
 access to sites, settings & individuals
 organizing time and activity in the field
3. Data collection:
 records of observed interaction
 debriefing of student observation experience & records
 interviewing
 debriefing interviewing & experience of records
 documents and archival records
4. Organizing & displaying data; preparation for analysis
Week Date
Readings
Assignments due
Lutrell, Chs. 11,17,18
5
2/5
(#2)Two-page reflection
Maxwell, Chs. 4-6
(#5)Researcher
6
2/12 Seidman, Intro, Chs. 1-5
positionality statement
(#6)Research proposal
7
2/19* Brockenbrough (CourseWeb)
(#2) Two-page reflection
& 3 questions for guest
8
2/26 Seidman, Chs. 6-8
Emerson, Fretz, & Shaw, Preface, (#7)IRB approval
9
3/5
Chs. 1-4
(#8)Revised protocol
10
3/12
Spring Break, no class
11
3/19 Emerson, Fretz & Shaw, Chs. 5-8 (#9)Interview transcript
*Guest lecturer, class start time: 2 pm
Part Three: Analysis, Representation, and Reflexivity
1. Explore recursive analysis
2. Writing analytic memos
3. Triangulating data
4. Coding & identifying emergent patterns
5. Unpacking issues of representation
6. The potential of expanding into a full study
Week Date
Readings
Assignments due
12
3/26 Lutrell, Chs. 19, 21, 22
(#10)Field notes
13
4/2
Lutrell, Chs. 23-25
Bring data to class
14
4/9
Lutrell, Chs. 26-28
Bring data to class
15
4/16 Lutrell, Chs. 29-31
(#11)Analytic memo
16
4/22
(#12)Roundtables
Submission format
(#2)Posted to Courseweb by 10
pm previous evening; bring hard
copy to class
(#2)Posted and hard copy
(#3)Hard copy
(#2)Posted and hard copy
(#4)Hard copy
(#2)Posted and hard copy
Submission format
(#2)Posted and hard copy
(#5)At least 3 hard copies
(#6)At least 3 hard copies
(#2)Posted and hard copy
(#7)Emailed
(#8)Posted; at least 3 hard copies
(#9)Hard copy
Submission format
(#10)At least 3 hard copies
(#11)At least 3 hard copies
(#12)Hard copy handouts
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