SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
ED 850: Seminar in Quantitative Methods of Inquiry
ED 851: Seminar in Qualitative Methods of Inquiry
COURSE SYLLABUS
Spring & Summer 2014
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Douglas Fisher, Ph.D.
BAM 217
(619) 594-2507
dfisher@mail.sdsu.edu
Course Description
This course will introduce participants to the characteristics and various approaches to designing
and conducting quantitative and qualitative research studies. Students will gain hands-on
experience in various research methods and analysis techniques while carrying out a research
project related to their area of interest.
Course Objectives
1) To become familiar with the characteristics, language, and logic of quantitative and qualitative
research methods;
2) To understand the traditions and techniques for designing quantitative and qualitative research
studies;
3) To understand the available techniques for quantitative and qualitative data analysis;
4) To be able to recognize and assess quality and rigor in evaluating quantitative and qualitative
research studies.
Student Learning Outcomes
7. Professionalism: Set high standards for self and others, continuously improve self,
demonstrate personal accountability, and ensure the long-term growth of self and the
organization.
7.1
Self-assess performance regularly using feedback, reflection, goal setting, and
evaluation.
7.2
Support lifelong learning for self and others.
7.3
Demonstrate ethical and personal integrity in decision-making.
7.4
Describes strategies to insure that moral and ethical practices are established and
followed in the organization.
7.3
Manage stress through self-care, balance, adaptability, flexibility, and humor.
7.4
Demonstrate the courage to take risks, make difficult decisions, and accept
responsibility.
7.5
Recognize the impact of perceptions, worldviews, and emotions on self and
others.
7.6
Promote and maintain high standards for personal and organizational integrity,
honesty, and respect for people.
7.7
Contribute to the profession through professional organization involvement,
professional development activities, and research/publication dissemination.
9. Decision Sciences: Engage in scientific methods to assess practice, examine results and
promote sound decision-making.
9.1
Utilize the expertise of external researchers and the results of research studies in
the literature to improve decision-making.
9.2
Develop an understanding of research designs to conduct relevant research
studies.
9.3
Evaluate research studies based on their value to an organization.
9.4
Assess validity and transferability of research findings to specific areas in an
organization, such as student learning outcomes and enrollment management.
9.5
Insure basic research skills including how to gather and assess data, and develop
conclusions and courses of action for traditional and nontraditional studies.
9.6
Foster a "culture of evidence" within an institution for policy analysis and
decision making purposes.
Required Texts
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Clark, V.L.P., & Creswell, J.W. (2010). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
One of the following:
Anders, L. (2012). Designing & doing survey research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Calfee, R., & Sperling, M. (2010). On mixed methods. New York: Teachers College Press.
Campbell, D.T., & Stanley, J.C. (1963). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for
research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Gillham, B. (2008). Observation techniques: Structured to unstructured. New York: Continuum
International.
Heath, S.B., & Street, B.V. (2008). On ethnography. New York: Teachers College Press.
Krueger, R.A., & Casey, M.A. (2009). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (4th
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Lewis. M., & Staehler, T. (2010). Phenomenology: An introduction. New York: Continuum
International.
Reinking, D., & Bradley, B.A. (2008). On formative and design experiments. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education
and the social sciences (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.
Urquhart, C. (2013). Grounded theory for qualitative research: A practical guide. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
Van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive
pedagogy. Albany, NY: State University of New York.
Yin, R.K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
GRADING POLICY
Assignments are included within this course outline. Each assignment will be discussed during
class time. All assignments:
 Should be typed;
 Should use precise terminology;
 Should reflect “People First” language;
 Require correct grammar and spelling; and
 Should be turned in on the established due date (late assignments will be marked down).
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is defined as “to steal and pass off (the
ideas or words of another) as one's own; literary theft” (Merriam-Webster online
dictionary). All sources of reference, including quotes, major theories, and instructional
materials for lesson plans or papers must be properly cited. Plagiarism will result in a
zero for the assignment and a referral to Student Affairs for possible suspension or
expulsion.
GRADING SCALE
90% or above
80% - 89%
70% - 79%
60% - 69%
59% or lower
A (100-94% = A; 93-90% = A-)
B (89-87% = B+; 86-84% = B; 83-80% = B-)
C (same pattern repeated as for B)
D
F
Americans with Disabilities Act Policy
It is the policy of SDSU to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with
disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with
disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Disability
Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable
accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.
Students will be notified by the Director of Student Disability Services when each request for
accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive
accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her
discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student
Disability Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors.
Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this
manner.
ASSIGNMENTS
The purpose of the assignments is to develop and demonstrate competencies expected of a
consumer and producer of research. Assignments have been designed for you to demonstrate
these competencies and to allow you to receive critical feedback regarding your ability to put
knowledge into practice. The structure of the assignments of this course provides documentation
to that end. Further guidelines may be distributed in class.
Active Class Participation (up to –15% of the grade for each class)
Attendance is assumed in this course, as the face-to-face interaction is of value to you and every
member of the class. In addition, I learn about you through class discussions and your work with
others. While certain circumstances may warrant an “excused” absence, students are required to
inform the course instructor if unable to attend any given class. Activities will be completed in
class throughout the semester and will be applied to the participation grade.
Data Collection Project (20% of the ED 851 grade)
Each participant will conduct a short data collection project for the purpose of beginning the
practice of research skills. This project will involve 2-3 sessions in a setting specific to the
researcher’s interests. The researcher will collect, analyze, and interpret data. Informal
sharing/debriefing of this experience, as well as the findings from the study, will occur in class.
The written summary submitted to the instructor will include a description of the setting, the data
collected, as well as the analysis and interpretation. In addition, there should be a
discussion/reflection about what was learned about the data collection process. Raw data should
be included.
Expert Project (20% of the ED 851 grade)
Each participant will become an expert in a specific tradition of qualitative research
methodology (i.e., one of the five traditions presented by Creswell, design studies, mixed
methods, and action research). In a presentation to the class of approximately 30 minutes, the
researcher will describe the tradition, provide at least one article-based example of the tradition,
identify major thinkers in this tradition, and clearly distinguish it from other traditions. The
presentation should be accompanied by a one-page handout containing the primary points of the
information.
Critique of Empirical Research Article (40% of the ED 850 grade)
Individuals with doctorates are expected to be informed consumers of educational research and
other related literature. The ability to understand the methods used in research, the conclusions
drawn, and potential implications of the methods for your interpretation is an important part of a
your skill set. The purpose of this assignment is to use the skills you are developing in this
course to read and describe an article, including a critical analysis of the literature review, the
sampling methods, the research design, the measures chosen, the statistical analysis, and the
outcomes and conclusions. Additional information about this assignment will be provided in
class.
Midterm (20% of the ED 850 and 851 grade)
A midterm exam covering the vocabulary of research, the traditions of qualitative research, and
the design of research studies will be given.
Study Research Methodology (40% of the ED 850 and ED 851 grade)
As the culminating project for this class, the researcher will develop a complete draft of a
methodology section, based on a research question, which clearly identifies:
1) the tradition and why that that approach is appropriate for the study;
2) the participants, including the number and how they were selected;
3) the instruments used to collect data;
4) the procedures used to collect data;
5) the data analysis system(s) employed; and
6) the limitations of the study.
COURSE SCHEDULE WITH ASSIGNED READINGS
Date
Focus
Readings
1/22
Introduction and syllabus review
Clark 1
Qualitative versus quantitative
research
Expertise and intuition
1/29
Introduction to traditions
Creswell 1 & 3
Designing a study
Clark 2
 Participants
 Instruments
 Procedures
 Data Analysis
 Limitations
2/5
Qualitative Designs and Data
Creswell 4, 5, and
Collection
appendix
 Narrative Research (lived
experience)
 Phenomenological Research
 Grounded Theory Research
2/12
Dr. Yong Zhao
World Class Learners: Educating
Creative and Entrepreneurial
Students
3/5
Qualitative Designs and Data
Creswell 7 and 8
Collection
 Ethnographic Research
 Case Study Research
3/26
Qualitative Designs and Data
Collection
 Interviewing
 Observations
 Focus groups
Data collection project discussions
TBA
Individual meetings to review
midterm and data collection
project
4/16
Experimental and QuasiClark 6
Experimental Research
Independent and Dependent
Variables
Assignments Due
Pre-assessment
Expert project, as
appropriate
SDSU Alumni Center
Expert project, as
appropriate
Expert project, as
appropriate
Data collection project
Midterm DUE 4/6
Expert project, as
appropriate
Date
4/23
5/14
Focus
Quantitative Data Collection and
Analysis
Formative Experiments
Action Research
6/4
Study methodology work session
TBA by
7/4
Individual meetings scheduled to
review draft methodology
Readings
Clark 7 and 8
Assignments Due
Expert project, as
appropriate
Critique of research
article
Expert project, as
appropriate
Methodology section
approved and sent to
advisor
CRITIQUE OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
You will select an article related to your topic of interest. The selected article must meet the definition
of empirical research. Most assignments will be between 6 and 8 pages in length. Be sure to use APA
format for any citations. You should respond to each question separately. It is not necessary to respond
in a seamless narrative style.
Overall Topic
What is the overall topic of the research? Is this something that could be helpful to educational practice
and policy? In what ways?
Research Questions
What is the primary research question? Are there any secondary research questions? Based on this,
what “type” of research is this (exploratory, descriptive, comparative, evaluative)? Are there
hypotheses stated? What are they?
Literature Review
In your opinion, was the literature review thorough? Were the assumptions, theories, and purpose of
the research clearly articulated? Does the literature review support the hypothesis(es)?
Methodology
Sampling - What was the sampling technique used? Probability or non-probability? Was it clear how
the researchers recruited and screened the research participants? Did they explicitly describe the
informed consent procedure? Was there a sampling frame? How was it obtained? What biases were
stated in the article? What are some unstated biases (if any)? Were diversity issues addressed in terms
of the sampling? Describe the generalizability of the study results in terms of the sample. Describe any
patterns of attrition that might have an impact on the strength of the sample and how (if at all) they
could affect results.
Design - Was the design clearly articulated? What design was used? Provide a diagram of the design.
Is this design a good choice given the purpose of the research? If the purpose is to look at causation,
discuss how robust the design is in terms of internal validity. Discuss each potential threat and its
impact based on the design. If the purpose is exploratory or descriptive, assess the strengths and
weaknesses of the design with regard to that purpose.
Measurement – What are the independent and dependent variables (remember, there are often more
than one of each in research articles)? What are the possible values of the variables? Describe how
each variable was operationalized. Did the article provide information about the reliability and validity
of the data collection technique? If not, how would you assess the reliability and validity? Remember,
not only scales need to be assessed for reliability and validity concepts. Were there any issues with the
measurement process (i.e. missing data, different data collection protocols for the groups, etc.).
Ethical Issues
Were there any ethical issues discussed? Were there any that you observed that might be of concern?
Statistics
Descriptive Statistics - On what page of the article do the authors include information about descriptive
statistics? How were these presented (narrative, table, both?) List the levels of measurement of the IV
and DVs, and measures of central tendency and dispersion reported for each. What was the most
interesting thing you learned from examining the descriptive statistics?
Inferential Statistics - What inferential statistical tests were used? Describe why you think the
researchers chose that statistical method. What were the significant and non-significant findings?
Results and Discussion Section
There is no need to describe all of the results of the study, but describe one key finding. Were the
results and conclusions clearly stated? What are some "next steps" in terms of furthering knowledge in
this area? Was the summary of the study helpful?
Main Message(s)
What did you take away from this article? Do you feel that this article provided all you would need to
know about this topic or would there be reason to read other research as well? Why or why not?