Spring 2014
COMM 3740 – Qualitative Communication Research Methods
Instructor: Claire Chase
claire.chase@colorado.edu
Office: Hellems 14
Office Hours: MWF 11:00-11:50am
Description: This course is an introduction and overview of qualitative research methods—a broad term referring to various
techniques typically used to describe, code, and interpret naturalistic research. The course examines the role of theory in guiding
the design and analysis of qualitative data. As such, it explores a variety of qualitative approaches in communication studies, taking
into account issues of epistemology (different ways of knowing), methodology (ways of examining), and representation (ways of
writing and reporting). The course is designed to help students learn about different approaches to qualitative research, and to
acquire an array of skills for using various techniques, including individual and focus group interviews, observation, and field notes as
well as various forms of data analysis.
Course Objectives:
 To learn about the foundations and approaches of qualitative methods, and to differentiate qualitative from quantitative
methods and questions
 To identify communicative phenomena and ask communication-based research questions
 To learn how to design and conduct a qualitative research project
 To gain skills in crafting research questions, conducting interviews, and developing coding techniques
 To develop criteria for evaluating qualitative research, assessing the rigor of it, and understanding its application
 To gain familiarity with communication research conducted by CU faculty
Required Readings:
 Required text: Tracy, S. J. (2013). Qualitative research methods. Collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating
impact. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
 Readings available on D2L: We will also read select chapters and articles illustrating particular forms of data collection,
types of analyses, ethical issues, and qualitative approaches.
Managing Communication in our Class:
D2L: I utilize Desire2Learn (D2L) class management system. Log in at https://learn.colorado.edu/. Students should check the site on
a regular basis for posted announcements, assignments, readings, and grades. It is important you check the site regularly. If, for
some reason, you discover a discrepancy (missing assignment or graded item), you must notify me within a week of the assignment
(if your assignment is missing) or a week from the date grades are posted (missing grades).
Email: Make it a habit to check your official school email. I will share class announcements and updates via your school email
address. In addition, university affiliates (students, faculty, staff) should use their @colorado.edu email address when discussing
university matters (such as our class). I will not respond to student-specific questions from non-CU email addresses.
Class Discussions: You will learn from the readings and assignments but primarily, your learning will come from our discussions
about the readings, your thoughts about the topics, critiques of studies, and insights you can bring from your experiences.
Participation is graded, and you are expected to be in class and involved in activities.
Assignments
Researcher Notebook Assignments (100 points – 10 assignments at 10 points each)
 Purpose: these assignments provide you the opportunity to proactively keep up with the course content by reflecting and
taking notes on what you have read. They must be hand written in a dedicated notebook. Your researcher notebooks will
be collected periodically and randomly to ensure that you are making progress.
 The final exam will be cumulative, but the final exam will also be open note, as you will be able to refer to your researcher
notebook.
 1-2 page hand-written response (single spaced) in your Researcher Notebook to questions posed or textbook exercises
assigned in the syllabus.
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Research Practicum Assignments (90 points)
 RP1 (30 points): Communication-based research project rationale leading to research questions
 RP2 (30 points): Methods section: data collection process (e.g., interviews), participants, etc.
 RP3 (30 points): Findings: analysis approach, initial themes and evidence, one coded transcript
Final Project (160 points)
 Final paper (110 points): The final report is a 10-15 page (double-spaced) report on the issue you investigated, data
collected, how you analyzed it, and the key findings, in APA style.
 Presentation of research (20 points): this is a 5-7 minute report by your group about the findings you will present to the
client.
 In-class assignments (30 points): Assignments relating to your final project due in class (transcript, formal and informal field
notes, CITI, etc.)
Exams (300 points):
 Exam 1 (75 points): Week 5 – foundational method issues and communication-based research
 Exam 2 (75 points): Week 10 – the research process
 Final exam (150 points): Cumulative, open-notebook
Participation (100 points): Students who make thoughtful and reading-informed contributions, and who attend regularly (missing no
more than three classes). Attendance is an important part of this course. Students who miss four or more classes will have
percentage points deducted from their final grade (1% point per class missed) in addition to receiving a low participation grade.
Late work: Late work will not be accepted without a reduction in the grade. The late assignment will be reduced by one grade (A- to
B-) per day late. You are welcome to submit assignments early if you anticipate missing a class. If you must miss class for an official
school function or religious reasons, you must inform me at least two weeks prior to the absence in order to have the absence
excused and to be able to complete missed assignments. You are responsible for any missed course material or announcements
presented in the class session you missed. All assignments must be made up by Friday of Week 14.
Grading. Final grades will be assigned as follows:
A
AB+
B
B-
94-100%
90-93%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
C+
C
CD+
D
77-79%
73-76%
70-72%
67-69%
63-66%
DF
60-62%
59% and below
Conducting Your Research
Data collection approval: You must check with me before collecting any data for your group research project so that I can approve
your approach (e.g., sample and procedures).
Human Subjects: You must successfully complete the CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) “Students in Research”
tutorial. Go to http://www.citiprogram.org and create a username and password. Complete the CITI tutorial in the “Course Projects”
learner group on human research. When you have successfully completed to tutorial, you will be issued a certificate that can be
printed or downloaded as PDF. Download your completion certificate and email it to me at claire.chase@colorado.edu prior to class.
Important information for all courses at University of Colorado at Boulder
Accommodation: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit (to me) a letter from Disability Services in
a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented
disabilities. Disability Services is located in room N200 in the Center for Community 107 UCB, phone: 303-492-8671,
http://disabilityservices.colorado.edu/
Classroom Behavior Policy: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment.
Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty member have the professional
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responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity, and respect; to guide classroom discussion; and to set reasonable
limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially
important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender
variance, and nationalities. See policies at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/student-classroom-and-course-related-behavior and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code.
Honor Code: All UCB students are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution.
Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening
behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273).
Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the
faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other
information on the Honor Code can be found at http://honorcode.colorado.edu/.
Observance of Religious Holidays and Absences from Classes or Examinations: Campus policy regarding religious observances
requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have
conflicts with scheduled examinations, assignments, or required attendance. In this class, I will make every effort to accommodate
all students who have such conflicts with scheduled examinations, assignments, or attending class, provided students notify me well
in advance of the scheduled conflict. If an examination is scheduled or an assignment is due on a religious holiday, I will provide the
opportunity for the examination or assignment to be taken/due on another day. Classes missed to observe a religious holiday will
not be counted as an absence.
Sexual Harassment: The UCB Policy on Sexual Harassment applies to all students, staff, and faculty. Sexual harassment is unwelcome
sexual attention. It can involve intimidation, threats, coercion, or promises to create an environment that is hostile or offensive.
Harassment may occur between members of the same or opposite gender and between any combination of members in the campus
community: students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Harassment can occur anywhere on campus, including the classroom, the
workplace, or a residence hall. Any student, staff, or faculty member who believes s/he has been sexually harassed should contact
the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 Information about the ODH and the campus resources available
to assist individuals who believe they have been sexually harassed can be obtained at: http://hr.colorado.edu/dh/Pages/default.aspx.
COURSE SCHEDULE
*Subject to Change
Week 1 (Jan. 13)
M: Course overview
W: Scientific reasoning – quantitative research
 Reading: Fried, 2008 – Laptops in the classroom
 Researcher notebook assignment #1:
o What issue is the author exploring and why is it important?
o What questions did the author research?
o Summarize the findings.
o How do the findings relate to your personal experience? Do they ring true or not? How?
F: Scientific reasoning – qualitative research
 Reading: Lindroth & Bergquist, 2010 – Laptops in the classroom
 Researcher notebook assignment #2:
o How did these authors approach the research issue differently than Fried?
o What were the findings from this study?
o What insights do we gain about the issue with the qualitative approach used in this study that we could not have
explored with the quantitative approach Fried used?
o What kinds of questions are we not able to answer using a qualitative approach that we could answer using a
quantitative approach?
Week 2 (Jan. 20)
M: NO CLASS – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
W: Qualitative communication research
 Reading: Tracy, Myers & Scott, 2006 – a sensemaking approach to communication research
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
Class discussion points:
o How was communication examined in this study?
o What is “sensemaking” and how does it involve communication?
o How is sensemaking tied to identity in this study?
o Why is humor important, according to the authors?
o Summarize the findings.
F: Qualitative communication research
 Reading: Eisenberg, Baglia & Pynes, 2006 – a participatory action approach to comm research
 Class discussion points:
o According to the authors, what was the major purpose or goal for conducting this study? What did they hope to do
with the findings?
o What was the communication phenomenon examined in this study?
o What were the findings?
o What recommendations did the authors propose?
o In what ways does this study exemplify participatory action research (defined on pp. 56-58 of the Tracy textbook)?
Week 3 (Jan. 27)
M: Foundations of qualitative research
 Reading: Tracy, 2013—Ch. 1
 Researcher notebook assignment #3:
o Part 1: Complete exercise 1.1 on page 9 (instructions on bottom of that page).
o Part 2: Pages 5-8 of the textbook discuss several foci of qualitative communication research. (a) Pick one of the
foci—the one that interests you the most—and brainstorm several communication phenomena that you might
want to study for your final project. (b) following Tracy’s advice in the second half of the chapter, develop some
research questions related to one or more of the phenomena.
W: Asking communication-based questions
 Reading: Kirby & Krone, 2002 – a structuration approach to communication research
 Class discussion points:
o What is the central issue explored in this study?
o What does a “structuration” approach to communication research look at?
o How does communication (in the form of “discourse”) play a role in the issue the authors explore?
o How did the authors collect data?
o Summarize the findings?
F: Entering the conversation of qualitative research
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 2
 Class discussion points:
o Define and differentiate between emic and etic perspectives.
o How do qualitative and quantitative methods differ?
o How do qualitative researchers gather data? What counts as qualitative “data”?
o Gestalt, bricolage, funnel metaphor and sensitizing concepts characterize qualitative research, according to the
chapter. Pick one of these ideas and summarize in your own words what it means.
Week 4 (Feb. 3)
M: Research paradigms
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 –Ch. 3
 Researcher notebook assignment #4:
o Define what characterizes the 4 research paradigms presented. Give examples of the ways researchers in each
paradigm approach conducting research.
o Pick 2 of the theoretical approaches to qualitative communication research (pp. 49-60) that seem most interesting
to you. Summarize the kinds of questions/issues it addresses and how.
o Refer to your notes from Monday of Week 3, and revisit the research issues/and questions you posed then. Are
there new questions that seem interesting to you now? Do the same issues/question resonate with you?
W: Asking communication-based questions
 Reading: Ashcraft, 2005 – a feminist approach to communication research
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
Class discussion points:
o What is the central issue in this study?
o How is the central issue a communication issue?
o How did the author collect data?
o What were the main findings?
o How does this study exemplify research conducted from a feminist perspective (see Tracy, 2013, pp. 55-56)?
F: Finding your research approach and proposing your final paper project
 No reading.
 Researcher notebook assignment #5:
o Select 1 theoretical approach to conducting communication research that you would like to use for your final
paper project. Define the approach based on descriptions provided on pages 49-60 of Tracy, 2013.
o Propose the following:
 What communication phenomenon/phenomena are you interested in studying for the project?
 What forms of communication might you study and how?
 What is a possible context for your study? (To what contexts do you have easy access? What contexts do
you know a lot about, or would like to know more about?)
o Present your project idea(s) in class. Students will be grouped together based on similar interests in
communication phenomena, approach, or context.
Week 5 (Feb.10)
M: Asking communication-based questions
 Reading: Philipsen, 1975 – an ethnographic approach to communication research
 Class discussion points:
o What was the central issue examined in this study?
o How is communication examined in this study?
o How does the author collect data?
o Summarize the main findings.
o How does the study exemplify the ethnography of communication approach to research (see Tracy, 2013, pp. 4960)?
W: Exam 1 Review
F: Exam 1
Week 6 (Feb. 17)
M: Ethical concerns
 No reading. Stanford Prison Experiment video
 DUE: Complete the CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) “Students in Research” tutorial. Go to
http://www.citiprogram.org and create a username and password. Complete the CITI tutorial in the “Course Projects”
learner group on human research. When you have successfully completed to tutorial, you will be issued a certificate that
can be printed or downloaded as PDF. Download it and email it to me at claire.chase@colorado.edu prior to class.
W: Proposing your project and gaining approval
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 5 (IRB)
 Class discussion points:
o Define informed consent.
o What is a research instrument? Give some examples.
o What is deductive disclosure and how can it be avoided?
o Differentiate between the different kinds of IRB human subjects review: exempt review, expedited review and full
board review.
F: Proposing your project and gaining approval
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 5 (continued): writing the proposal
 Researcher notebook assignment #6:
o Brainstorm your rationale (p. 98) for your/your group’s final project.
o Find 2 qualitative communication articles from peer reviewed journals.
o Summarize both articles, noting the communication phenomena examined and how, and the main findings.
o Write notes about how each article can help you explore your communication issue.
o Develop (or refine) your research questions (p. 100).
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
Bring your Researcher notebook assignment and the 2 articles to class for a group workshop day to develop RP1.
Week 7 (Feb. 24)
M: Getting into the field
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 4
 Class discussion points:
o Define participant observation.
o What are some different strategies Tracy proposes for accessing organizations for research?
o What are some of her recommendations for successfully being granted access to a research site?
o What sorts of data might a researcher gather from a site?
o Given Tracy’s advice, how specifically do you plan to negotiate access to your research site?
W: Getting into the field
 No reading. “Kitchen Stories” video
 DUE: Research Practicum 1
F: Gaining participants’ trust
 Reading: Dowler, 2001
 Class discussion points:
o Why is Dowler’s research challenging?
o How was Dowler self-reflexive (Tracy, 2013, p. 2-3) about her research?
o What did Dowler do to gain trust from male participants? From female participants?
o What steps did Dowler take to protect her integrity as a researcher?
Week 8 (Mar. 3)
M: Interview planning and design
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 7
 Class discussion points:
o How and why are interviews a valuable source of data for qualitative research?
o List and define the different sampling approaches. What sampling approach might you use for your project?
o What type(s) of interview will you conduct for your project (pp. 140-143)?
o Propose 5-7 interview questions that you can ask participants in order to address your project’s research questions.
W: Interview planning and design
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 7 (continued)
 Researcher notebook assignment #7:
o Develop for your project an interview guide, which is the list of questions you plan to ask your interviewees. Be
sure to follow recommendations in the chapter (“Tips and Tools 7.3”, p. 146) such as:
o Write a script for opening the interviews that follows Tracy recommendations.
o Use the 5-7 interview questions you developed for Monday, and determine whether they are generative
questions, directive questions, or probing questions. Consider rewording them so that they can bring out rich
detailed responses from your interviewees.
o Write a script to close the interview following Tracy’s recommendations.
 In class workshop day: writing your methods section (RP 2). Refer to p. 101 in Tracy for what goes into a methods section.
F: Interview practice
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 8
 Class discussion points:
o How does Tracy recommend negotiating access for your interviews? What will you do for your project?
o What are Tracy’s recommendations for logistically planning your interviews? What do you plan to do?
o What makes a good interview? How do you get good data?
o What are some advantages and disadvantages to using mediated interviews (e.g., over Skype)?
Week 9 (Mar. 10)
M: Focus group interviews
 Reading: TBA
 Class discussion points:
o What is the value of focus groups? When might a researcher want to use focus group interviews instead of
individual interviews?
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o
Why did these authors use focus groups?
W: Engaging with data
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 9 on preparing data and beginning analysis
 Class discussion points:
o Why transcribe your interviews, and how do you do it?
o What is the difference between first-level and second level codes?
o What is a code?
o What is an in vivo code?
o What is a codebook?
o What is theoretical saturation and how do you know when you’ve reached it?
 Coding activity
F: Engaging with data
 No reading.
 DUE: Research Practicum 2
Week 10 (Mar. 17)
M: Critiquing the quality of qualitative research
 Reading: Stamp & Sabourin, 2004
 Class discussion points:
o Read the Stamp & Sabourin article on male spouse abusers. Refer to the Tracy textbook chapter 11 to critique the
article on 2 of Tracy’s 8 criteria for quality, assigned by the first letter of your last name:
Your last name begins with:
A-F
G-M
N-R
S-Z
Critique these two criteria:
worthy topic, rich rigor
sincerity, credibility
resonance, significant contribution
ethical practice, meaningful coherence
W: Critiquing quality (continued)
 Reading: Murphy, 2001
 Class discussion points:
o Refer to the Tracy text, chapter 11 to critique Murphy’s article on flight attendant communication during
emergencies on 2 of the 8 criteria for quality, assigned by the first letter of your last name:
Your last name begins with:
G-M
N-R
S-Z
A-F
 Exam 2 review
F: Exam 2
Critique these two criteria:
worthy topic, rich rigor
sincerity, credibility
resonance, significant contribution
ethical practice, meaningful coherence
Week 11 – Spring Break Mar. 24-28 – no class
Week 12 (Mar. 31)
M: Deriving findings from your data
 Reading: White, 2004 – an example of thematic analysis
 Class discussion points:
o What were the main things Professor White was aiming to better understand through her interviews?
o By what criteria did she identify important themes in the data?
o What was her strategy or overall approach to presenting the findings? Specifically, how did she use quotes from
her interviews, and how did she structure the presentation of each theme she found?
W: Deriving findings (continued)
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 10—focus on concepts underlined below
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
Class discussion points:
o What is an exemplar? How is it different from a vignette?
o What is a typology? Provide an example that is not already in the book.
o Why use a metaphor approach to analyze data?
F: Group workshop on coding data from your project:
 Researcher notebook assignment #9:
o What’s happening in this transcript?
o What primary codes do you identify?
o Do you see anything interesting that you might want to explore in other transcripts, beyond the primary codes?
 BRING THE TRANSCRIPT DISCUSSED IN NOTEBOOK TO CLASS
Week 13 (Apr. 7)
M: Issues with data analysis
 No reading.
 Researcher notebook assignment #8:
o Complete the exercise “Consider this 9.1” on page 193 of the Tracy textbook
o Only complete questions: 2a,b&c and 4a&b related to data analysis, and questions 1 and 2 a&b related to your
research questions.
W: The importance of qualitative research
 No reading. “The Heart Broken in Half” video
F: Issues with data analysis
 No reading.
 Discussion of your research process so far
 DUE: Research Practicum 3
Week 14 (Apr. 14)
M: Understanding qualitative research, and finalizing your research project
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 12
 (hand back graded RP3s)
 Class discussion points:
o What is a realist tale? How is it different from a confessional tale?
o What are the differences among creative, impressionist and literary tales?
o So far, you/your group has written RPs 1, 2, and 3. Critique these sections according to Tracy’s Ch. 12
recommendations for presenting qualitative research. What in your paper have you done well? What in your paper
could you improve? What is your plan to improve?
W: What your findings mean
 No reading.
 Researcher notebook assignment #10:
o What are the key findings that came out of your study?
o To whom are these findings important?
o Where there findings that were unexpected or counterintuitive?
o What suggestions could you make based on your findings to improve something practical related to your issue?
o How do your findings compare with or relate to aspects of the 2 peer-reviewed articles you selected for your
study? In what ways does your study extend or improve upon the research in those articles?
 Group workshop day to finalize the final papers.
F: Finalizing projects:
 Reading: Tracy, 2013 – Ch. 13 pp. 290-293 on “Overcoming common challenges in qualitative writing”
 Group workshop day
Week 15 (Apr. 21)
M: Introduction to Who is My Neighbor?
 No reading.
 DUE: Final papers
W: Reading: Tompkins—Who is My Neighbor?
 Researcher notebook assignment #11:
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o What do you think of Tompkins methodological choices?
o Based on your experience, would you have chosen different methods to answer the research question?
F: Reading: Tompkins—Who is My Neighbor?
Week 16 (Apr. 28)
M: Group presentations
W: Group presentations
F: Exam review
FINAL EXAM: TBA
References
Ashcraft, K. L. (2005). Resistance through consent? Occupational identity, organizational form, and maintenance of masculinity
among commercial airline pilots. Management Communication Quarterly, 19, 67-90. doi: 10.1177/0893318905276560.
Dowler, L. (2001). The four square laundry: Participant observation in a war zone. The Geographical Review, 91, 414-422.
Eisenberg, E. M., Baglia, J., & Pynes, J. E. (2006). Transforming emergency medicine through narrative: Qualitative action research at
a community hospital, Health Communication, 19, 197-208. doi: 10.1207/s15327027hc1903_2
Fried, C. B. (2008). In-class laptop use and its effects on student learning. Computers & Education, 50, 906-914. doi:
10.1016/j.compedu.2006.09.006
Jahn, J. L. S., & Myers, K. K. (in press). Vocational anticipatory socialization of adolescents: Messages, sources, and frameworks that
influence interest in STEM careers. Journal of Applied Communication Research.
Kirby, E. L., & Krone, K. J. (2002). “The policy exists but you can’t really use it”: Communication and the structuration of work-family
policies. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 20, 50-77.
Lindroth, T., & Bergquist, M. (2010). Laptops in an educational practice: Promoting the personal learning situation. Computers &
Education, 54, 311-320. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.07.014.
Murphy, A. G. (2001). The flight attendant dilemma: an analysis of communication and sensemaking during in-flight emergencies.
Journal of Applied Communication Research, 29, 30-53. doi: 10.1080/00909880128100.
Philipsen, G. (1975). Speaking “like a man” in Teamsterville: Cultural patterns of role enactment in an urban neighborhood. Quarterly
Journal of Speech, 61, 13-22. doi: 10.1080/00335637509383264.
Stamp, G.H., & Sabourin, T.C. (1995). Accounting for violence: An analysis of male spousal abuse narratives. Journal of Applied
Communication Research, 23, 284-307.
Tompkins, P. K. (2009). Who is my neighbor?: Communicating and organizing to end homelessness. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
Tracy, S. J., Myers, K. K., & Scott, C. (2006). Cracking jokes and crafting selves: Sensemaking and identity management among human
service workers. Communication Monographs, 73, 283-308. doi: 10.1080/03637750600889500.
White, C. H. (2004). Welsh widows’ descriptions of their relationships: Themes of relational experience in long-term marriage.
Communication Studies, 55, 1-13. doi: 10.1080/10510970409388602.
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