INF 5220, Autumn 2004
Qualitative Research Methods, Graduate Course for Master & PHD students
Judith Gregory, Førsteamanuensis, judithg@ifi.uio.no, Room 4-380, FP II, 2285-2897,
http://www.ifi.uio.no/~judithg/
Jennifer Blechar, PhD stipendiat, jennifjb@ifi.uio.no Room 109-FP, 2285-2424
The course meets on Thursdays 9:15-12:00 in Room 208, FP II (lower level)
The course will be given in English.
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Note: For certain weeks, the meeting day and location may be changed.
The schedule below is a working draft -- it will be modified as we go along.
Date
Topic
Readings, Assignments
Research issues and skills
02/09
week 1
09/09
week 2
Guest lecture
begins at
9:15
16/09
week 3
23/9
week 4
Introduction to INF-QUAL
Interviewing exercise
Discussion of assignments #1 &
#2 (passive observations)
Research Topics:
 Overview of Qualitative
Research Methods
Guest Lecture:
Knut Hegna, IFI Bibliotek
Assignment #1: Passive (NonParticipant) Observation in a
Public Place
Post your field notes via email
Readings in textbooks:
Creswell: Chapters 1, 2 and 3
Silverman (Interpreting...): Ch. 1
Assignment: 2nd Observation
Field notes documentation
Post your field notes via email
Discussion of first and second
observations & field notes
Research topics:
 Action Research
 Introduction to Research
Design: What is a case? Unit
of analysis in qualitative
research; Intermediate
concept construction
Readings in textbook (continue)
Discussion of interview #1:
Exploring Identity
Research topics:
 Ethics in Qualitative
Research and relations in
research
 Access for field research &
research agreements
Readings in textbooks:
Creswell, Part II: chapters 4, 5 + 6
Silverman: chapter 9
Assignment: Interview: Exploring
Identity; interview without
recording (notes only)
Ethics readings (handouts in class)
Interview #1 summary and
reflection
30/9
week 5
Working Groups:
 Discuss themes & ideas for
possible field research
Post summaries via email
Discussion of interview #1:
Exploring Identity
Research Topics:
Multiple perspectives on a
common object of inquiry
 Considering human and nonhuman actors, actornetworks
 Multiple perspectives within
a field research team (crosscultural, multi-disciplinary,
multi-professional)
 Multiple perspectives of
different actors in the field
Form Working Groups:
 Discuss themes & ideas for
possible field research
Continue readings in textbooks
Additional readings will be handed
out in class
Assignment: Interview #2 -- audio
recording, with notes
Qualitative methods in field sites (in working groups)
7/10
week 6
14/10
week 7
Discussion of interviews
conducted with and without
recording
Working group meetings:
 Planning for Field Site Visits
 Problem formulation;
formulation of research
questions; research plans and
research approach
Readings will be assigned
Discussion of first & second
interviews, audio-recorded
(comparative reflections)
Research topics:
 Analysis of a ‘text’,
documents & material
culture
 Semiotic analysis
 Analysis of Information
Systems
 Integrative mechanisms: how
Additional readings about
Interviewing, Observations, Action
Research, Case Studies
(will be handed out in class)
Additional readings available at IFI
Bibliotek, ask at the front desk
Interview #1: summary and
reflection – all are due 14/10
Post by email
Working groups to post statements
of themes for field research
Interview #2: summary and
reflections – all are due 21/10
Post by email
Field Sites: Walk-throughs or
Orientations; Interviews in the
21/10
9:15 sharp
Guest
lecture &
exercise in
class
to create composite and
distinct analytic ‘pictures’
from the field research
Discussion of readings
Field work requirements
 Discussion of field work
requirements
 Orientation to ‘memo
writing’
Review of Field Research plans
Working groups:
 Access for field research
 Planning for interviewing
in the field: formulation of
questions
Guest Presentation: OLE
SMØRDAL, InterMedia,
“Use of Video in Design
Oriented Research”
Orientation (hands-on) digital
video recording, editing, video
analysis, and production on the
we
Exercise in class: creating
‘video scenarios’.
Field; Observations; Analysis of
‘texts’ (web sites, key articles,
documents)
Readings in textbook (Silverman)
Additional readings available at IFI
Bibliotek, ask at the front desk
Field Sites: Walk-throughs or
Orientations; Interviews in the
Field; Observations; Analysis of
‘texts’ (web sites, key articles,
documents)
[Within your working group: Post
interview summaries & reflections,
field notes, ’memos’ & read each
others’ notes]
Analysis, interpretation, and writing in qualitative research
28/10
Guest
lecture
9:15 sharp
9:15 a.m. Guest Presentation
and interview with invited
researcher: GISLE
HANNEMYR: Notes on Online Research
Norwegian research
requirements for privacy of
individuals & reporting
Research Topics
 Interviewing: an exercise
Research Topics
 Conceptual framing
 Ways of Thinking about Data
Readings in textbook (Silverman)
Additional readings —will be
available at IFI Bibliotek, ask at the
front desk
Field work: continue
04/11
Guest
lecture #1
10:00 a.m.
Guest
lecture #2
11:00 a.m.
11/11
Room 207,
FP II
18/11
Guest
& Data Analysis
--grounded theory (coding)
--intermediate concept
construction
--analysis of interactions;
conversation analysis;
discourse analysis
--actor-network analysis
Discussion of readings
Working groups:
 Discussion round:
status of field research
9:15 Discussion round: status
of field research
Individual reports:
requirements (exam for course)
10:00 a.m.: Guest Presentation
and interview with invited
researcher. ANDERS KLUGE:
Video analysis of Interactive
Users (PHD research in
progress)
11:oo a.m.: Guest Presentation
and interview with invited
researcher: HANS GALLIS &
JARLE PETTER KASBO:
Contextual Inquiry in the
KNOWMOBIL project
Discussion of requirements for
individual written reports
(exam for the course)
Research topics:
 Theoretical Sensitivity
 Reliability and Validity in
Qualitative Research
Discussion of analyses of
‘texts’, documents, IS
Discussion of readings
Working groups:
 Memo writing --any
questions
 Discuss presentation plans
 Set presentation schedule
Guest Presentation: OLA
GRØSTAD: Orientation to
Readings in textbook (Silverman)
Readings
Contextual Inquiry (overview
article) and e.g. KNOWMOBILE
field report, A Contextual Inquiry
(handouts in class)
Field sites: wrap up
Readings in textbooks (Creswell,
Silverman)
Additional readings on Theoretical
Sensitivity; Reliability and
Validity; Reflexive Interpretation –
will be available at IFI Bibliotek, at
front desk
Memo writing: preliminary
analysis of field observations and
materials
Paragraph and outline for your
individual written report, post by
email
Analytic memos are due at the time
of presentations
lecture
25/11
02/12
Software for Qualitative
Research. In MMCL, Room 4379, FP2.
Discussion of readings
Working groups:
 Presentation preparation
Presentations & critiques of
analytic memos, by individuals,
clustered in working groups
Paragraph and outline for your
individual written report, post by
email
Analytic memos are due at the time
of presentations
Presentations & critiques of
Draft individual written reports are
analytic memos, by individuals, due 3 December – must be posted by
clustered in working groups
email
Note: Posting a draft-for-review
is optional, up to you if you want
comments for final paper
09/12
16/12
 Summing up
 Discussion of final papers
(any questions)
 Feedback for the course
going forward
Exam due
Final individual written reports are
due – must be posted by email
Acknowledgement: I wish to thank Susan Leigh Star for her advice regarding the overall
design of INF-QUAL and for permission to adapt exercises from ongoing courses in
sociological methods, grounded theory and field research.