Copyright, Jans-Thomas, S., August 2011.
EDF 6475
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Qualitative Research I – Methods
Dr. Susie Jans-Thomas
Spring 2012
Course Description
Enables graduate students to comprehend and apply new research paradigms, strategies, and techniques
to better understand social change and cultural settings. Qualitative research concepts, theories, and methods offer
an empirical basis to explore nonnumeric data. Students will experience and practice a variety of qualitative applied
research techniques designed to enhance learning.
Our Vision
To be the best regional comprehensive university in America.
Our Mission
To empower each individual we serve with knowledge and opportunity to contribute responsibly
and creatively to a complex world.
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EDF 6475
Qualitative Research I – Methods
Department: Research and Advanced Studies
Credits: 3.0 sh (may not be repeated for credit) Prerequisite: EDF 6481
Academic Year: 2011 – 2012
Day & Time: Tuesdays 5:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. On-line course. I have reserved the conference
room in Building 77, room 107 for meetings every Tuesday night. If you choose to attend said
meetings, you are not required to complete any of the on-line work for that day. All major
assignments are due at the start of each evening discussion for those who choose to attend.
Professor:
Dr. Susie Jans-Thomas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Editor, The Journal of Intercultural Disciplines
Phone: 850.857.6173
Email: sjansthomas@uwf.edu
Office: 77/101
Office Hours: Tuesdays 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Wednesdays – 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Thursdays – 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
*By appointment as needed by students.
Course Description: Enables graduate students to comprehend and apply new research
paradigms, strategies, and techniques to better understand social change and cultural settings.
Qualitative research concepts, theories, and methods offer an empirical basis to explore
nonnumeric data. Students will experience and practice a variety of qualitative applied research
techniques designed to enhance learning.
Required Textbooks
Berg, Bruce L. Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, 7th edition. New York:
Pearson, 2009. ISBN: 978.0.205.62807.0
Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. New York: Crown Publishers, 2010. ISBN:
978.1.4000.5217.2
Weis, Lois. Class Reunion: The Remaking of the American White Working Class. New York:
Routledge, 2004. ISBN: 0.415.94908.4
Wolcott, Harry F. The Man in the Principal’s Office: An Ethnography, Updated Edition. New
York: Alta Mira Press, 2003.
Materials:
3 ring binder
loose leaf filler paper
dividers
Colored pencils
Highlighters
Materials chosen by individual students to complete assignments
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Digital Camera
3 x 5 index cards
Audio Tape/Digital Audio Recorder or Video Tape/Digital Video Recorder
APA Manual (Recent Edition)
Student Learning Outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.
9.
Students will be able to identify and apply the major concepts, terminology, issues and
techniques of qualitative research.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of qualitative research through discussion, written
tests, and oral presentation.
Students will be demonstrate a knowledge of alternative research methods for studying
social and cultural settings.
Students will be able to recognize and interpret the philosophical underpinnings of
qualitative research.
Students will be able to demonstrate a limited proficiency in the fieldwork skills of
observation, interviewing, critical reflexivity, interpreting and transcribing data.
Students will formulate a critical consciousness, specifically, a deeper understanding of
the flaws within research methods and the evolving nature of qualitative research.
Students will be able to conceptualize and illustrate the appropriate methodology to
support a qualitative research study proposal with a clear purpose and focus.
Students will develop skills for understanding social, educational, historical, political, and
ideological perspective using qualitative research practices and findings.
Students will understand Passive v. Participant Ethongraphic research.
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Course Content
Daily use of the document: The day and date of each class meeting are provided. The
bold faced word, or phrase, is the general theme or topic for the class session. The list of
statements underneath the bold faced theme are supporting topics reflective of the main topic.
The *Readings are expected to be completed before class, and correspond to the day
under which they are listed.
Debriefing will take place at the end of each class period. This class time has the
following purposes:
1. to acquaint students with a variety of assessment practices.
2. to permit immediate instructional feedback.
3. to promote connections between theory and practice.
Assessment Portfolio will be completed in written form by individual students after the
Debriefing. The purpose of this document is to:
1.
acquaint students with a variety of assessment strategies used to improve classroom
instruction.
2. assist the professor in assessing instructional delivery.
3. provide students with written feedback from the professor on a regular basis.
Day 1 –January 10, 2012: Overview of the Course
Location: Bldg 77/107
Getting to know you
Discussion of the syllabus
Course Expectations
Organization of the course
Writing Research Papers
1. Plagiarism
2. Identifying the Purpose of Writing
3. Delineating a Supportive Structure
4. Presenting Research Material
5. The Writing Process
6. Presenting a Paper
Primitive Definitions of Qualitative Research
*Readings: Berg, Chapter 12 – all
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
Day 2 – January 17, 2012: What Is Qualitative Research? How Is It Designed?
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, Preface - 2003 & 1973, Ch. 1
Quantitative versus qualitative schools of thought
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Using Triangulation in Research Methodology
Qualitative Strategies
From a Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
Theory and Concepts
Reviewing the Literature
Evaluating Web Sites
Two Card Method
Theory, Reality, and the Social World
Framing Research Problems
Operationalization and Conceptualization
Designing Projects
Data Collection and Organization
Data Storage, Retrieval, and Analysis
Dissemination
*Readings:
Berg, Chapters 1 & 2 – all
*Submit observation site is due for approval.
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
5
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Day 3 –January 24, 2012: Ethical Issues
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, Chapter 2
Research Ethics in Historical Perspective
From Guidelines to Law
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)
Ethical Codes
Some Common Ethical Concerns in Behavioral Research
New Areas for Ethical Concern: Cyberspace
Informed Consent and Implied Consent
Confidentiality and Anonymity
Securing the Data
Objectivity and Careful Research Design
First Observation Due
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 3
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
6
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Day 4 –January 31, 2012: Qualitative Interviewing
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, Chapter 3
Dramaturgy and Interviewing
Types of Interviews
Interview Schedule
Schedule Development
Communicating Effectively
Common Problems in Question Formulation
Pretesting Schedule
Long Versus Short Interviews
Computer Assisted Interviewing
Conducting and Interview
Dramaturgical Interview
Interviewer’s Repertoire
Know Your Audience
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 4
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
7
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Day 5 – February 7, 2012: Focus Groups
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, Chapter 4
Second Observation Due
Focus Group Observations
Moderator’s Role
Evolution of Focus Group Interviews
Facilitating Focus Groups
Moderator’s Guide
Basic Ingredients
Analyzing Data
Confidentiality and Focus Group Interviews
Recent Trends in Focus Groups: Online Focus Groups
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 5
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
8
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Day 6 – February 14, 2012: Ethnographic Field Strategies
On-Line
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, Chapter 5
Accessing a Field Setting
Reflectivity and Ethnography
Critical Ethnography
Becoming Invisible
Watching, Listening, and Learning
Computers and Ethnography
OnLine Ethnography
Analyzing Ethnographic Data
Typologies, Sociograms, and Metaphors
Disengaging
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 6
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
9
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Day 7 – February 21, 2012: Action Research
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, Chapter 6
The Basics
Identifying the Research Question(s)
Gathering Information
Analyzing and Interpreting the Information
Sharing the Results with Participants
When to Use It
Action Researcher’s Role
Third Observation Due
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 7
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
10
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Day 8 – February 28, 2012: Biographies, Interviews, Race Relations, Socio-Economics, & Ethics
in Research
*Readings: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Part 1
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Day 9 –March 6, 2012: Biographies, Interviews, Race Relations, Socio-Economics, & Ethics in
Research
Complete Oral Interviews
*Readings: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Part 2
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Day 10 –March 13, 2012: Independent Research – No Meeting
Complete Oral Interviews
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Day 11 – March 20, 2012: Spring Break
Day 12 –March 27, 2012: Archival Strategies
Location: Bldg 77/107
Public Archives
Commercial Media
Actuarial Records
Official Documentary
Autobiographies
Photographic Inquiry
Evolution
General viewing
Photographs for reflection
Photographs for elicitation
Visual narratives with photographs
Ethical issues in visual images
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 8
Biographies, Interviews, Race Relations, Socio-Economics, & Ethics in Research
*Readings: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Part 3
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
14
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Day 13 –April 3, 2012: Oral Traditions
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, Chapter 7
Historiography and Oral Traditions
Defining historical research
Life Histories and Historiography
Sources of Data for Historical Researchers
Conducting Historiography
What Are Oral Histories?
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 9
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
15
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Day 14 – April 10, 2012: Case Studies
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading with the Professor: Wolcott, Chapter 8
Theory and Nature
Individual
Intrinsic, Instrumental, and Collective Case Studies
Design Types
Scientific Benefit
Organizations
Communities
Data Collection
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 10
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
16
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Day 15 – April 17, 2012: Introduction to Content Analysis
Location: Bldg 77/107
Reading for Discussion: Wolcott, complete
What is content analysis?
Analysis of Qualitative Data
Content analysis as a technique
Content analysis: Qualitative or Quantitative
Communication components
Levels and units of analysis
Open coding
Coding frames
Stages
Computers
*Readings:
Berg, Chapter 11
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
17
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Day 16 – April 24, 2012: Interview Project Due
Location: Bldg 77/107
Debriefing
Assessment Portfolio
18
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Day 17 – May 1, 2012: Final Examination
Location: Bldg 77/107
Class Reunion: The Remaking of the American White Working Class
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Student Assessment
Attendance & Participation
10%
Attendance and Participation are essential, as well as expected. If an absence should
occur it is the student’s responsibility to attain the missed information.
To receive credit, ALL examinations and assignments must be turned in on the assigned
due date. NO late work will be accepted. See syllabus and assignment specifications for exact
dates and times.
Turn off all cell phones and electronic devices as a courtesy to all members of the class.
Should cell phone usage (this includes talking, emailing, and texting) occur during class it will
result in the loss of all Attendance and Participation credit for the course.
All assignments must be typewritten, double-spaced on one side of white paper.
Bibliographic sources must be documented using the APA format. Use of footnotes, or
endnotes, should also be documented using APA format.
A ‘Statement of Original Work’ form verifying that all work is original must accompany
all assignments.
Observation Project
25%
See hand-out specifications.
Interview & Photographic Inquiry Project
40%
See hand-out specifications.
Final Examination
See hand-out specifications.
25%