360L Qualitative Research Methods

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360L Qualitative Research Methods

• Week 2
• September 1, 2005

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Topic for courseThe Umbrella

• What research questions did you formulate?
• How did you come up with them?
• In what ways can we link up everyones interests?
• What will our Umbrella be?
• What are the various approaches and angles we can
  take toward this topic?

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This weeks readings from Qualitative Research
in Psychology give an overview of the various,
and sometimes conflictive, perspectives on
qualitative and quantitative inquiry. Well
approach these readings as qualitative
researchers might looking to understand what
each author means from her or his point of
view.Chapter 1 Naming the StarsChapter 2 Art
and ScienceChapter 4 Dancing Through Minefields
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Reading Discussion

• What did you find interesting about these
  chapters?
• What questions do you have?
• What are you curious to know more about?
• What are some common themes discussed by all the
  authors?
• What is distinct about each one?
• How would you summarize the central issues?

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Reading DiscussionKeep in mind that dichotomies
simplify complex relationships

• Inductive/Deductive
• Participant/Subjects
• Epistemological stances
• Creativity/Understanding
• New means of data collection
• Experimental forms of writing
• Playful ways of disseminating results

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Reading Discussion

• When the language used to describe the outcomes
  of qualitative research are artfully crafted it
  allows someone to feel the heat p. 20
• To describe the quality (not just the quantity)
  of human life
• How do we do this using our research questions as
  a guide?

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Reading Discussion

• If the only tool you have is a hammer, you treat
  everything as if it were a nail. P. 21
• The qualitative researcher, like the critic,
  serves as a midwife to perception p. 26
• For a work of fiction to be great it has to be
  true p. 27
• What can I do with this study?

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Ethics In Research

• APA Ethical guidelines http//www.apa.org/ethics/c
  ode2002.html
• How can researchers best understand, interpret,
  and present findings? is an ethical question as
  much as it is a scientific one. And there is no
  easy answer. P. 65
• Informed Consent

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Lab 1 Making Conceptual Models -- using
graphics to illustrate your thinking and writing
research memos
PURPOSE This first lab is meant to get you to
uncover/discover your own ideological stances,
biases, and assumptions using visual (graphics)
and writing (research memo) tools. To introduce
you to making illustrations of concepts to
visually represent your thinking and to writing
research memos. These are important tools
(remember its better to have more than one
tool!). METHOD A research memo is an analytical
tool for working through your ideas. It is NOT
just a note to self.A conceptual model is more
than a pretty picture. It visually documents your
analytical thinking and interpretations of
interactions. You can use the drawing tools in
PPoint or Word. Resource Displaying Your
Findings, pp. 147 - 149, conceptual models of
parents reasons for placing their children in
private schools. Also, treatment model from
social work.
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Hourglass Model
AN INTERACTIVE MODEL OF RESEARCH DESIGN
from J. Maxwell, 2005 Figure 1.1, p. 5
Conceptual
Purposes
Context
Research
Questions
Validity
Methods
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AN INTERACTIVE MODEL OF RESEARCH DESIGN
from J. Maxwell, 2005 p. 6
Contextual Factors
Perceived
Personal
Problems
Experience
Existing Theory
Personal
and
Political
Pilot
Goals
and
Prior
Research
Participant
Concerns
Thought
Experiments
Funding
Data
and
Conclusions
Ethical
Standards
Setting
Researcher
Personal
Skills
Research Paradigm
Style
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DUE next week

• Designing a Qualitative Research Project --
  Readings in Maxwell, Qualitative Research Design,
  Chaps 1, 2, 3
• Lab 1 -- Bring PPoint of your work to present
  to the class (10 minutes plus discussion).
• Well approach Lab 1 as a workshop on our own
  personal assumptions and ideologies
• Continue discussion of The Umbrella and
  continue to develop your research questions.
  Bring new versions.