Psychology 360L: Qualitative Research Methods Thursdays 1:45 - 4:30 pm Cleveland 109 and Additional 2 hour Lab/Field Study Section Wells College Fall 2006 Psychology has been traditionally defined by and based upon Western, Eurocentric, and biological perspectives and assumptions. These traditional premises in psychological education, research, practice, and organizational change, and have not always considered the influence and impact of racial and cultural socialization. They also have not considered that the effects of related biases have, at times, been detrimental to the increasingly complex needs of clients and the public interest. These Guidelines were designed to aid psychologists as they increase their knowledge and skills in multicultural education, training, research, practice and organizational change. From the “Conclusion” in the Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists American Psychological Association. Approved as APA Policy by the APA Council of Representatives, August, 2002 Instructor: Dr. Muñoz vmunoz@wells.edu Teaching Assistant: Pia DiPaola pdipaola@wells.edu Required Texts Maxwell, J.A. 2005. Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach. Sage Publications. (Second Edition) Nicol, A, & Pexman, P. 2003. Displaying Your Findings: A Practical Guide for Creating Figures, Posters, and Presentations. American Psychological Association. Please note: Displaying Your Findings will be used more as a guide for your tables, diagrams, charts, etc. rather than as a weekly reader. Refer to it for all illustrations that you need for the course. Required Supplemental Readings The supplemental readings will be drawn from qualitative studies in books and journals and will provide important examples for critically reflecting on methodologies, data collection and analysis, and for writing up your final report/manuscript. These readings are as just as important as the required texts. Read them thoughtfully.
Turn off cell phones! Please note that because the syllabus WILL be updated as the class progresses and because Lab and Fieldwork assignments will be posted here, it is best not to print out a copy of the syllabus but instead check in on a weekly basis through this webpage. An easy way to do this is to bookmark this page on your computer. Be sure to refresh the page everytime for the most current version of the syllabus, labs, and fieldwork. These will be updated, but will give you an idea of what to expect right now: Research Proposal Guidelines Oral Presentation Guideline (p*point) Research Report Guidelines Catalogue Course Description Methodologies in psychology which use qualitative description and analysis. Methods emphasized: interviews, case study, and participant observation. Extensive use of video and computer technologies for data collection and analysis. Three class hours and two of field based study. Overview of Course This is an intensive 4-credit course that is designed to immerse you in qualitative methods. You will design and then conduct a small scale research study. To do this well, you must put in the hours on both the data collection side and the data analysis side and study the required texts thoroughly. Your critical analysis of methodologies will also be expected. No method is neutral, objective, or without bias because all methods we use involve human subjectivity and interpretation of data. Ethics of research will also be a central component of this course. We will consider what methodologies are ethical or unethical and why. Using the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2002) we will critically examine how these issues are involved in psychological research, especially related to informed consent and who benefits from research. Overall, we will grapple with the fundamentals of qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis and to use technologies to support this process. Qualitative methods have a significant place in psychology today as they have throughout the history and development of the discipline. In psychology (indeed across all fields in the natural and social sciences) research methods have been changing to accommodate new areas of study as well as social justice approaches to knowledge, for example, Indigenous research methodologies and liberation psychology. Still, the fundamentals of scientific methodology remain the same: any method must answer the research question reliably and with validity as well as provide answers that are worth knowing. We will critically examine how qualitative methods meet these criteria by reading current research studies which take a variety of perspectives. Guest speakers will also add to this dialogue. The course has four integrated sections:
I. II. III. IV.
Philosophical and Methodological Issues in Current Psychological Research Designing a Research Proposal Data Collection and Data Analysis Report Writing
Learning Outcomes 1. Design and carry out a qualitative study which seeks to critically understand an aspect of human life which is important and worthwhile to know more about; 2. Generate conceptual models of human behavior and interactions which illustrate and help us think further about the research process and the data; 3. Develop and carry out interview, case study, participant observer, and naturalistic observer techniques for data collection and analysis; 4. Use video and computer technologies to conduct data collection and analysis; 5. Critically think through the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative methodologies, including the ethics of research; 6. Present a completed study as a manuscript in APA format; 7. Give a presentation to the class as if we are a professional audience at the APA convention. 8. Present your research at the site you conducted it or to the participants in your study. In addition to the above this course will focus on the following aspects for developing cultural competence within ourselves and working with others different from ourselves: From APA's Multicultural Guidelines (APA, 2003, p. 386) Guideline 3: As educators, psychologists are encouraged to employ the constructs of multiculturalism and diversity in psychological education. From Fouad & Arredondo (2007, p. 65): Competency Statements Psychologists who use the constructs of "multiculturalism" and "diversity" in psychological education will be able to demonstrate -- knowledge about different learning models and approaches to teaching from multiple cultural perspectives --knowledge of how to incorporate statements of philosophy and principles in course syllabi --knowledge of how to design a culture-centered curriculum that is thematic to an educational program --knowledge of how to anticipate a range of emotional reactions in students and be prepared to
understand and facilitate respectful discussion and disagreement, and -- knowledge of the research findings about the effects of multicultural counseling and psychology coursework References: APA. (2003). Guidelines on multicultural education, training, research, practice, and organizational change for psychologists. Fouad, N.A., & Arredondo, P. (2007). Becoming culturally oriented: Practical advice for psychologists and educators. Washington DC: APA. Guest Speakers Professors Hill and King-McKenzie will be guest speakers. The time and days are still to be worked out. If there are speakers on campus that will be presenting material relevant to this course, you will be encouraged to attend and write up a short essay for extra credit. COURSE FORMAT: The Qualitative Research Project Research Questions: Within the first two - three weeks of class we will identify a problem that we want to study qualitatively as a class throughout the rest of the semester. We will develop a set of research questions that will be studied and explored collaboratively. Another way to think about this is that we will decide on a central focus or "umbrella" theme for the semester. The class as a whole will limit its scope to one overarching research question. Each student will then develop research questions and an individual project relevant to the overall class focus. Research Site: You will need to identify a place where you can carry out your research. This is a task that you need to begin to think about immediately and then confirm within the first four weeks of class. This is central to your success. Lab/Field Reports: You are expected to fully read and explore each week's reading assignment as preparation for carrying out the lab/field section. Your lab/field assignments will closely follow your research project, that is, you should plan to carry out your lab/field assignments at your research site. These labs are directly linked to your research project and should be used to carry out your research project. Lab/Field exercises will be provided weekly for you to carry out that week and are due the following class. Expect to spend two hours in the field collecting data and then extra time (ranging from 1 - 2 hours per week) typing up your notes, analyzing your data, creating models, using the technology, and generally working further with the data. It is necessary to do the course readings before doing the Lab/Fieldwork. Collaborative Work and Sharing of Data: Since we will be investigating a topic collaboratively it is essential that each student be prepared to discuss and contribute in class. The
data collected by each student will be shared during class time so that we can discuss in detail what is being observed in the field and our interpretations of what we are observing. You should bring your data and field work to share with the class as a 5 - 10 minute PowerPoint presentation every week. It may not be possible for everyone to present each week but you should come prepared. Readings and Class Discussion: The seminar time will be spent discussing the required readings of that week and your lab/field study reports. Oral Presentation: During our last class meeting each student will present the findings of the study to the class. This presentation should be organized and given as if the class is a professional audience, for example, at an APA conference. You should bring your project to discuss with the class as a PowerPoint presentation and, if appropriate, as a video. A handout is available to be used as a guideline. Research Paper: Your final piece of writing will be a research paper that will be 15 pages in length, APA format, which will include: 1. Relatively small but adequate literature review (7 primary sources minimum); 2. Discussion of your research question contextualized within the literature review; 3. Methodology section where you discuss the methods used, your participants, ethics, informed consent, and why you carried out the study in the ways you did; 4. Data analysis section where you discuss your emergent themes and provide graphics of your analysis of the interactions you analyzed (observed and conceptual interactions) This will be the bulk of your paper; 5. Conclusion section where you discuss directions for future research; 6. References (works cited); 7. Bibliography (works consulted); 8. Appendices (documents such as, interview questions, drawings, photos, etc.) ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION ***Assignments handed in late (this means anytime after they are collected at the beginning of class) will be graded down one grade per day late including that class day they were due*** Please allow yourself sufficient time to both carry out and write up the assignments. Please note that attendance is required. Except in the case of documented emergencies, absences will lower your grade in the following manner: For each class missed your final grade will be lowered by a grade (i.e. if you miss one class and it is not a documented emergency your grade will be changed from A to A-, B+ to B, etc.).
***Arriving late to class will adversely affect your participation grade as will falling asleep in class or text messaging*** 1. Class participation through discussion of the readings, labs, and research projects. (10%) 2. Weekly lab/field reports (40 %, 8 LABS WORTH 5 POINTS EACH) the beginning of class. Handed in weekly at
3.Research Proposal (10 %) Due at beginning of class OCTOBER 12 but can be handed in earlier for feedback. Presentation of proposal will be in class Oct. 5. This will be to get feedback from the class before finalizing your proposal and handing that in Oct. 12. 4. Research Paper (30%) Due week of final exams in my office. 15 minutes in length including brief Q &
5. Oral Presentation in PowerPoint format (10 %) A. November 30 (Last day of class)
READING ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES Reading assignments and Lab/Field work will be discussed on the days they are listed below. You will have had to do the reading before class and come prepared to ask and answer questions. Week 1 August 24: Introductions, overview of course and requirements, and introductory discussion of "What is Qualitative Research?" Discussion of possible themes/topic areas for study. READING: Selected readings -Teresa McCarty, A Place to be Navajo Ruth Behar, The Vulnerable Observer Michelle Fine & Lois Weiss, Working Method Azar Nafisi, Liberal Education & the Republic of the Imagination I. Philosophical and Methodological Issues in Current Psychological Research Week 2 August 31: Discussion of selected readings which were handed out 8 – 24 – 06 in small groups to then report back to whole class . Discuss the following questions -- What were the salient themes? Questions of ethics? Who benefits? What is the role of the researcher? Is the researcher a member of the group
being researched? In what ways does this matter? What are the questions the researchers raise for themselves? These are some of the questions that will guide our critical reading of course material throughout the semester. READING: Selected Readings handed out for discussion next week – Linda Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies Begin discussion of ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOLOGISTS AND CODE OF CONDUCT we will also begin to discuss APA’s Multicultural Guidelines. Your Research Questions to discuss LAB: Meet at 12:30 in Cleveland computer lab with Pia DiPaola Making conceptual models; concept maps Lab assignment #1 handed out II. Designing a Qualitative Research Study Week 3 September 7:
READING: Selected Readings handed out for discussion next week – Qualitative Research Design Chapter 1, "A Model for Qualitative Research Design" pp. 1 - 14. Chapter 2, "Goals: Why Are You Doing This Study?" pp. 15 - 32. LAB: Lab/Field #1 write-up due Lab assignment #2 handed out Week 4 September 14: READING: Selected Readings handed out for discussion next week – Qualitative Research Design Chapter 3, "Conceptual Framework: What Do You Think Is Going On?" pp. 33 - 63. Chapter 4, "Research Questions: What Do You Want To Understand?" pp. 65 78;
LAB: Lab/Field #2 write-up due Lab assignment #3 handed out Consent Form (sample) Week 5 September 21: READING: Qualitative Research Design Chapter 5, "Methods: What Will You Actually Do?" pp. 79 - 103. Research Proposal guidelines discussed LAB: Lab/Field #3 write-up due Lab assignment #4 handed out
Week 6 September 28: READING: Qualitative Research Design Chapter 6, "Validity: How Might You Be Wrong?" pp. 105 - 116; Chapter 7, "Research Proposals: Presenting and Justifying a Qualitative Study" pp. 117 - 137; Appendix: An Example of a Qualitative Proposal, pp. 139 - 158. LAB: Lab/Field #4 Write-up due Proposal is due next week. No new Lab handed out this week because Research
Research Proposal guidelines discussed III. Data Collection and Data Analysis Week 7 October 5: Come prepared to discuss your research proposal -- ALL students must bring P*Point that includes your research question, methods, and how you plan to analyze the data. Pay special attention to issues of validity threats. This will be an interactive workshop class to develop your research proposal. Then during this week you will write up the final version of your research proposal which will be due October 12. We will also discuss Lab #5 and interview techniques. Over the course of this week you will have two assignments due: Lab #5 and the write up of the Research Proposal. LAB: Week 8 Lab assignment #5 handed out October 12: Research Proposal Due in class
READING: Qualitative Methods in Psychology Chapter 6, " Narrative Psychology and Narrative Analysis," pp. 95 - 112 Chapter 7, "Video Methods in Qualitative Research," pp. 113 129 LAB: Lab/Field #5 Write-up due
Lab assignment #6 handed out
Week 9 LAB:
October 19: Lab/Field #6 Write-up due
Lab assignment #7 handed out (DUE November 3) Continue your data collection through interviews, observations, and other techniques. Week 10 October 26: Handouts Continue your data collection through interviews, observations, and
READING:
No lab due this week other techniques. Week 11
November 2: Handouts
READING:
LAB: Lab/Field #7 Write-up due -- bring PowerPoint presentation of your codes. Lab assignment #8 handed out Continue your data collection through interviews, observations, and other techniques. IV. Report Writing Week 12 November 9: Discussion of individual projects and coding --bring PowerPoint presentation of your codes. READING: ON RESERVE examples of qualitative research Continue to develop emergent themes and interactive models Lab assignment #8 Due Continue your data collection through interviews, observations, and other techniques. Week13 November 16: Discussion of individual projects and emergent themes--bring PowerPoint presentation of your themes. READING: ON RESERVE examples of qualitative research Continue to develop emergent themes and interactive models Continue your data collection through interviews, observations, and other techniques. Week 14 November 23 Thanksgiving Break -- No class.
Week 15 November 30: Project Presentations Oral Presentations -- each person will have 15 minutes to present the research study to the class with several minutes of Q & A to follow. Please see guidelines for oral reports. APA format Demo to use as a template Final Research Report due week of final exams.