Sociology 5083 Methods of Field Research

Transcription

1 Sociology 5083 Methods of Field Research Fall 2009 Tuesday 2 4:50 Room 329 Main Instructor: J. Gaber, 220 Main ( ), jgaber@uark.edu Office hours: Monday and Friday 1 to 3, or by appointment Description An introduction to research strategies including intensive interviewing, participant observation fieldwork, (small group research strategies), content analysis, historical analysis, and comparative research. Emphasis on the practical aspects of designing and executing research involving multiple methods of data gathering and analysis. Objectives The class is organized around four objectives. (1) introduce students to the shared ontological vista inherent in all qualitative investigations; (2) expose students to a series of qualitative research techniques; (3) provide the opportunity for students to try their hand (or eye, or ear) and apply a qualitative research method (or two) in a real life data gathering experience; and, (4) allow students to develop a more complex multi data and multi method research approach. Special Note to Students Academic Honesty o All students are required to execute their own work. Group projects are not allowed. o Proper citation is required. If another person s complete sentence, syntax, key words, or the specific or unique ideas and information are used, one must give that person credit through proper documentation (source: Auburn University, Student Academic Honesty Code, Title XII, Chapter 1200, Definition, ). 1

2 Students with Disability o Students are required to have University of Arkansas accommodation documentation from the Center of Education Access (ada@uark.edu) before assignments are due to receive additional support for the successfully completion of class requirements. Texts The following two texts are required to be read for this class. John Gaber and Sharon Gaber Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy: Beyond the numbers, Chicago: IL., Planners Press. Robert Stake The Art of Case Study Research, Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications. Class Requirements There are six class papers. Paper # Paper due Paper length % of grade Paper #1 October 6 6 to 8 pages 20% Paper #2 October 20 6 to 8 pages 20% Paper #3 November 3 6 to 8 pages 20% Paper #4 November 17 4 to 5 pages 15% Paper #5 December 1 2 to 3 pages 10% Paper #6 December 15 4 to 5 pages 15% Total 100% 2

3 Topics and Reading Assignments + A copy of this reading will be made available in class. August 25 September 1 to Introductions The Research Act/ Validity and Reliability September 8 John Gaber and Sharon Gaber Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy, Ch. 1 Robert Stake The Art of Case Study Research, Chs John Creswell Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (2ed), Thousand Oaks: CA, Age, Chs Norman Denzin The Research Act, Englewood Cliffs: NJ, Prentice Hall, Ch.3. Corrine Glesne Becoming Qualitative Researchers (3ed), Boston: MA, Allyn and Bacon, Chs. 1,2,7. September 15 Mixed Method Research Design I John Gaber and Sharon Gaber Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy, Ch. 6. Robert Stake The Art of Case Study Research, Ch. 7. Albert Hunter and John Brewer Multimethod Research in Sociology, in Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research by Abbas Tashakkori and Charles Teddle (eds), Thousand Oaks: CA, pp Morgan, David Paradigm Lost and Pragmatism Regained: Methodological implication sof combining qualitative and quantitative methods, in The Mixed Method Reader, by Vicki Plano Clark and John Creswell (eds.), Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage, pp September 22 Mixed Method Research Design II + Johnson, Burke., and Lisa Turner Data Collection Strategies in Mixed Method Research, in Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research by Abbas Tashakkori and Charles Teddle (eds), Thousand Oaks: CA, pp

4 + Kemper, Elizabeth., Sam Stringfield, and Charles Teddlie Mixed Method Sampling Strategies in Social Science Research, in Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research by Abbas Tashakkori and Charles Teddle (eds), Thousand Oaks: CA, pp Creswell, John., and Vicki Plano Clark Designing and Conducting Mixed Method Research, Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications. Teddlie, Charles., and Abbas Tashakkori Foundations of Mixed Method Research: Integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches in the social and behavioral sciences, Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications. September 29 No class. Instructor out of town. October 6 [Paper #1 due] Field Research I (In the Field) John Gaber and Sharon Gaber Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy, Ch. 2. Robert Stake The Art of Case Study Research, Ch. 6. Gans., Herbert The Urban Villagers (updated and expanded edition), New York: NY, Free Press. Liebow., Elliott Tally s Corner. Boston: MA, Little Brown and Co. Patton., Michael Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (3 rd ), Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage, Ch. 6. Schatzman., Lenard. And Anselm Strauss Field Research: Strategies for Natural Sociology, Englewood Cliffs: NY Prentice Hall. October 13 Field Research II (Qualitative Interviewing) Gaber., John and Sharon Gaber., (2009). Using Face Validity to Evaluate Experiential Community Observations, in Evaluation and Program Planning, to be publish 2009/10. + Patton., Michael Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (3 rd ), Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage, Ch. 7. Rubin., Herbert and Irene Rubin Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data, Thousand Oaks: Sage. 4

5 October 20 [Paper #2 due] Photographic Field Research I John Gaber and Sharon Gaber Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy, Ch. 3. Pink., Sarah Doing Visual Ethnography (2 nd ), Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications. October 27 Photographic Field Research II + Collier., John and Malcolm Collier Visual Anthropology: Photography as a research method, Albuquerque: NM, University of New Mexico Press, Chs. 14 and 15. Banks., Michael Visual Anthropology: Image, object, and interpretations, in Imagebased Research: A source book for qualitative researchers, by John Prosser (ed.), London, Ch. 10. Riis., Jacob How the Other Half Lives, New York: NT, Dover Publications, Inc. November 3 [Paper #3 due] Small Group Research I John Gaber and Sharon Gaber Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy, Ch. 4. Delbecq., Andre, Andrew Van de Ven, and David Gustafson Group Techniques for Program Planning, Glenview: IL, Scott, Fresman and Co. November 10 Small Group Research II + Krueger., Richard and Mary Anne Casey Focus Groups (3 rd ), Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications, Chs. 5 and 6. Stewart., David and Prem Shamdasani Focus Group Research: Explorations and discovery, in Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods, by Leonard Bickman and Debra Togs (eds.), Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications, Ch.17. November 17 [Paper #4 due] Content Analysis / Archival Research John Gaber and Sharon Gaber Qualitative Analysis for Planning and Policy, Ch. 5. 5

6 Krippendorff., Klaus Content Analysis (2 nd ), Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications. Neuendorf., Kimberly The Content Analysis Guidebook, Thousand Oaks: CA, Sage Publications. November 24 December 1 No class. Thanksgiving. [Paper #5 due] The (Applied) Art of Case Study Research: Re visiting Validity Robert Stake The Art of Case Study Research, Chs. 8 and 9. Glesne., Corrine Becoming Qualitative Researchers (3 rd ), Boston: MA, Person, Allyn and Bacon. December 8 December 15 Day off to write. [Final Paper #6 due] 6