Anthropology 434: Qualitative Research Methods
Spring, 2005
DDH 107E
Class: MWF
Lab: MW
Karen Stocker
Office hours:
MFW
DDH CC 207
665-6875
TA: Genevieve Howard
665-6293
vieve30@hotmail.com
Course Outline:
This course aims to teach students how to collect, analyze, and write up qualitative data. The topics covered in this course include how to select a research project, the ethical treatment of human subjects, the code of ethics for anthropological research, taking, analyzing, and coding fieldnotes, conducting and transcribing interviews, writing and representation, and coping with research results or topics that take a personal toll. Students will conduct qualitative research throughout the course of the quarter and analyze it using the skills learned in class.
Objectives:
In this course, students will learn about and carry out fieldwork and interviews, take fieldnotes and analyze their content using a computer program for coding qualitative data (NVivo), conduct interviews and transcribe their content, and write a 15-20 page paper in which they analyze their data. In addition to a turning in a written report, students will present their papers orally to their peers. In this manner, students should leave this class with an understanding of the validity of qualitative research, an ability to carry out many of its methods and conduct their own first-hand research, and with critical thinking skills tied to analyzing data and writing an effective paper.
Required Texts:
Bernard, Russell
2002 Research
Methods in Anthropology.
Emerson, Robert M., Rachel I. Fretz, and Linda L. Shaw, eds.,
1995 Writing
Ethnographic Fieldnotes.
Other readings will be placed on electronic reserve through
the Walter Stiern Library or are available online on the website noted on the
syllabus. To access materials on
electronic reserve, visit www.lib.csub.edu
and click on “Course Reserves.” Find the reserve readings for LBST 491 by
course number or by my last name. Click on “Electronic Reserve
Grading and Assignments:
1 response paper to a speaker (job candidate or guest speaker)
– out of three such opportunities 15
Human Subjects Review 25
Consent Form 15
Research Proposal 30
Selection of preliminary sources for lit review 10
Literature Review 40
Turn in Fieldnotes 25
Coding Fieldnotes 25
Transcription of Interview 40
Draft of Methods Section 40
Consideration of Potential Effects on Researcher 20
Final Paper 60
TOTAL:
Grading scheme:
100-93% = A
92 - 89 = A-
88-86 = B+
85 - 83 = B
82 - 79 = B-
78-76 = C+
75 - 73 = C
72 - 69 = C-
68 - 66 = D+
65 - 63 = D
62 - 59 = D-
58 = F
Classroom
policies:
1. I will not accept late papers unless you have a documented
excuse
(proving illness, death in the family, or participation in
university-sponsored events). See the guidelines below for policies related to
response papers. All papers are due at the beginning of class on the date
listed, and you must attend class that day to have your paper received.
Response papers are due at the beginning of the class period following the
event (movie or guest speaker) reported.
2. Do not come into class late or leave early, unless you have a
compelling reason that you have discussed with me prior to class.
3. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to find out what
you missed. Any more than three unexcused absences will negatively affect your
grade.
4. Please turn off your cell phones or pagers.
5. All students must adhere to CSUB’s policy on Academic
Integrity, as outlined under Rights and Responsibilities on page 37 of the
Spring 2005 Class Schedule. Students who do not do so will receive an F in the
course and will face disciplinary sanction by Student Discipline and Judicial
Affairs. Please read the following for specifics about what constitutes
plagiarism: http://www.csub.edu/ssric/Modules/Other/plagiarism.htm
6. Qualified students with disabilities who need appropriate
academic adjustments should contact me soon as possible to ensure that your
needs are met in a timely manner. Any disability needs to be verified by
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Upon such verification, all
handouts and assignments will be available in alternative accessible formats
upon request.
7. Students are responsible for tracking their own grade progress
(see “Grading and Assignments,” and “Grading Scheme” above).
8. When I grade your papers, I do not want to know who you are, so
as to avoid any unfair bias in grading. To this end, I request that you turn in
all papers with your name typed on the right corner of the first page only.
Please fold over this corner of each paper before turning in your paper to
assure your anonymity.
Guidelines for
response papers:
In a paper not to exceed one page, outline the following:
1. What were the main points of the guest speaker’s talk? How were these exemplified?
2. What did it reaffirm or teach you about qualitative methods? Tie this concretely to concepts we have discussed or read about in class (cite your sources).
3. Address the effectiveness of the presentation. How could it have been better? What did it do well? Be specific.
4. Note the name of the guest speaker.
The grade for your response paper will be divided equally among these items and your writing skills.
Assignments
are due on the day under which they are listed. For example, students must have
read Bernard, Chapter 1 by Wednesday, March 30.
Monday, March 28
Topic: Introduction to Qualitative Methods
Wednesday, March 30
Rhonda Dugan, a job candidate, will speak in class about her qualitative research project. You may write a response paper to this if you choose to do so. If you do, the paper is due on Friday
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 1
Friday, April 1
Topic: Choosing a Research Site and ethical treatment of human subjects
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 2
Monday, April 4
Topic: Ethics
www.asanet.org/members/ecoderev.htm
Wednesday, April 6
Job candidate Doreen Anderson Facile will lecture in our class and demonstrate what one can do with qualitative methods. You may write a response paper to this talk. If you do so, it will be due on Friday.
Friday, April 8
Topic: Preparing for Research
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 5
Turn in your research
proposal
Monday, April 11
Topic: Choosing Whom to Interview
Presentation by Christy Gavin in the Library. Meet in WSL 7 (Walter Stiern Library, lower level) .(This is not a response paper opportunity.)
Wednesday, April 13
Topic: Literature Reviews
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 4
Friday, April 15
Topic: Participant Observation
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 13
Turn in a preliminary
list of recent sources on your topic.
Monday, April 18
Topic: Participant Observation, continued
Readings: Bernard, Chapter 15
Wednesday, April 20
Topic: Fieldnotes
Assignment: Emerson, et al., Chapters 1 and 2
Friday, April 22
Topic: Fieldnotes
Assignment: Emerson, et al., Chapter 3
Turn in your
literature review
Monday, April 25
Topic: Fieldnotes
Readings: Bernard, Chapter 14
Wednesday, April 27
Topic: Interviews
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 9
Turn in your
fieldnotes
Friday, April 29
Topic: Interview and transcription
Assignment: Chapters 6 and 7 of
Seidman, Irving
1998 Interviewing as Qualitative Research. New York and London: Teachers College
Press.
Monday, May 2
Topic: Interviews, focus groups, and transcription
Assignment: excerpt on transcription methods from
Briggs, Charles
1988 Competence in Performance. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Wednesday, May 4
Topic: Analysis of Data
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 17 (pp. 440-462, 483-485 on analysis)
Turn in one fully
transcribed interview
Friday, May 6
Topic: Analysis of data and coding data
Assignment: Bernard, Chapter 17 (pp. 485-488 on coding)
Monday, May 9
Topic: Coding and Analyzing Data
Assginment: Emerson et al., Chapter 6
Wednesday, May 11
Topic: Analysis of Data
Assignment: Emerson et al., Chapter 5
Turn in a portion of
your coded fieldnotes
Friday, May 13
Topic: Analysis of Data
Assignment: Chapter 2 of
Wolcott, Harry F.
1994 “Description, Analysis and Interpretation in Qualitative Inquiry,” pp. 9-54 in Transforming Qualitative Data. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Press.
Monday, May 16
Topic: Writing Up Qualitative Data
Assignment: Emerson, et al., Chapter 7
Wednesday, May 18
Topic: Writing and Representation
Assignment:
Brettell, Caroline B.
1993 “Introduction: Fieldwork, Text, and Audience,” pp. 1-24 in Caroline B. Brettell, ed., When They Read What We Write. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.
Tuhiwai Smith, Linda
2001 “Introduction,”
pp. 1-18 in Decolonizing Methodologies. London and New York: Zed Books.
Friday, May 20
Class will not meet due to President Mitchell’s inauguration, but please e-mail or turn in to my box in the Anthropology office (DDH AA 209) the methods section of your paper.
Monday, May 23
Topic: Effects of Research on the Researcher
Assignment:
Behar, Ruth
1996 “The Vulnerable Observer,” pp. 1-33 in The Vulnerable Observer: Anthropology that Breaks Your Heart. Boston: Beacon Press.
Wednesday, May 25
Topic: Coping with the personal toll of difficult research
Assignment:
Rothman, Barbara Katz
1986 “Reflections: On Hard Work,” Qualitative Sociology 9 (1): 48-53.
Guest lecturer: Dr. Liora Gubkin. You may write a response paper to her presentation. If you choose to do so, it will be due on Friday.
Friday, May 27
Topic: Implications of Research for the Researcher
Clarke, Michael
1975 “Survival in the Field: Implications of Personal Experience in Field Work,” Theory and Society 2(1): 95-123.
Turn in your paper on
considerations of potential effects of your research project on the researcher.
Monday, May 30 – No
classes (Memorial Day)
Wednesday, June 1
Topic: Presentation of student research and peer review of first drafts
Friday, June 3
Topic: Presentation of student research and peer review of first drafts
Monday, June 6
Topic: Presentation of student research and peer review of first drafts
Final Exam Week: your final paper is due on the final exam date, which is Wednesday, June 8 by 4:30 pm.