Qualitative Research Methods

Overview: Methods reveal and conceal. But multiple methods are needed if social science is to advance and deal with the pressing issues of both the present and the future. In this class, students will learn how to combine various qualitative methods, at multiple levels of analysis, to understand social scientific phenomenon. Readings will draw from various subfields of psychology and will cover a variety of methods and techniques from ethnographies, participant observation, descriptions, interviewing, various analyses of text including thematic and discourse analyses, and interpretative phenomological analysis.

Research: In conjunction to reading about research methods, students will also learn about qualitative methods by actively conducting their own independent research project. Students are expected to work on this project weekly. This project will be informed by readings each week, and, in turn, the research projects will inform comprehensions of the readings.

Expectations: From undertaking this original research, you will learn how to sample, generate, collect, and analyze different sources of qualitative data on a social phenomenon of your choosing. A broader learning objective is for you to learn how to form evidence based arguments, where you are not afraid to follow an argument where it leads.

Participation is key to success in this class. Much of the knowledge and skill you develop here will arise from in-class interactions with your fellow students – interactions that thoughtfully and respectfully challenge assumptions, broaden perspectives, and reveal insights into the course content.

During in-class discussions, your questions and comments should build on the preceding discussion, and move it forward to generate new insights. Good questions are focused and specific, aimed at inviting the class to dig more deeply into an issue. Good comments go beyond simple statements of opinion, using logic and evidence to offer relevant, focused, and constructive thoughts for the class to consider. Comments that respond immediately to preceding opinions are particularly welcome. Please also note that although spirited discussion is encouraged, making comments in a way that disparages or belittles others is unacceptable. 

Laptops: I prefer if students do not use their laptops in class. Why?

i) I’m a professor, and even I find it hard to pay attention while my laptop is out.

ii) Laptops also distract other people, worsening the class environment.

iii) Studies have found that people actually learn more when they take notes by hand as opposed to on a laptop (Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014).

If you have a compelling reason why you need to use a laptop, talk to me, and we can create an exception.

Classroom Etiquette: Please keep your phone away during class.