1. INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods
introduction

2. Course Materials
Lofland and Lofland, Analyzing Social Settings
Course Reader (at Copy Central)
Course equipment (audio recording device and some notecards)

3. What is Qualitative Research?
Is there such a thing?
How I’m bounding the subject matter for this course:
In situ – the setting where the social process under study takes place
An inductive approach
Reflexive – the researcher as instrument

4. Term Goals
Gain hands on experience with various qualitative methods and feedback on technique
Learn to match research interests with appropriate methodological approaches and to understand what can and can’t be said about a certain corpus of data
Learn how to negotiate the logistical limits and ethical issues inherent in any research practice
The develop a better and broader understanding of the relationship between data and knowledge

5. Epistemology, on the one hand
“The Nature of Knowing, Social Reality, and Procedures for Comprehending these Phenomena” [Bauer and Gaskell]
[OED] epistemology - the branch of philosophy that deals with knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope.

6. Qualitative vs. Quantitative?
Functional equivalence

7. Epistemology Habermas, Knowledge and Human Interests
Control - ‘empirical-analytic’
Consensus - ‘historical-hermeneutic’
Emancipation - ‘critical’

8. Nuts and Bolts, on the other
getting in, getting along, getting out, and consequences:
framework within which the ‘real’ research is conducted
administrative aspects of research
ethical issues
see Lofland and Lofland

9. The Study of Information and Technology
Incorporating material culture (‘technology’ in particular) into research practice
as object of analysis
as ‘probes’ in data elicitation strategies
Theories about the role of the material world in social order
Theories about the production/design and consumption/use of material objects as a social process

10. Qualitative Research in the ‘Real’ World
the wider perspective
theory development and testing / academia
advocacy / non-profit sector, NGOs, journalism
policy design and development / government, NGOs
public information service / media, journalism
product design, marketing, business strategy / corporate domain
innovation, inspiration, creativity / design research, fine arts

11. Qualitative Research in the ‘Real’ World
time factors
# of informants
funding
‘validity’ requirements
level of formality
marketing
policy design and development
# of informants
product design
advocacy
journalism
innovation & inspiration
informal
formal
methodological approach

12. e.g. fine arts
‘impenetrable devices’ on display at National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis
By WOODY BAIRD Associated Press Writer
His inspiration for the anti-rape devices comes from interviews he had with five victims of sexual assault who were trying to regain a sense of physical safety. What they wanted, Sherman said, was body armor.
"When you talk with someone who's been raped, you start getting details that are just horrifying. That horror I transform into my work," Sherman said. "But if I were to make pieces horribly ugly and brutal, there's no redemption. The beauty of the work has a kind of redemptive quality.“

13. Background

14. Assignments Field Notes, due 2/21/08 (15%)
A participant-observation exercise the whole class will collaborate on

15. Assignments Interviews, due 4/3/08 (20%) Two interviews (transcribed)
Get outside of your comfort zone and beyond the campus community

16. Assignments Final Project, due 5/8/08 (55%) Your choice
Build on earlier assignments
Do some preliminary work for your thesis
Or do something entirely new

17. Syllabus
Lectures
Workshop and Discussion
Guest speakers

18. A Mind-Mapping Exercise
What are the hallmarks of high quality, well-conducted research?
What terms come to mind?
[Social Research Update, University of Surrey]