1. PS398 Qualitative Methods in Psychology: Course Introduction Instructor: Julian Hasford Teaching Assistant: Keith Adamson January 5, 2008

2. Agenda IcebreakerIcebreaker What is qualitative research?What is qualitative research? Course OverviewCourse Overview Glossary DemoGlossary Demo Q & A, Sign-up SheetsQ & A, Sign-up Sheets Preview for next classPreview for next class

3. Icebreaker

4. What is Qualitative Research? –“[An approach to inquiry that is]... multimethod in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter...qualitative researchers study things in their natural setting to make sense of, or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them.” (Denzin and Lincoln, 1994:2)

5. Course Overview –This course will provide a basic introduction to the epistemological and methodological diversity within qualitative research and familiarize students with key concepts and methods. Students will examine the critical issues of subjectivity, objectivity, validity, and reliability, and will examine the specific criteria and strategies for enhancing quality and rigor in qualitative research. The course will be balanced between theoretical and practical components. Students will gain experience in research design, data collection, transcription, analysis and reporting.

6. Course Overview TextsTexts –Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (3rd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. –Supplementary Readings Ponterotto, J.G. (2005). Qualitative research in counseling psychology: A primer on research paradigms and philosophy of science. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 126-136. Others TBA

7. Course Overview Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives –By the end of this course, students should be able to: Analyze and evaluate the philosophical and ethical aspects of qualitative research; Analyze and evaluate the theoretical and methodological aspects of various qualitative research traditions; Design a qualitative research study; Plan, conduct, and transcribe qualitative research interviews; Analyze textual data using a Grounded Theory approach and NVivo qualitative data analysis software; and Write a scholarly qualitative research article

8. Course Overview Class FormatClass Format –Readings –Lectures –Labs –Active Learning E.g., “think-pair-share”, short writing exercises, formative peer evaluation, learning-by-teaching, group work –Participation is key –WebCT

9. Course Overview Course ScheduleCourse Schedule

10. Course Overview Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation –7 main evaluation components –Research project Design, conduct, and write-up small qualitative study Memos, Consent, Interview Guide, Transcript, Report Work independently, in pairs, in groups –Assignments due by 10pm on listed date, unless indicated otherwise

11. Course Overview Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation 1)Glossary: 5% (TBD) 2)Mid-Term: 30% (Feb. 12) 3)Memos: 10% (1% each) (see Schedule) 4)Informed Consent Form: 0% (2% late penalty) (Jan. 27) 5)Interview Guide: 5% (Jan. 29) 6)Interview Transcript: 10% (Mar. 2) 7)Final Report: 40% (Apr. 13)

12. Course Overview Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation –Glossary Presentation (5%) Student pairs present ~5 min. “mini-lecture” on course concept: –Definition, Methodological/Theoretical significance, Example from qualitative research study Cite at least two peer-reviewed articles.PPT slideshow submitted to TA by 5pm on Mon. or Wed. before your presentation Evaluation: clarity and correctness (2%), relevance of example (2%), quality of presentation (1%)

13. Course Overview Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation –Memos (10 @ 1% = 10%) Short written documents Most memos drafted in-class, submit revised version Specific guidelines to be provided Evaluation: completion, meeting the deadline, adhering to guidelines

14. Course Overview Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation –Interview Guide (5%) 5-7 questions, probes, brief introductory and concluding statements Draft prepared in class & peer evaluated Revised version to be used to generate common class interview guide Evaluation: completion, meeting the deadline, adhering to guidelines

15. Course Overview Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation –Interview Transcript (10%) Transcribe 30-45 min. interview Specific guidelines to be provided Evaluation: completion, meeting the deadline, adhering to guidelines

16. Course Overview Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation –Research Report (40%) Based on analysis of five transcripts 16-20 pages (excluding appendices) APA Style Evaluation criteria to be provided

17. Subjectivity DefinitionDefinition –Inner beliefs, desires, and meanings that individuals bring to their actions, experiences, and environments (Flick, 2006) –Lived experience

18. Subjectivity Theoretical & Methodological SignificanceTheoretical & Methodological Significance –Subjectivity is influenced by context (e.g., interpersonal, historical, cultural) –Distinguish between researcher subjectivity and participant subjectivity –In positivist research, researcher subjectivity considered a source of bias, participant subjectivity considered unknowable –In constructivist research, researcher subjectivity acknowledged (or embraced), subjectivity (self and other) a major phenomenon of interest (Patton, 2002) Researcher subjectivity conveyed/explored through reflexivity, autobiographical methods, writing (Nelson, 2005) Study of subjectivity involves methods that elicit deep, personal information (e.g., in-depth interviews, journals) Challenge of translating experience into text

19. Subjectivity Example (Whittle, 2005)Example (Whittle, 2005) –Background: Study of how the subjectivity of management consultants is shaped by conflicting discourses (concepts, language, practices that shape experience and behaviour) –Design: Ethnographic study of 10 management consultants Data collected through field work and in-depth interviews (field notes, transcripts, emails, documents) Used discourse analysis to identify common themes

20. Subjectivity Example (Whittle, 2005)Example (Whittle, 2005) –Findings Management consultants experience tensions between practicing and preaching “flexibility” Tensions produced cynical, psychologically distanced subjectivity Tensions did not affect performance

21. Subjectivity ReferencesReferences Flick, U. (2006). An Introduction to Qualitative Research. London: Sage. Nelson, C. (2005). Crafting researcher subjectivity in ways that enact theory. Journal of Language, Identity & Education, 4(4), 315-320. Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (3rd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Whittle, A. (2005). Preaching and practising ‘flexibility’: Implications for theories of subjectivity at work. Human Relations, 58(10), 1301–1322.

22. Glossary Possible Article SourcesPossible Article Sources –Scholarsportal (PsychInfo) –Other WLU electronic databases –Google Scholar –Recommended Reading List –Patton Bibliography

23. Questions?

24. Next Class Strategic Themes in Qualitative InquiryStrategic Themes in Qualitative Inquiry –Readings: Patton (2002) Ch. 1 & 2 –Identify general goals and strategies of qualitative research –Examine similarities and differences between qualitative and quantitative research