SYA6305: Methods of Social Research I


Fall 2007

Class: Thursdays 3:00-6:00 p.m. in the sociology conference room (first class is in Black Hall 315)

 

 

Instructor

TA

Name:

Monika Ardelt, Ph.D.

Rachel Hallum

Office:

3350 Turlington

3305 Turlington

Phone:

392-0251 ext. 247

(cell): 386-956-9231

E-mail:

Ardelt@soc.ufl.edu

rhallum@ufl.edu

Office Hours:

T, Th 1:30-2:45 p.m. and by appointment

T 1-2:30 p.m. and by appointment

WWW:

http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/ardelt/

 

 

 

Course Content

 

This course is primarily an introduction to qualitative research methods. We will begin by briefly discussing the goal, purpose, ethic, and logic of social research, comparing quantitative and qualitative approaches. The remainder of the course is reserved for the study of qualitative research. We will discuss and practice qualitative data collection, writing fieldnotes, qualitative interviewing, and the analysis of qualitative data. At the end of the course, you should be confident enough to initiate and conduct your own qualitative research project.

 

Required Readings

Bernard, H. Russell. 2000. Social Research Methods. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Emerson, Robert M. 2001. Contemporary Field Research. Perspectives and Formulations. 2nd Ed. Prospects Heights, IL: Waveland.

 

Lomand, Turner C. 2007. Social Science Research. A Cross Section of Journal Articles for Discussion and Evaluation, 5th Edition. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak.

 

Course packet (abbreviated as “CP” in the reading list) available at Target Copy (1412 West University Avenue right next to Chipoltle Resturant).

 

Highly Recommended Readings

Esterberg, Kristin G. 2002. Qualitative Methods in Social Research. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

 

Ragin, Charles C. 1994. Constructing Social Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Maimon, Elaine P., Janice H. Peritz, and Kathleen Blake Yancey. 2007. A Writer’s Resource. A Handbook for Writing and Research. 2nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Requirements

 

Readings and Class Participation: An interaction between students and instructor will be the basis of most classes. Hence, it is absolutely essential that you read the assigned material in advance so that you are able to participate in class discussions.

For each class, you will prepare one or more questions based on the assigned readings and write down possible answers to those questions or issues that should be considered when attempting to answer those questions. Questions and answers should be typed and double-spaced and should contain a heading that identifies the student and the reading(s) that inspired the question. Questions and “answers” should fill AT LEAST one full page (i.e., a minimum of 24 lines, Times New Roman, 11 font). The questions should be asked in class to stimulate class discussions. Students who would like to receive feedback on the questions and answers should place them in my mailbox on the Wednesday before class at noon. The deadline for submission of the question and answers is the end of the class for which the questions were written. (You have to be present during the class to receive credit for the questions and answers).

Each set of questions and answers is worth 1 point for a total of 10% of your final grade. If you submit more than 10 sets of questions and answers, you will earn 1 extra credit point that will be added to your final score. (However, you cannot submit more than one set of questions and answers after class.)

 

Attendance: Attendance of class is required because non-attendance by several students at a time will destroy the dynamic of the class. Students who miss all or part of a class session must e-mail or hand in a written excuse for their absence.

 

Term Paper: There will be one group term paper that is due on November 29 during regular class time. The term paper will consist of qualitative fieldwork, qualitative interviews, and the examination of one or more social groups. If you like to use the term paper as the basis of your thesis, you will need to get my permission and individual instructions to write an individual term paper. Detailed instructions for the group term paper can be found in the course packet.

 

Cheating: I define copying parts or all of an author’s or another student’s work, allowing another student to copy parts or all of your work, or simply duplicating parts or all of your fieldnotes, interview notes, interviews, analysis, or critique as cheating.

WARNING: Students who are caught cheating in this way will fail the class immediately! If cheating occurs within a research group, all members of the group will be held accountable.

 

Exams: There are no exams in this course.


Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.


Grading

Requirement

Q & A for class discussions
Statement of intent

IRB approval

(Group) Term paper

Appendix

(Group) Presentation

% of Final Grade

                        10%

                          1%

                          3%

                        30%

                        46%

                        10%

 

I will not grade on a curve, i.e. your grade will depend on your absolute performance, not your performance compared to other students.

The points that you will earn can be translated into letter-grades as follows:

 

90.0 - 100.0 = A
87.5 - <90.0 = B+
80.0 - <87.5 = B
77.5 - <80.0 = C

70.0 - <77.5      = C 
67.5 - <70.0      = D+
60.0 - <67.5      = D
          <60.0      = E

 

Three Tips for Staying Awake in Class (and make class more interesting to you):

(1) Ask questions. (2) If you feel yourself falling asleep, ask provocative questions. Challenge your professor. (3) Read the assigned material before class to do (1) and (2).

 


Tentative Class Schedule

Date

Topic

Readings

08/23

What is social research?

Bernard: Ch. 1; Ragin: Ch. 1 & 2; Esterberg: pp. 1-12; Lomand: Appendix A; Optional: Jordan & Zanna. 1999. How to Read a Journal Article in Social Psychology (see “Methods I” folder on the S-drive)

08/30

Qualitative vs. quantitative research

Emerson: Ch. 13; Ragin: Ch. 3;
CP: Shrum and Kilburn: Ritual Disrobement at Mardi Gras

09/06

Getting started:
Collecting qualitative data

Bernard: pp. 66-70 & Ch. 9;
Esterberg: Ch. 2 & 4;
Emerson: Ch. 5 & pp. 131-134;
CP: Collecting qualitative observational data; Example of fieldnotes

09/13

The process of social research:
Ethics and objectivity

Emerson: pp. 134-149, Ch. 12, pp. 295-306, Ch. 17;
Bernard: pp. 70-74 & 397-403; Esterberg: Ch. 3;
CP: The Science Wars, Newsweek, April 21, 1997; Examples of IRB submission;
Optional: Case of Korean Cloning Scientist (see “Methods I” folder on the S-drive)

09/20

Qualitative interviewing

Bernard: Ch. 6; Esterberg: Ch. 5; CP: Qualitative interviewing; Example of interview and interview notes

09/27

General characteristics of qualitative research

Emerson: pp. vii-x, Introduction, pp. 113-116 & 123-131; Ch. 11; Ragin: Ch. 4
Optional: Workshop on scientific foundations of qualitative research (see “Methods I” folder on the S-drive)

10/04

Theory in qualitative research

Emerson: pp. 27-53, Ch. 1-4 & 16; Esterberg: pp.12-22

10/11

Direct and indirect observation

Bernard: pp.376-397 & 403-409

10/18

Analysis of qualitative data

Bernard: Ch. 11-13; Esterberg: Ch. 8 & 9;
Emerson: pp. 281-295, Ch. 14, 15, & 18

10/25

The praxis of qualitative field research: Issues of race/ethnicity, gender, and age

Emerson: pp. 116-123, Ch. 6-10

11/01

Practicing qualitative data analysis:
The example of Objective Hermeneutics

CP: Methods of Objective (or Structural) Hermeneutics; Titscher et al.: Objective Hermeneutics;
Flick: Objective Hermeneutics

11/08

General issues and problems of qualitative research. Presenting and publishing qualitative research.

Esterberg: Ch. 10; Bernard: pp. 87-92;
Emerson: pp. 306-315; Lomand: Ch. 35-41
Optional: Ardelt. 2005. How Wise People Cope with Crises and Obstacles in Life (see “Methods I” folder on the S-drive)

11/15

Discussion of published qualitative research

Lomand: Ch. 35-44; CP: Shrum and Kilburn (see above)

11/22

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY!

 

11/29

(Group) presentations of research findings