ps398 qualitative methods in psychology: course introduction instructor: julian hasford teaching...

PS398 Qualitative Methods in PS398 Qualitative Methods in Psychology: Course Psychology: Course IntroductionIntroduction

Instructor: Julian Hasford

Teaching Assistant: Keith Adamson

January 5, 2008

AgendaAgenda

• 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

IcebreakerIcebreaker

What is Qualitative Research?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)

Course OverviewCourse 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.


• 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


• 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


• 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


• Course ScheduleCourse Schedule


• 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


• Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation1) 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)


• 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%)


• 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


• 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,



• Student Assessment & EvaluationStudent Assessment & Evaluation– Interview Transcript (10%)

• Transcribe 30-45 min. interview• Specific guidelines to be provided• Evaluation: completion, meeting the deadline,



• 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

SubjectivitySubjectivity

• DefinitionDefinition– Inner beliefs, desires, and meanings that

individuals bring to their actions, experiences, and environments (Flick, 2006)

– Lived experience


• 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


• 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


• 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


• ReferencesReferencesFlick, 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.

GlossaryGlossary

• Possible Article Sources Possible Article Sources – Scholarsportal (PsychInfo)– Other WLU electronic databases– Google Scholar– Recommended Reading List– Patton Bibliography

Questions?Questions?

Next ClassNext Class

• Strategic Themes in Qualitative Inquiry Strategic 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

ps398 qualitative methods in psychology: course introduction instructor: julian hasford teaching...

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