Spring 2008 Advance Course Information

This information effective for spring 2008. Check with instructor the first day of class for any changes.

Psychology

[PSYC-182]

182. Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (Ethnography and Action Research)

Please note: This syllabus is from spring 2007, and is subject to change.

Instructor: Gina Langhout
Office: 263 Social Sciences 2
Hours: Wed 2:00-3:15 p.m., or by appointment
Phone: 9-2535 (office)
E-mail: langhout@ucsc.edu

Course Description

This course focuses on students using ethnographic methods (researcher as participant observer) as a primary vehicle through which to examine interviewing methods, observational and action research. Students gain first hand experience with entry issues, data collection and analysis (e.g., thick description, theme interpretation, grounded theory), and writing up ethnographic research.

Course Objectives

1. Learn about the ethics of qualitative research.
2. Learn about the scientific paradigms that use qualitative research.
3. Learn about different ways of understanding, approaching, and analyzing qualitative research.
4. Gain experience with gathering, analyzing, and writing up qualitative data.
5. Gain more experience with APA format, including how this format works with qualitative research.
6. Gain experience with writing a paper review.

Ground Rules

1. Every person is to be respected. 
2. Be on time to class.
3. Plagiarism, or using another’s thoughts, words, or ideas without credit, will result in a failing grade for the assignment and likely for the entire course. Other’s ideas must be credited. Exact quotes are to be in quotation marks and include the author name, date, and page number. If you are unsure about how to cite or what to cite, please see me and/or visit http://www.ucsc.edu/academics/academic_integrity/.
4. If you qualify for classroom accommodations because of a disability, please submit your Accommodation Authorization from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) to me, during my office hours, within the first two weeks of the quarter. Contact DRC: 459-2089 V, 459-4806 TTY.
5. A late assignment will lose 5% each day that it is late. You always have the option to turn a paper in early if you have a conflict.

Required Texts

• Camic, P.M., Rhodes, J.E., & Yardley, L. (2003). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Emerson, R.M., Fretz, R.I., & Shaw L.L. (1995). Writing ethnographic fieldnotes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Wolf, M. (1992). A thrice told tale: Feminism, postmodernism, and ethnographic responsibility. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
• Reading Packet: The articles are available on reserve at McHenry Library, on ERes (password is Psych182), and can be purchased at the Bay Tree Bookstore.

Course Requirements

1. In class participation (15% of grade): Includes promptness to class, attending class, and contributions to class discussions of articles, ethnographies and thought papers.  Completing the assigned readings for that day of class will be essential to participation in class discussions.

2. Thought papers (15% of grade): You will need to complete two thought papers reflecting on or raising important concepts from the course, based on the upcoming readings. Your thought paper should critically assess the upcoming readings, not provide a summary of them. If you submit your weekly paper for Tuesday’s class (based on that Tuesday’s readings), then I must receive it by no later than 11 am Monday. If you submit your weekly paper for Thursday (based on that Thursday’s readings), then I must receive it by 11 am on Wednesday. The papers can be submitted either by e-mail or in my mailbox (SocSci2, 2nd floor). I will read and provide comments on your thought paper, and we will use them for the basis of class discussion. Due dates are as follows:

Last name begins with	Thought paper 1 due date	Thought paper 2 due date
A-D	Wed, Apr 4	Mon, Apr 30
E-G	Mon, Apr 9	Wed, May 2
H-K	Wed, Apr11	Mon, May 7
L-O	Mon, Apr 16	Wed, May 9
P-R	Wed, Apr 18	Mon, May 14
S-T	Mon, Apr 23	Wed, May 16
U-Z	Wed, Apr 25	Mon, May 21

3. Field notes (15% of grade):  Over the course of the quarter, you will need to spend at least 10 hours conducting ethnographic work. You will turn in two sets of field notes, based on the schedule below.  You should turn in at least 3 full pages of field notes each time you turn them in (you will have more field notes than what I see!).

Group	Field note 1 due date	Field note 2 due date
Groups 1 - 6	April 24	May 15
Groups 7 - 15	May 1	May 22

4. Group Project Presentation (15% of grade): Each group will have 20 minutes for their in-class presentation. You will have 10 minutes to present your group project, what you have learned, and the issues arising in writing your ethnography. You should only prepare 10 minutes of material to ensure that you leave enough time for the class to respond to your presentation. You can use this as a time to get feedback before you turn in your final paper! Refer to the handout for more information.

5. Paper Review (10% of grade):  Any paper that is published in a peer-reviewed journal must first undergo the peer-review process. You will review one another’s papers to gain experience with writing a peer review. An added benefit is that your group will have student reviews to help you with your paper revisions.

6. Final Group Paper (30% of grade):  A final APA style 15-page paper (approximate length) based on your ethnography will be due by Tuesday, June 12 at 11 am. This paper should be written like a research paper, and must be in APA format. Among other things, this means you will have a title page, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion (although it may make sense for you to combine results and discussion, based on how your paper shapes up), and references. The draft of your paper that is turned in for peer review will be calculated into this part of your grade.

Schedule

Tu, A3
Introduction

Th, A5:            
Epistemological Issues

Turn in application to be considered for research opportunities 1-4!

• Camic, P.M., Rhodes, J.E., & Yardley, L. (2003). "Naming the stars: Integrating qualitative methods into psychological research." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 3-15). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Eisner, E.W. (2003). "On the art and science of qualitative research." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 17-29). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Tu, A10:          
Epistemological Issues

• McGrath, J.E., & Johnson, B.A. (2003). In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 31-48). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Marecek, J. (2003). "Dancing through minefields: Toward a qualitative stance in psychology." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 49-69). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Th, A12:          
Ethics 

Project Proposal Due!

• ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOLOGISTS AND CODE OF CONDUCT – Sections 1 and 8 (excerpts provided in your reading packet). From http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html
  Paradis, E.K. (2000). "Feminist and community psychology ethics in research with homeless women." American Journal of Community Psychology, 28, 839-858.

Tu, A17
Ethnography

• Miller, P.J., Hengst, J.A., Wang, S. (2003). "Ethnographic methods: Applications from developmental cultural psychology." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 219-239). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Langhout, R.D. (2004). "Reconceptualizing quantitative and qualitative methods: A case study dealing with place as an exemplar." American Journal of Community Psychology, 32, 229-244

Th, A19:          
Participatory Action Research

• Fine, M. Torre, M.E., Boudin, K., Nowen, I., Clark, J., Hylton, D., Martinez, M., Missy, Roberts, R.A., Smart, P., & Upegui, D. (2003). " Participatory action research: From within and beyond prison bars." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 173-198). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• McIntyre, A. (2006). "Activist research and student agency in universities and urban communities." Urban Education, 41, 628-647.

Tu, A24:            
Focus groups/group methods

Field note due for groups 1-6!

• Hughes, D., & DuMont, K. (1993). "Using focus groups to facilitate culturally anchored research." American Journal of Community Psychology, 21, 775-806.
• Foster-Fishman, P., Nowell, B., Deacon, Z., Nievar, M.A., & McCann, P. (2005). "Using methods that matter: The impact of reflection, dialogue, and voice." American Journal of Community Psychology, 36, 275-291.

Th, A26:          
Ethnography, Voice, & Reflexivity

• Emerson et al. – Chapters 1 & 2
• Wolf – Chapters 1 & 2

Tu, M1:           
Ethnography, Voice, & Reflexivity

Field note due for groups 7-15!

• Emerson et al. – Chapter 3
• Wolf – Chapter 3

Th, M3:           
Ethnography, Voice, & Reflexivity

• Emerson et al. – Chapter 4
• Wolf – Chapter 4

Tu, M8:           
Ethnography, Voice, & Reflexivity

• Emerson et al. – Chapter 5
• Wolf – Chapter 5

Th, M10
Using Ethnography and Grounded Theory for Coding & Analysis

• Emerson et al. – Chapter 6
• Henwood, K., & Pidgeon, N. (2003). "Grounded theory in psychological research." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 131-155). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  

Tu, M15:         
Using Narrative Analysis for Coding & Analysis: Example

Field note due for groups 1-6!

• Murray, M. (2003). "Narrative psychology and narrative analysis." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 95-112). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Lykes, M.B. (1997). "Activist participatory research among the Maya of Guatemala: Constructing meanings from situated knowledge." Journal of Social Issues, 53, 725-746.

Th, M17:         
Using the Listening Guide for Coding, & Analysis; Example

• Gilligan, C. Spencer, R., Weinberg, M.K., & Bertsch, T. (2003). "On the Listening Guide: A voice centered relational model." In P.M. Camic, J.E. Rhodes, & L. Yardley (Eds.). Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design (pp. 157-172). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Mikel Brown, L. (1997). "Performing femininities: Listening to White working-class girls in rural Maine." Journal of Social Issues, 53, 683-701.

Tu, M22:         
Writing an ethnography

Field note due for groups 1-6!

• Emerson et al. – Chapters 7 & 8

Th, M24:         
Group projects workshop (Bring in your questions/concerns about your project. Use the group to help problem-solve!)

Group draft of final paper due!

Tu, M29:         
Presentations from groups 1-5

Th, M31:         
Presentations from groups 6-10

Peer reviews due!

Tu, J5:             
Presentations from groups 11-15

[top of page]