INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods
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INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods Introduction Fall 2014
Transcript of INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods
INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods
Introduction Fall 2014
Are you in the right place?❖ Who should take this class?!
❖ Masters vs. PhD students!
❖ Departments (besides the iSchool) - Social Welfare, Public Health, Sociology, African-American Studies, Mechanical Engineering, Education, Ethnic Studies, Energy and Resources Group, Computer Science, JMP (Joint Medical Program), City & Regional Planning!
❖ Auditing, Class Size, Expectations
❖ Alternately:!❖ INFO 213. User Interface
Design and Development (this semester)!
❖ INFO 214. Needs and Usability Assessment (Spring)
What is Qualitative Research?❖ In this course we’ll be focusing on:!
❖ Field-based Research!
❖ An inductive** analytical approach!
❖ The subjective** experiences of research subjects as data!
❖ Researcher reflexivity**
** terms to be discussed at length this semester
Term Goals❖ Learn to match research questions with appropriate
methodological approaches + understand what can and cannot be said about a certain corpus of data!
❖ Learn how to negotiate logistical limits and ethical issues inherent in any research practice !
❖ Better understand the relationship between data and knowledge!
❖ Gain hands on experience and get feedback on your techniques
What warrants the status of �knowledge�?
How do we evaluate a process / practice of knowledge generation?
How do I gain access to a field site?
What is the relationship between data and knowledge? How do I find and
recruit people for interviews?
What techniques can I use to prompt self-reflection from my interviewees?
Epistemology
Nuts and Bolts
Why Take Qual Methods at the I-School?
❖ Considering the role of information, tools, technology, systems in society and incorporating this into research practice!
❖ In social theory - the “material turn,” the socializing effect of ‘things,’ (a turn away from language, discourse, the symbolic, dematerialized social structure)
“the performative and integrative capacity of ‘things’ to help make what we call society.” [Pels, pg. 2] !Pels, D., K. Hetherington, et al. (2002). "The Status of the Object: Performances, Mediations, and Techniques." Theory, Culture & Society 19(5/6): 1-21.
Qualitative Research in the Wider World
❖ 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
Qualitative Research in the Wider World
• time factors!• # of informants/
participants!• funding!• level of formality
# of
info
rman
ts
methodological approachinformal formal
design!innovation
journalismadvocacy
product design
policy design and!development
marketing
Out in the ‘real world’ – these practices exist along a sort of continuum !This is partly why we talk about ‘logistics’ in this course !Different professional communities have different standards – relate to the practices the findings are put towards. Also, the evolving research culture of different communities.
!Nielsen, you only need to test with 5 users -- http://www.nngroup.com/articles/why-you-only-need-to-test-with-5-users/
Qualitative Research in the Wider World
Group Blog I co-founded … ethnographymatters.net
Course Materials❖ https://blogs.ischool.berkeley.edu/i272f14/!
• username: student!
• password: i272!
❖ Lofland and Lofland, Analyzing Social Settings (chaps on website, buy used — 3rd or 4th ed)!
❖ Course Reader (at ZeeZee Copy)!
❖ Course Equipment
Course Materials❖ Zee Zee Copy:
2431 Durant Ave
down this alleyway
Assignment 1❖ Field Notes, due 10/16/14 (15%)!
❖ A participant-observation exercise the whole class will collaborate on!
❖ How do people interact with ‘technology’ in public spaces?
Assignment 2❖ Interviews, due 11/18/14 (20%)!
❖ Two interviews (transcribed)!
❖ Your choice of topic!
❖ Get outside of your comfort zone and beyond the campus community
Final Project❖ due ? (55%)!
❖ Your choice!
❖ Build on earlier assignments!
❖ Do some preliminary work for your thesis!
❖ Or do something entirely new
A Mind-Mapping Exercise❖ What are the hallmarks of high
quality, well-conducted research?!
❖ What terms come to mind?
For Tuesday❖ Start by discussing Becker, “Epistemology of Qualitative
Research” — bring copy to class!
❖ Consider the range of — foundational views of the social world (philosophical assumptions), human interests…and how these inform research approach, research design, and methods!
❖ Creswell, ‘A Framework for Design’!
❖ Habermas (my 1-page summary) - on website
