Provost’s Office
February 2001
For instructions, please consult: http://www.ncsu.edu/provost/academic_programs/courses/crsindx.html
DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Communication
COURSE PREFIX Com NUMBER 542
PREVIOUS PREFIX/NUMBER COM 542
COURSE TITLE Qualitative Research Methods in Applied Communication
ABBREVIATED TITLE QUAL RES METHODS (18 including spaces)
SCHEDULING: Fall _x__ , Spring ___ , Summer ___ , Every Year ___
Alt.Year Odd ____ Alt.Year Even __x__ Other______
CREDIT HOURS 3 OFFERED BY DISTANCE EDUCATION ONLY ______
CONTACT HOURS: Lecture/Recitation _3__ Seminar___ Laboratory_0__ Problem___
Studio___ Independent Study/Research___ Internship/Practicum/Field Work___
GRADING: ABCDF _x___ or S/U ____ DATE OF LAST ACTION: ______
PREREQUISITE(S) Graduate Standing
COREQUISITE(S) ______
PRE/COREQUISITE for Following Course(s)______
______
RESTRICTIVE STATEMENT(S) ______
______
Adre
Theoretical and practical dimensions of conducting qualitative research. Issues include asking good questions, field observation, ethics, focus groups, interviews, representation of data, analyzing texts and discourse, writing qualitative reports.
CURRICULA/MINORS FOR WHICH COURSE IS DESIGNED:
Required: MS in Organizational Communication
Qualified Elective: ______
GER LIST(S):______
INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR COURSE/RANK: Deanna Dannels / Assistant Professor
ANTICIPATED ENROLLMENT/SEMESTER: 25 Maximum No./Sect: 25 Multiple Sections: Yes ____ No __x__
RECOMMENDED BY:
______
Head, Department/Program Date
ENDORSED BY:
______
Chair, College Courses & Curricula Committee Date
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College Dean Date
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Chair, University Courses & Curricula Committee Date
______
Chair, Council on Undergraduate Education Date
APPROVED:
______
Provost's Office Date
Qualitative Research Methods in Applied Communication
COM 542
Justification:
This course on qualitative research methods in applied communication addresses both theoretical and practical dimensions of conducting qualitative research. It is designed to provide opportunities for developing specific qualitative research skills while gaining familiarity with theories, issues, and problems in qualitative research. Therefore the course addresses larger paradigmatic and conceptual issues of qualitative research and also focuses on specific and practical experience in research activities.
Graduate students have a vital need to acquire the knowledge and skills in qualitative research methods for application within their academic program and for their future careers. The issues discussed in this course—asking good questions, field observation, ethics, focus groups, interviews, representation of data, analyzing texts and discourse, and writing qualitative reports—are issues that are critical to students’ ability to understand the ways in which they could make qualitative assessments in their own research or in workplace assessment activities. This course is designed with flexibility so that students can develop final projects that will suit their own academic and professional needs.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. understand the nature of qualitative research procedures and how they compare to more traditional quantitative procedures (i.e., relative uses and advantages/disadvantages of each approach);
2. identify a number of different ways to collect and analyze qualitative data and compare the relative tradeoffs of each approach;
3. demonstrate the ability to summarize, compile and report qualitative data, in both narrative and visual matrix or other graphic/tabular display formats;
4. apply qualitative research methods to applied settings such as classrooms, organizations, health fields, and other workplace contexts;
5. identify and reflect upon ethical issues related to the use of qualitative methods.
Required Texts:
Patton, M.Q. (2001). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. (3rd ed.). Newbury Park, California:
Sage Publications. $59.95 (hardcover—paperback available in fall 2002)
Symon, G. & Cassell, C. (Eds.). (1998). Qualitative Methods and Analysis in Organizational Research:
A Practical Guide. Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications. $29.95
Required Additional Readings:
None.
Resources
Reallocation of existing resources permits offering this course.
Consultation with Other Departments
No other department is likely to be affected.
Qualitative Research Methods in Applied Communication
COM 542
Instructor: Dr. Deanna Dannels
Office: Winston 201A-2
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday: 10:00-12:00
Required Texts:
Patton, M.Q. (2001). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. (3rd ed.). Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications. $59.95 (hardcover—paperback available in Fall 2002)
Symon, G. & Cassell, C. (Eds.). (1998). Qualitative Methods and Analysis in Organizational Research: A Practical Guide. Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications. $29.95
Grading:
There will be three primary assignments in this course:
Dual Entry Research Log 40%
Research Project 45%
Attendance and Participation 15%
Grading Scale
400-390 = A+359-348 = B+319-308 = C+279-268 = D+
389-370 = A347-332 = B307-292 = C267-252 = D
369-360 = A-331-320 = B-291-280 = C-251-240 = D-
Dual Entry Research Log
You will keep a research log that will be read by the instructor and one of your peers during the course of the semester. The journal should address various concerns, issues, new ideas, and subjectivities. Your journal will include comments regarding your thinking and critique of readings. On left side of your page, you will select quotes from the readings that stand out for you and comment on these on the right side of the page. These dual entry diaries will assist you in preparing for each class discussion and should be kept up to date as you complete your readings for each class. The journal is NOT to be a summary of your readings.
In addition, during (and after) periods of data collection and analysis your journal will include field notes and the memos that you write as you make sense of your research. I suggest three categories: theoretical memos (TM), methodological memos (MM), and personal memos (PM). Let your journal be a thoughtful and creative expression of yourself. Later you may find that your journal entries will become important data for research you are conducting, as well as a valuable means of sense making. Keep your journal on a word processor and print it with a wide margin on the right, leaving space for future comments and analysis. Be sure to document dates, and times of your entries.
Research Project
You will each propose a research project that will meet your need in the course and your anticipated workplace or academic focus. Research projects must take you out to the world to collect a variety of forms of data and to make sense of those data. This essentially will be a pilot study. A pilot study is the initial step in a more developed research project, but is limited in scope. Research log assignments throughout the course will engage you in the activities of interviewing, participant observation and archival data collection and interpretation. Each of the assignments should ideally be connected to your research project. You will want to design your project so that you have one primary form of data collection and two secondary forms. For example, you may want to design an interview study in which you would conduct several interviews and transcribe these for analysis. Your secondary data collection methods would include archival collection and participant observation that is connected in some way to your research question(s). Or, if you think your research question is better answered through participant observation or archival data collection, you would design your project so that either of these would serve as primary sources of data collection.
The final research project report will contain the following elements (10-15 pages):
Purpose/Research Question (1 page)
Literature Review (2 pages; review of 6-8 articles)
Participants and/or Research Setting Memo (2-3 pages)
Data Collection (2-3 pages)
Data Analysis (1 page)
Preliminary Findings (3-4 pages)
Reflections and Future Research (1-2 pages)
IRB Proposal: We will spend some time during the first three weeks of the semester to ensure that you are clear on your researchpurposes and questions and that you understand the whole IRB process. You will need to look on the IRB web page www.ncsu.edu/sparcs/IRB/human.html during the first week of the class for a discussion on human subjects and its applicability to your research.
Attendance: Your participation in class discussions and course activities is essential and you must be in class to participate. Therefore, I expect regular attendance and will take excessive absences (missing more than 6 hours of a 3-credit course) into account in the final course grade. If you have a conflict with a session due to prior commitments, please see me privately.
Participation: I expect you to come to class prepared and to contribute to class discussions and activities. Frequent lack of preparation or failure to contribute will be taken into account in the final course grade. Participation can occur in a variety of ways—class discussion, small group activities, or interaction in peer groups/ office hours.
Being Late for Class: Do not be late--it is not considerate to myself as a teacher or your classmates who have made arrangements to be here on time. If you are unable to meet this expectation, please schedule an appointment with me.
Late Assignments: The nature of the assignments used in this class renders make-up work impossible. You have the full schedule in this syllabus and you are aware of due dates. If you are aware of a conflict in those scheduled dates, please see me as soon as possible. Otherwise, make up work will only be given in emergency situations.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is an act of deceit that is taken very seriously by the Department of Communication and by the University. (By the way, plagiarism is using someone's work--be it words or ideas--without giving her or him credit). Your Student Handbook contains a statement about Academic Integrity. Be sure you abide by it. If you are found plagiarizing you risk failure and even more stringent disciplinary actions. This is particularly important with Web-based materials. If you use someone else's image/words/audio, you must get permission and give appropriate credit on your site. Sometimes it is better to create a link to another Web page rather than incorporating the content into your page. Please go to http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/ncsulegal/41.03-codeof.htm and read carefully the Academic Integrity statement issued by NC State.
Accessibility: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at 1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509,
515-7653. For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities, please see http://www.ncsu.edu/provost/offices/affirm_action/dss/.
Departmental Equity Statement: All persons, regardless of age, race, religion, gender, physical disability, or sexual orientation shall have equal opportunity without harassment in Department of Communication courses and programs. Any harassment should be reported immediately to either the classroom instructor or the department head.
A Final Note: As we proceed through this course, know I have high expectations for both of us. I will work to meet your expectations and I expect you to work to meet mine. If at any point during the semester you have questions or concerns, please bring them to my attention. If you are having difficulties with the readings or research project, please come talk with me. Do not wait until the last week of class. I value early and honest communication and welcome any conversations that will improve the learning context.
Course Schedule
Week
/Topic
/Assignment
Week One
/ IntroductionQualitative Themes and Philosophy
Week Two / Qualitative Approaches vs. Quantitative Approaches
Week Three / Ethics of Qualitative Research / Research Log Due
Week Four / Site Selection and Entry
Week Five / Researcher Role
Week Six / Data Collection: Field notes and Participant Observations
Week Seven / Data Collection: Focus Groups and Interviews
Week Eight / Data Collection: Textual/Archival Data / Research Log Due
Week Nine / Data Analysis: Typological/Content Analysis
Week Ten / Data Analysis: Grounded Theory/ Naturalistic Inquiry
Week Eleven / Data Analysis: Hermeneutics and Phenomenology / Research Log Due
Week Twelve / Writing up Qualitative Studies
Week Thirteen / Evaluating Qualitative Research
Week Fourteen / Student Project Presentations
Week Fifteen / Student Project Presentations / Research Project Due