The Information School of the University of Washington

 

INSC 572: Qualitative Methods in Information Science

            Spring 2002, Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:30-2:50pm, MGH 085

 

Instructor:    Karen Pettigrew <kpettigr@u.washington.edu>

   Voice: 206-543-6238; Fax: 206-616-3152

                      Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:30-12:30, and by appointment

                        Class Listserv: INCS572@u.washington.edu

 

Description: Principles and approaches to conducting qualitative research in information science, including how to design a qualitative study, role of context, data collection and analysis, increasing the trustworthiness of data, minimizing observer effect, how to incorporate and build theory. Exposure to field research and data analysis. (Prerequisite: INSC 570; Credits: 5)

 

Course Overview: This course has two main purposes. First, it introduces doctoral students to different qualitative methods in information science research. Second, it provides students with experience in carrying out the phases of qualitative research.  Through a combination of readings, lectures, discussions, and class exercises, students will be introduced to significant issues regarding qualitative research and will examine how these issues are resolved from the vantage points of different qualitative traditions. Through their assignments, students will apply what they have learned to the design and conduct of their own qualitative research studies.

 

Course Objectives: Students should acquire an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of qualitative research.  By the end of the course students will be able to:

 

  1. Distinguish among different traditions of qualitative research in terms of each tradition's guiding assumptions, research strategies, and methods.

 

  1. Design and qualitative study within an established tradition of inquiry.

 

  1. Understand the role of theory in qualitative research and how it may be employed.

 

  1. Conduct most phases of a qualitative study, including field entry, data collection (interviews, observation, etc.), data analysis, and the reporting of research results.

 

  1. Assemble and present conclusions from research in a rigorous and cogent form, both orally and in writing.

 

  1. Offer constructive feedback on colleagues' work and incorporate feedback into one’s own.

 

 

Text: Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (available at the University Bookstore, Amazon, etc)

 

Assessment Mechanisms: Students will be evaluated according to their performance in class discussion and other activities as well as specific assignments.

 

10%    Participation in class discussion and activities

 

15%    (1) Theory Formulation and Research Questions.  For this first exercise, each student will select an information science problem for research and identify a theory that might explain the chosen phenomenon.  Each student will then formulate 1-3 research questions that are guided by the theory.  Submit a 2-3 page description of the research problem, theory and research questions by April 16th and be prepare to share your description in class.

 

15%    (2) Field Observation.  For this assignment students will conduct a short field observation to investigate the research question(s) formulated for assignment #1.  Students are expected to prepare an observation checklist (to be explained in-class) before entering the field.  In their researcher diaries students will maintain: (1) field notes (e.g., diagrams of the field setting, who was present, what occurred, etc), (2) theory notes (e.g., commentary that pertains to the study’s theoretical framework), and (3) method notes (e.g., notes about the effectiveness, etc., of the research method and equipment employed).  Submit your notebook to the instructor by May 2nd and be prepared to share your diaries in class.

 

15%    (3) Interviews.  For this assignment students will conduct an audio-recorded, in-depth interview with 1-3 members of your field study’s population.  Questions in your interview guide should be based on your study’s theoretical framework and may include other questions.  Samples of interview guides will be provided in-class.  After the interview(s), students are expected to transcribe (loose verbatim) about 20 minutes of dialogue and make notes of the remaining tape.  Submit your transcription and notes (including field notes) to the instructor by May 14th and be prepared to share your experience in class.

 

15%    (4) Data Analysis.  For this assignment students will develop a coding scheme (using Strauss’ technique) for analyzing the observation and interview data collected in assignments 2 and 3.  Then students will use a software package (e.g., The Ethnograph, Nudist, etc.) to code their data.  Students will submit their coding scheme to the instructor by May 23rd and will share their coding schemes in class.

 

15%    (5) Inter-coder Reliability Testing.  Students will swap their data and codebook with a classmate and code each other’s data to test the reliability of the coding schemes.  Specific instructions will be provided in-class.  Students will document the process and the results in 1-2 pages and submit them to the instructor by May 30th.

 

15%    (6) Write-up and Oral Presentation of Results.   Students will assemble the different assignments that they conducted throughout the term as a pseudo-journal manuscript that contains: (1) the study’s research problem, theoretical framework, and research questions, (2) the methodology, and (3) results.  In addition to the manuscript students will present their findings during the last class.  Manuscripts are due Monday, June 6th.

 

 

SCHEDULE

 

CLASS

TOPIC

PREP

DUE

April 2

No Class

April 4

Course Overview

Intro to Qual Research

Patton (Ch 1 & 2)

Fidel (1993)

Westbrook (1994)

 

April 9

Approaches to Qualitative Inquiry

How to test a theory

 Student Problems/Theories/RQs

Patton (Ch 3)

(Pettigrew 2000)

 

April 11

Cont’

 

 

April 16

Preparing for Fieldwork

Patton (Ch 5)

Assign #1

April 18

Field Observation

Patton (Ch 6)

 

April 23

Cont’

 

 

April 25

Observation Debriefing

Interviewing

Patton (Ch 7)

 

April 30

No Class (KP away)

Observation/Interviews

 

May 2

No Class (KP away)

Conduct Interviews

Assign #2

May 7

Interview Debriefing

 

 

May 9

Data Analysis

Patton (Ch 8)

 

May 14

Cont’

 

Assign #3

May 16

Analysis Debriefing

 

 

May 21

Intercoder Reliability

 

 

May 23

Credibility

Patton (Ch 9)

Assign #4

May 28

TBA

 

 

May 30

Presenting Results

(Patton Ch 10)

Assign #5

June 4

Cancelled (unless needed)

 

 

June 6

Student Presentations

 

Assin #6-oral

June 10

Assignment #6 due (written form)

 

 

Additional Readings

 

(To be Assigned in Class; all articles are on e-reserve and books are on regular reserve)

 

 

Atkinson, P., & Hammersley, M. (1998). Ethnography & participant observation. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 110-136). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Becker, H. (1986). Writing for Social Scientists. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

 

Becker, H. and Geer, B. (1969). Participant observation and interviewing: A comparison. In G. J. McCall and J. L Simmons (Eds.), Issues in participant observation. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

 

Cassell, J. (1978). Risk and benefit to subjects of fieldwork. The American Sociologist, 13(3), 134-143.

 

Chatman, E. A. (1984). Field research: methodological themes. Library and Information Science Research, 6, 425-38.

 

Crabtree, B. F., & Miller, W. L. (Eds.). (1999). Doing qualitative research. 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

 

Denzin & Y. Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). The landscape of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Denzin, N, K.,  & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). Introduction: Entering the field of qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 1-34). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (1998). Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.) (2000). Handbook of qualitative research. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Erlandson, D. A., Harris, E. L., Skipper, B. L., & Allen, S. D. (1993). Doing naturalistic inquiry: A guide to methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

 

Fidel, R. (1993). Qualitative methods in information retrieval research. Library and Information Science Research, 15, 219-247.

 

Flanagan, J. C. (1954). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51, 327-358.

 

Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. New York, NY: Aldine de Gruyter.

 

Guba, E., & Lincoln, Y. (1998). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln, The landscape of qualitative research (pp. 195-220). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (1995, Second Edition). Ethnography: Principles in Practice. New York: Routledge..

 

Hammersley, M., & Atkinson, P. (1995, Second Edition). Research design: problems, cases, and samples. In Ethnography: Principles in Practice. New York: Routledge.

 

Harper, D. (1992). Small N’s and community case studies. In. C. C. Ragin & H. S. Becker (Eds.), What is a Case? Exploring the Foundations of Social Inquiry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 

Haythornthwaite, C. (1996). Social network analysis: An approach and technique for the study of information exchange. Library and Information Science Research, 18, 323-342.

 

Holstein, J. A., & Gubrium, J. F. (1998), Phenomenology, ethnomethodology, and interpretive Practice. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 137-157). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Interview/observation protocols and transcripts from selected studies by iSchool Faculty.

 

Krippendorff, K. (1980). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage

 

LaPiere, R. T. (1934). Attitudes vs. Actions. Social Forces, 13, 230-237.

 

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

 

Lofland, J., & Lofland, L. H. (1995). Analyzing social settings: A guide to qualitative observation and analysis (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

 

McCracken, G. D. (1988). The long interview. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

 

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Miller, D., & Slater, D. (2000). The Internet: An ethnographic approach. Berg: Oxford.

 

Morrissey, C. T. (1985). John Hawkes on tape: The paradox of self-identity in a recorded interview. Journal of Oral History 6, 47-56.

 

Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

 

Pettigrew, K. E. (2000). Lay information provision in community settings: How community health nurses disseminate human services information to the elderly. Library Quarterly, 70.1, 47-85.

 

Pettigrew, K. E. (1999). Waiting for chiropody: Contextual results from an ethnographic study of the information behavior among attendees at community clinics. Information Processing & Management, 35.6, 801-817.

 

Pettigrew, K. E. (1996). Nurses’ perceptions of their needs for community information: Results of an exploratory study in southwestern Ontario. Journal of Education for Library & Information Science, 37.4, 351-360.

 

Sandstrom, A. R., & Sandstrom, P. E. (1995). The use and misuse of anthropological methods in library and information science research. Library Quarterly, 65, 161-199.

 

Stake, R. E. (1998) Case Studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 86-109). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 

Strauss, A. L. (1998). Qualitative analysis for social scientists. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

 

Taylor, S. J., & Bogdan, R. (1984). Introduction to qualitative research methods (2nd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

 

Westbrook, L. (1994). Qualitative research methods: A review of major stages, data analysis techniques, and quality controls. Library and Information Science Research, 16, 241-254.