1. INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods
introduction

2. Course Materials
Lofland and Lofland, Analyzing Social Settings
Course Reader (at Copy Central)
Course equipment (audio recording device and some notecards)

3. What is Qualitative Research?
In this course we’ll be considering specifically:
Field-based research
An inductive analytical approach
Researcher reflexivity
“the attempt to understand another life world using the self … as the instrument of knowing” - Sherry Ortner.

4. Term Goals Gain hands on experience and get feedback on your technique
Learn to match research questions with appropriate methodological approaches and to understand what can and can’t be said about a certain corpus of data
Learn how to negotiate the logistical limits and ethical issues inherent in any research practice
Data vs. knowledge and the relationship between

5. New Additions this Semester
More time spent on analysis (in class, workshop activities)
More readings demonstrating how qualitative research is written up
Additional material on studying work process, complex instrumented environments, expert interviews, etc.

6. Epistemology
“The Nature of Knowing, Social Reality, and Procedures for Comprehending these Phenomena” [Bauer and Gaskell]
epistemology - the branch of philosophy that deals with knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope [OED] .

7. Epistemology Habermas, Knowledge and Human Interests
Technical Control - ‘empirical-analytic’
Establishing Consensus - ‘historical-hermeneutic’
Empowerment - ‘critical’

8. Nuts and Bolts
getting in, getting along, getting out, and consequences:
framework within which the ‘real’ research is conducted
administrative aspects of research
ethical issues
see Lofland and Lofland

9. The Study of Information and Technology
Incorporating the object world (‘technology’ in particular) into research practice
as object of analysis
as ‘probes’ in data elicitation strategies

10. The status of ‘things’ in society
In social theory - a new appreciation of the material world and the socializing effect of ‘things’ (in contrast to a social theory fixated on language, discourse, and a dematerialized social structure)
“the performative and integrative capacity of ‘things’ to help make what we call society.” [Pels, pg. 2]

11. Background

12. Qualitative Research in the ‘Real’ World
the wider perspective
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

13. Qualitative Research in the ‘Real’ World
time factors
# of informants
funding
‘validity’ requirements
level of formality
marketing
policy design and development
# of informants
product design
advocacy
Out in the ‘real world’ – these practices exist along a sort of continuum
This is partly why we talk about ‘logistics’ in this course
journalism
innovation & inspiration
informal
formal
methodological approach

14. Assignments Field Notes, due 3/3/09 (15%)
A participant-observation exercise the whole class will collaborate on

15. Assignments Interviews, due 4/7/09 (20%) Two interviews (transcribed)
Get outside of your comfort zone and beyond the campus community

16. Assignments Final Project, due 5/7/09 (55%) Your choice
Build on earlier assignments
Do some preliminary work for your thesis
Or do something entirely new

17. A Mind-Mapping Exercise
What are the hallmarks of high quality, well-conducted research?
What terms come to mind?
[Social Research Update, University of Surrey]