Ravitch and Carl

Qualitative Research

SAGE Publications, 2016.

Lecture Notes

Contents

A Note to Instructors Regarding the Syllabus

Notes to the Accompany Syllabus

Week One: An Opening Orientation to Qualitative Research

Week Two: Key Horizontals, Approaches, and Possibilities of Qualitative Research

Week Three: Using Conceptual Frameworks in Research

Week Four: Qualitative Research Design

Week Five: Design and Reflexivity in Data Collection

Week Six: Methods of Data Collection

Week Seven: Crafting Qualitative Research Proposals

Week Eight: Validity: Processes, Strategies, and Considerations

Week Nine: An Integrative Approach to Data analysis

Week Ten: Methods and processes of data analysis

Week Eleven: Writing and representing inquiry: The research report

Week Twelve: Research ethics and the relational quality of research

Week Thirteen: Revisiting Criticality, Reflexivity, Collaboration, and Rigor

Week Fourteen: Processes and Products

A Note to Instructors Regarding the Syllabus

The schedule of sessions below is designed for an introductory doctoral-level course for qualitative research methods. The schedule of topics is similar to the order of chapters in the book. Because of the time it tends to take to review the course syllabus, objectives, and goals, we have divided Chapter One into two sessions. In addition, the session about research proposals comes earlier than it does in the book because we believe that the content should be discussed before students write a proposal. The order of the schedule of topics, practices, and assignments can be revised as you see fit.

In this syllabus, the final product is an abbreviated version of a final research report based on pilot study data. Thus, students will develop research questions, write a proposal, collect data (conducting at least 2 interviews), compose memos, engage in dialogic engagement processes, analyze data, and write a final pilot study report (abbreviated version). The goal is for students to gain an understanding of qualitative research through experience. We make it clear to students that this research is for a course only, and if students want to publish or present on this research at any point, they must obtain IRB approval. As we discuss throughout the course and text, regardless of whether IRB is obtained, ethical issues and questions must be considered. For example, students should still provide informed consent forms to participants that explain the study and its requirements, etc. We flag and discuss with students any possible ethical concerns especially during the proposal process. Students receive substantial written feedback on their memos, proposals, and final report. There are also multiple collaborative processes built into the syllabus.

Each session has an overarching topic listed in the session heading and is followed by a description of key points that align with the text material. Specific assignments (recommended practices) and small group activities are also detailed in the sessions. We have noted upcoming assignments so that they can be reviewed in class. Each session also lists assignments that were previously assigned and are due on that date as well as reading that is required prior to the session. Recommended readings for the sessions are also listed.

Many of the assignments are memos. While memos are great internal documents, if they will be graded, you should give students specific guidance about page length and content. In the book, we detail many ways to approach the creation of memos and provide numerous examples. Furthermore, because of the number of memos assigned, not all of them necessarily need to be formally graded. The goal is to help scaffold the processes of conducting qualitative research, and thus not every memo needs to be a “formal grade.” Of course, this will vary depending on the other assignments and the grading criteria that you design.

This syllabus can be adapted based on a variety of factors, including the specific focus and level of the course. Aspects that may need to be adapted include the topics and assignments. For example, the final product can be an abbreviated version of a final research report based on pilot study data, a conceptual framework, a theoretical framework, or a detailed research proposal (e.g., for a dissertation proposal). The assignments leading up to the final product should help support what the final product will be. There are multiple recommended practices throughout the text that you can include as well as examples of these practices.

PowerPoint slides for each chapter are also available to instructors on the companion website. These include a chapter overview, significant figures and quotations from the book, and the questions for reflection that are at the end of each chapter.

Student resources at edge.sagepub.com/ravitchandcarl include full-text SAGE journal articles selected for each chapter, chapter quizzes, vocabulary flashcards, and about 60 video links. These resources for students are meant to help ensure they understand the course material.

You will see whole group and small group activities throughout the lecture notes. Additional resources and notes inform you of resources to refer to related to the content including noting related appendixes. We also provide information in red about assignments and class exercises.

Notes to Accompany the Syllabus

Week One: An Opening Orientation to Qualitative Research

Lecture Notes

Course Overview: Structure, Content, Goals, and Expectations
Introductions
Syllabus Review
Discuss the goals, expectations, assignments, and requirements of the course
An Overview of the Processes of Qualitative Research
Figure 1.1: The Dynamic Elements of Qualitative Research
Situating Qualitative Research
Defining Qualitative Research
Key Components of Qualitative Research
Table 1.1: Components of qualitative research
The Role of the Researcher in Qualitative Research

Additional Resources and Notes:

Chapter One PowerPoint Slides (The PowerPoint for Chapter One can be used for part of this week and the next.)

Week Two: Key Horizontals, Approaches, and Possibilities of Qualitative Research

Lecture Notes

Horizontals in Qualitative Research
Criticality
Reflexivity
Collaboration
Rigor
Approaches to Qualitative Research: An Overview
Action research, case study research, ethnography and critical ethnography, evaluation research, grounded theory, narrative research, participatory action research, phenomenology, and practitioner research
Table 1.2: Approaches to qualitative research
A Note on the Possibilities of Qualitative Research
Review upcoming assignment due next week: Recommended Practice 3.1: Researcher Identity/Positionality Memo.

Required Reading for Week Two

Ravitch & Carl (2016) - Chapter One

Recommended Reading for Week Two

Cannella, G. S. & Lincoln , Y. S. (2012). Deploying qualitative methods for critical social

purposes. In S. R. Steinberg & G. S. Cannella (Eds.), Critical qualitative research reader (pp. 104-114). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Centre for Critical Qualitative Health Research (n.d.). What is critical qualitative research? Retrieved from

Creswell, J.W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rded.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (focus on Chapters 1 and 2)

Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.).(2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Additional Resources and Notes:

Chapter One PowerPoint Slides
We often begin this class with any questions from last week and/or about the syllabus, course, assignments, and so on.
See the end of this guide for details regarding the Recommended Practice 3.1: Researcher Identity/Positionality Memo assignment. You can also refer students to the description in the book,Example 3.1, andAppendixes D and E

Week Three: Using Conceptual Frameworks in Research

Lecture Notes

Defining and understanding conceptual frameworks and their role in research
What is a conceptual framework?
Figure 2.1: The components of a conceptual framework
What does a conceptual framework help you do?
The roles and uses of a conceptual framework
Constructing and developing a conceptual framework
The role of the researcher in conceptual frameworks
The role of tacit theories in a conceptual framework
How study goals influence and inform a conceptual framework
Table 2.1: Questions for Considering the Goals of Your Study
Conceptual frameworks and the role of setting and context
Table 2.2: Questions for considering the setting and context(s) of your study
Broader macro-sociopolitical contexts and conceptual frameworks
Table 2.3: Questions to help you think through the macro-sociopolitical contexts that shape your research
The role of formal theory in conceptual frameworks
Table 2.4: Questions to consider when incorporating formal theory into your research
Building your own conceptual framework
Recommended Practice 2.1: Conceptual framework memo
Recommended Practice 2.2: Concept map of conceptual framework
Example 2.1: Conceptual framework memo and accompanying concept map
Review upcoming assignment due next week:Recommended Practice 3.9: Memo on goals of each research question.

Assignment Due for Week 3

Recommended Practice 3.1: Researcher Identity/Positionality Memo

Required Reading for Week 3

Ravitch & Carl (2016) - Chapter Two

Recommended Reading for Week 3

Anfara, V. A., & Mertz, N. T. (2015).Theoretical frameworks in qualitative research (2nded.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Maxwell, J. A.,Mittapalli, K. (2008).Theory.In L.Given (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods (pp. 876–880). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Ravitch, S. M., & Riggan, M. (2012).Reason & rigor: How conceptual frameworks guide research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [Especially Chapters 1-3 and 7]

Tavallaei, M. & Abu Talib, M. (2010).A general perspective on role of theory in qualitative research.The Journal of International Social Research, 3(11), 570-577.

Additional Resources and Notes:

Chapter Two PowerPoint Slides

Appendix A: Example Conceptual Framework Memo and Accompanying Concept Maps
Appendix B: Example Conceptual Framework Memo and Accompanying Concept Map
Appendix C: Conceptual Framework Example From a Dissertation
NOTE: Alternate or additional assignment. You can assign also assign Recommended Practice 3.8 Memo on core constructs in research questions alternatively or in addition to Recommended Practice 3.9: Memo on goals of each research question. If you assign both memos, they can be answered in one document or a in a matrix format

Week Four: Qualitative Research Design

Lecture Notes

Research design in qualitative research
Overview of the qualitative research design process
Developing study goals and rationale
Table 3.1: Questions to consider when developing a research study
Memos on study goals and rationale
Recommended practice 3.1: Researcher identity/positionality memo
Example 3.1: Researcher identity/positionality memo
Example 3.2: Researcher identity/positionality memo
Dialogic engagement practices
Recommended practice 3.2: Structured sets of conversations
Recommended practice 3.3: Paired question and reflection exercise
Reflective journaling
Recommended practice 3.4: Research journal
Formulating (and iterating) research questions
Recommended practice 3.5: Mapping of goals, topic, and research questions
Recommended practice 3.6: Connecting research questions with methods
Recommended practice 3.7: Theoretical framework charting
Memos and dialogic engagement practices to support research question development and refinement
Recommended practice 3.8: Memo on core constructs in research questions
Recommended practice 3.9: Memo on goals of each research question
Recommended practice 3.10: Dialogic engagement practices for research questions
Conceptual framework in research design
The development of a theoretical framework
Table 3.2: The roles of theoretical frameworks in qualitative research
Table 3.3: Questions that can guide the literature review process
Recommended practice 3.11: Theoretical framework memo
Recommended practice 3.12: Implicit theory memo
Research design, methods choices, and writing
Site and Participant Selection
Piloting
Table 3.4: Reasons for and values of conducting pilot studies
Vetting instruments
Rehearsing instruments
Piloting instruments
Table 3.5: Steps for vetting, rehearsing, and piloting instruments
Writing
Recommended practice 3.13: Critical research design memo
Recommended practice 3.14: The “two-pager” research design memo
Example 3.4: Critical research design memo
Recommended practice 3.15: Group inquiry processes
Validity and trustworthiness in/through research design
Conceptualizing critical qualitative research design
Questions for reflection
Resources for further reading
Review upcoming assignment due next week:Recommended Practice 3.14: The “Two-Pager” Research Design Memo

Assignment(s) Due for Week Four

Recommended practice 3.9: Memo on goals of each research question

Required Reading for Week Four

Ravitch & Carl (2016) - Chapter Three

Recommended Reading for Week Four

Fink, A. (2013).Conducting research literature reviews: From the Internet to paper.(4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Marshall, C. & Rossman, G.B. (2015).Designing qualitative research. (6thed.) Los Angeles, CA:Sage.

Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Merriam, S.B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Sampson H. (2004). Navigating the waves: the usefulness of a pilot in qualitative research.Qualitative Research.4(3), 383-402.

Additional Resources and Notes:

Chapter Three PowerPoint Slides

Appendix D: Example Researcher Identity/Positionality Memo
Appendix E: Example Researcher Identity/Positionality Memo
Appendix F: Example Memo About Refining the Research Question
Depending on course objectives and goals as well as your students, you may require students to keep a research journal (Recommended Practice 3.4) for the duration of the course. If so, we recommend assigning this in Week Three or Week Four.
NOTE: Alternate assignments. Instead of Recommended Practice 3.14, you could assign Recommended Practice 3.13: Critical Research Design Memo, Recommended Practice 3.11: Theoretical framework memo, or Recommended Practice 3.12: Implicit theory memo. The decision should be based on the focus and level of the course as well as factors related to students’ progress and experience.

Week Five: Design and Reflexivity in Data Collection

Lecture Notes

Defining qualitative data collection as iterative
Figure 4.1: The processes of qualitative research
Data collection and research design
Table 4.1: Questions to help achieve design complexity
Reflexivity and researcher-generated data sources
Table 4.2: Reflexive data-generation questions
Fieldwork and data collection memos
Recommended practice 4.1: Fieldwork and data collection memos
Example 4.1: Fieldwork/data collection memo
Fieldwork research journal
Contact summary forms
Researcher interviews
Sampling: Site and participant selection
Site selection
Participant selection
Table 4.3: Sampling Strategies
Recommended practice 4.2: Site and participant selection memo
Example 4.2 Site and participant selection memo
Small Group Exercise: Recommended Practice 3.2: Structured Sets of Conversations
Review upcoming assignment due next week:Recommended Practice 5.1: Observation and fieldnote exercise

Assignment(s) Due for Week Five

Recommended Practice 3.14: The “Two-Pager” Research Design Memo

Required Reading for Week Five

Ravitch & Carl (2016) - Chapter Four

Recommended Reading for Week Five

Emerson, R. M., Fretz, R. I., & Shaw, L. L. (2011).Writing ethnographic fieldnotes (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Flick, U. (2007).Designing qualitative research.The Sage Qualitative Research Kit. Los

Angeles, CA: Sage.

Guest, G., Namey, E.E., & Mitchell, M.L. (2013).Collecting qualitative data: A field manual for applied research. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Patton, M.Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice(4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (focus on site and participant selection.)

Additional Resources and Notes:

Chapter Four PowerPoint Slides

Appendix G: Example Critical Incident Memo, by Laura Colket
Appendix H: Example Researcher Memo, by Laura Colket
Appendix I: Contact Summary Form Example (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014)
Appendix J: Contact Summary Form Example (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014)
Appendix K: Example Site and Participant Selection Memo, by Susan Feibelman
For the small group exercise, you could have students participate in Recommended Practice 3.3: Paired Question and Reflection Exercise instead of Recommended Practice 3.2.

Week Six: Methods of Data Collection

Lecture Notes

Interviews
Key characteristics and values of qualitative interviews
Table 5.1: Considerations for developing and conducting interviews
Constructing qualitative interviews
Developing interviewing skills
Table 5.2: Advice for before, during, and after interviews
Table 5.3: Tips for developing interview instruments (protocols)
Technology and interviews
Interview transcripts
Table 5.4 Considerations for transforming recorded data into transcripts
Observation and fieldnotes
Fieldnotes
Participant observation
Recommended Practice 5.1: Observation and fieldnote exercise
Recommended practice 5.2: Observation and fieldnotes memo
Focus groups
Table 5.5: Suggestions for focus groups
Documents and archival data
A survey approach and questionnaires
Table 5.6: Tips for effective questionnaire design
Participatory methods of data collection
Photovoice
Community-based oral testimony
Social network, community, and institutional mapping
Transect Walks
Revisiting design
Table 5.7: Considerations to ensure methods align with research questions
Figure 5.1: Considerations to ensure that methods align with research questions
Whole Group Report-In about Recommended Practice 5.1: Observation and fieldnote exercise
Review upcoming assignment due next week:Interview Instrument. Students will create a draft interview instrument that will be vetted in class next week. Refer to Chapter Five for multiple suggestions for creating interview instruments.Students will review this instrument with their peers at the next session. Students can also refer to the section on vetting instruments in Chapter Three. Appendix L has an example Interview Protocol.

Assignment(s) Due for Week Six

Group Report In - Recommended Practice 5.1: Observation and fieldnote exercise

Required Reading for Week Six

Ravitch & Carl (2016) - Chapter Five