EPI 240: Qualitative Research Methods (Winter 2014)
Section outline
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Qualitative Methods
EPI 240 Winter 2014 (1.5 units)
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Course Director: Daniel Dohan, PhD
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Lecture: Introduction
What is Qualitative Research? - What is a qualitative research? What kinds of questions or issues can qualitative research address? What are some uses of qualitative approaches in clinical and translational research? How does qualitative compare to quantitative research? How does qualitative research differ from journalism or anecdotes, or does it?
Faculty: Wendy Anderson and Daniel Dohan
Location: China Basin 6702 -
Lecture: Interviewing Practicum
Interviews are a key source of data for qualitative research. The goal of qualitative interviewing is to elicit participants’ perspectives on a topic. The quality of the data collected in an interview is highly dependent on the interviewer’s technique. The objectives of this session are to identify interviewing skills that most effectively elicit participants’ perspectives, and to practice these skills in mock interviews.
Faculty: Wendy Anderson
Location: China Basin 6702 -
Lecture: Data Collection Methods
Lecturer: Daniel Dohan
Location: China Basin 6702
Qualitative research can use many different data sources. Individual interviews and interviewing and focus groups are common means of collecting data for qualitative research. Interviewing is a key qualitative research skill. What can you learn about by asking questions of individuals? How do you decide who to interview? How do the questions you ask – and how you ask them – differ in qualitative versus quantitative work? How do you arrange questions into an interview? What about sensitive topics? And what about logistics – taping, transcription, that type of thing?
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Lecture: Video-Recorded Observation
By providing access to the nuance and complexity of everyday social interaction, video-recorded observation brings unique strengths as a qualitative research approach. This method also raises questions of research design and logistics with which all qualitative researchers must grapple. Which settings should be observed and for how long? How can video-recording be accomplished without distorting “natural” interactions? What “counts” as data? What about the logistics of informed consent? Guest lecturer Chris Koenig discusses these important issues while demonstrating video-recorded observation.Faculty: Chris Koenig
Location: China Basin 6702-
Prepare a qualitative research prospectus (2-3 single-spaced pages maximum) that includes the following information:
a) research question (1/2 page);
b) significance and background (1/2 page at most – keep this short!!);
c) proposed approach (1/2 page, e.g. interviews, focus groups);
d) proposed subjects or field sites (1/2 page);
e) anticipated challenges, including questions or needs (3/4 page)
*Recommend reviewing Creswell Chapter 6 in conceptualizing your possible project
Due date: Upload to course website by Wed, Jan 29 @ noon
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Lecture: Coding and Memoing
Data Analysis: Coding and Memoing - Data reduction and synthesis are fundamental tasks in qualitative data analysis. Many analysts use coding and memoing to carry out these tasks. How do you start coding data? What are the steps for doing so, and how do you know when you are done? What is memoing? How is it related to coding and to writing up results? What about iterative analysis. When do you interrupt analysis to “go back” to the raw data or even return to field sites or informants? We discuss the specific procedures used in coding and memoing, but we emphasize the strategies that, over time, may help analysts hone their craft.
Faculty: Daniel Dohan
Location: China Basin 6702 -
Lecture: Quantitative Content Analysis
Content analysis is a systematic investigation aimed at describing the content of data. Quantitative content analysis is a method for describing the presence or frequency of occurrence of an element of content in a sample. This method can be applied to a number of data sources, including survey responses, patient interviews, recorded communication, and even visual data. Quantitative content analysis results in variables that can be used descriptively or in statistical analyses to test association with predictors or outcomes. In this session, we will provide an overview of quantitative content analysis, including examples of its use and practical experience with the process of developing a codebook from study data.
Faculty: Wendy Anderson
Location: China Basin 6702-
Carry out initial data coding and memo writing on project data. Based on this experience, develop a 5 page (single-spaced) analytical diary that documents your work. This diary should document the codes you develop (including those adopted and discarded), experiences applying the codes to your data, and self-reflexive and substantive memos.
Note: if you do not have your own data, please let us know ahead of time so we can pair you with someone in the class who had data, or help you find data to analyze.
Due date: Upload to course website by Fri, Feb 21 @ 5 pm
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Lecture: Qualitative Project and Product: From Idea to Findings
Through fieldwork and analysis, you’ve developed rich data, vivid codes, and insightful memos. How do you transform these into succinct and engaging findings in a research article? Writing a qualitative research paper means re-engaging with the original research charge and examining how the experience of research and analysis has transformed that question. Qualitative papers are, oftentimes, less rigidly structured than quantitative reports. How and when do you diverge from the traditional format of a research paper (background/methods/results/ conclusion)?
Faculty: Daniel Dohan
Location: China Basin 6702 -
Lecture: Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis: What It Does and Doesn't Do
All stats software basically does the same thing, so quantitative analysts often choose their package based on history, training, and popularity within their shop. In qualitative analysis computer-assistance is optional and there is no standard feature-set. No two qualitative software programs are the same. How do you decide whether computer assistant qualitative data analysis (CAQDA) makes sense? How do you learn about and select CAQDA software? How do the packages work? What are the advantages and trade-offs?
Resources (from Corey):- My newsletter article which has quite a bit of practical advice: http://cmabramson.com/uploads/CMA-ATLASti_Newsletter_2011-03.pdf
- My old 2009, article which provides a useful write up of methods and the use of CAQDA software for an interdisciplinary audience: http://cmabramson.com/uploads/abramson2009.pdf
- For information on different software packages and the CAQDA process the best site is: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/sociology/research/researchcentres/caqdas/support/choosing/
- For leaning ATLAS, I would suggest starting by going over the quicktour (using the demo version of the software) which breaks down the basics. The trial version also has a practice data set: http://www.atlasti.com/quicktour.html
- There are also free online tutorials and webinars here: http://www.atlasti.com/freetraining.html
Faculty: Michele Bondi, Jenica Cimimo, Sarah Garrett
Location: China Basin 6702 -
Lecture: Presentations
Faculty: Dan Dohan and Wendy Anderson
Location: China Basin 6702-
Develop an in-class oral presentation to present on week 9 or 10. Please follow the presentation template in creating your presentation. You will have 8-minutes total for your presentation: 6-minutes for your presentation and 2-minutes for feedback.
Please submit your slides on the course website or email to the course co-directors before 8am on the day of your presentation.
5-Mar 12-Mar Abreo, Adrian P Aiemjoy, Kristen A Chan, Brian L Beatty, Alexis Haack, Lauren M Cohan, Jessica N Kearns, Cristin Gano, Dawn L Ko, Michelle J Laker-Oketta, Miriam O Ling, Nicole L Lapedis, Marissa B Mangurian, Christina V Moseson, Heidi S Sachdev, Darpun D O'Donnell, Betsy E Tester, June M
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Lecture: Presentations
Faculty: Dan Dohan and Wendy Anderson
Location: China Basin 6702-
Write a 6-8 page (single-spaced) paper or grant that uses qualitative methods in the service of a well-defined research question. The paper/grant should include the following sections.
(a) a 250 word paper abstract (for papers) or project summary (for grants);
(b) the question or aims, including a brief background (1 page);
(c) the qualitative methods used/proposed to address the question (2-3 pages);
(d) analyses conducted or planned (1-2 pages);
(e) brief description of preliminary or anticipated results (1-2 pages)
Due date: Upload to course website by Fri, Mar 14 @ 5 pm
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