CMN 581
Qualitative Research Methods
Spring 2007
Dr. Daniel Makagon
Office: SAC 596
Office Hours: Monday
5:15-5:45, Wednesday 2:45-3:15
Phone: (773) 325-7376
e-mail: dmakagon@depaul.edu
home page: http://condor.depaul.edu/~dmakagon
Course Description
and Objectives
This course provides a
graduate-level introduction to the philosophical issues surrounding and
fieldwork practices that make up qualitative research. We will pay special
attention to questions concerning ethnography, including ethical issues and
imperialist initiatives, relationships between objective reporting and
subjective voice, and various presentational forms. The course has a dual
focus: (1) students will develop an understanding of qualitative research as a
methodology and (2) this knowledge will inform studies conducted by students.
Required Texts
All course readings are
available on-line at http://condor.depaul.edu/~dmakagon/student:
Assignments and
Grades
Research Paper: 75%
Quiz Grade:
15%
Participation:
10%
You will write one substantial
research paper. But that work
will be completed in stages. Each stage will be graded and cumulated in a final
grade. Check the course schedule for due dates.
1. Proposal: description
and justification of the project chosen. (4-5 pages)
2. Literature review and
discussion of method. (4-5 pages)
3. Completed paper (12-16
pages), which incorporates the above and comes together in the following
fashion:
Introduction
and justification of the project
Literature
review and description of methods
Analysis
of issue(s)
Conclusion:
Broader implications
Reading quizzes will feature short answer questions. The quizzes
will allow me to gauge how well you understand the arguments made in the
readings. Unlike your papers and class discussion, where I am interested in
your opinions about the issues and the strength of the writer's argument(s),
the quizzes are designed for you to state the author's argument only. If we do
not understand what s/he's saying then our critique of her/his work will not be
properly grounded. You should treat these quizzes as opportunities to write
through your understanding of the issues raised in course materials and a tool
that can help prepare you for comprehensive exams. Possible points for each
quiz question will be listed after the question (usually 10 or 20 points per
question and usually 2-3 questions per quiz). Answers will be graded based on
your ability to clearly summarize the author's argument(s) and use examples
from the reading to support your answer(s).
Writing Guidelines
All papers must be typed,
paginated, double-spaced throughout the entire essay, and use a consistent
style (e.g., Chicago, MLA, or APA). Use one-inch margins and 12-point font.
Please include a title page that contains your name, the date, the assignment,
and any other information you feel compelled to include. Do not send me
electronic copies of your work. Also,
see the syllabus addendum (available in the folder that contains pdfs for this
class) for a description of my grading policies and expectations as well as
further details about written assignments.
Contact or visit the
Writing Center for assistance with your writing: Lincoln Park at 802 W. Belden,
150 McGaw Hall, 773-325-4272. The Loop at 25 E. Jackson, 1620 Lewis Center,
312-362-6726. wcenter@depaul.edu.
Course Policies
Attendance and Active
Participation are expected and
required.
Promptness is expected as a general rule. If you are
consistently late to class, your grade will be negatively affected.
If you miss more than
two class sessions, you will receive an "F" in the class (even if
the absences are excused). Missing this many class sessions (more than 20%
of the term) undermines the integrity of the classroom experience. If you
miss this much class because of illness or a family emergency, you should
meet with the Graduate Director to discuss withdrawal options.
All assignments are due
on assigned days. There will be NO MAKE UPS. Documented illnesses or documented emergencies are
the only exception to this policy. Changes in work schedules, personal
celebrations (e.g., birthdays), or vacations are NOT considered to be
legitimate reasons for missing assignment deadlines or class meetings. If you
miss a quiz and have documentation for your absence then you will take the quiz
on the next date you attend class.
If you will be missing a
class because of a religious holiday, let me know in writing at least two weeks
before the holiday so we can make arrangements to make up missed work.
Students with
disabilities should provide me with documentation from the Office of Students
with Disabilities.
If you have a cellular
phone or pager, turn it off or set it to vibrate. Plagiarism will be discussed
below but for now you should note that all cell phones must be put away during
quizzes and you should not be sending or reading text messages during class
sessions.
Please make sure my
e-mail address is listed on your approved list if you are using a commercial
e-mail provider.
Plagiarism
I have often found that
plagiarism becomes tempting if students are feeling pressured. Remember, when
in doubt quote. If you are quoting somebody directly then you need to list the
information within quotation marks and cite a page number. If you are
paraphrasing then you need to cite the person and a page number. Never copy and
paste entire documents into your paper and do not quote others to the point
where your ideas become indistinguishable from your source's ideas. There is no
reason to plagiarize given the resources available to you (e.g., opportunities
to meet with me; coaches in the writing center; my handout on writing for the
class; and DePaul's policy on academic integrity available at http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/handbook/code16.html).
If you do plagiarize, you will automatically receive a grade of "F"
in this class. Moreover, the Academic Affairs office will be contacted.
Grade Scale
93-100 A, 90-92 A-, 88-89
B+, 83-87 B, 80-82 B-, 78-79 C+, 73-77 C, 70-72 C-, 60-69 D,
0-59 F
DATE
READING
ASSIGNMENTS
April 2 Norman
Denzin and Yvonna Lincoln, "Introduction: The Discipline and Practice of
Qualitative Research"
Recommended: Bronislaw Malinowski, Argonauts of the Western
Pacific (Forward, Introduction,
Ch. 22)
Edward
Evan Evans-Pritchard, The Nuer
(Introductory)
[These
recommended materials are not in the PDF folder]
April 9 H.
Russell Bernard, "Participant Observation" and "Unstructured and
Semistructured Interviewing"
Liz
Bird, "Understanding the Ethnographic Encounter"
Proposal
Due
April 16 Erving
Goffman, "On Fieldwork"
Robert
Emerson, Rachel Fretz, and Linda Shaw, "Fieldnotes in Ethnographic Research"
Greg
Scott, "'It's a sucker's outfit': How urban gangs enable and impede the
reintegration of ex-convicts"
April 23 Clifford
Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (excerpts)
Nick
Trujillo, "Interpreting November 22"
April 30 George
Marcus and Michael Fisher, Anthropology as Cultural Critique (excerpts)
Eric
Klinenberg, "Dying Alone"
May 7 John
Van Maanen, Tales of the Field (excerpts)
Mitchell
Duneier, Sidewalk (excerpt)
Literature
Review/Method Section Due
May 14 Tom
Wolfe, "Like a Novel," & "Seizing the Power"
William
Finnegan, "The Unwanted"
Susan
Orlean, "The Congo Sound"
May 21 Michael
Agar, "Text and Fieldwork"
Daniel
Makagon, Where the Ball Drops
(excerpts)
May 28 Memorial
Day
June 4 Business
Week, "The Science of Desire" and
supplement
Lawrence
Osborne, "Consuming Rituals of the Suburban Tribe"
Lexa
Murphy, "The Dialectical Gaze"
June 11 FINAL
PAPER DUE by 5:45 PM