Syllabus

Qualitative Research Methods EPI240

Date/Time Activity Topic/Content Faculty Locations
Tues 1/5/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

What is Qualitative Research?

What is qualitative research? What does qualitative data look like? How does it compare to the quantitative approaches with which we are typically familiar? What is the utility of this different thinking in clinical and translational work?

In Class Group Activity: Review and discuss 3-page transcript of patient interview.

Required Reading:

  1. Grbich chapters 1-2
  2. Kuper et al. "An introduction to reading and appraising qualitative research." BMJ (Clinical research ed) (2008) vol. 337 pp. a288

Note/Slide Files: QRM 2010 lecture01 06 Jan.pdf (1409 KB)

Assignment:
Assignment 1 (due via email by 19 Jan @ 9 am)
Prepare qualitative research prospectus (~1 page) that includes the following information: a) research question, including significance and brief background; b) proposed approach; c) proposed subjects or field sites; d) anticipated outcomes, including challenges and most significant barriers to be addressed.

D DohanCB 6702
Tues 1/12/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

Qualitative Project and Product

What kinds of questions can/should be answered using qualitative approaches? What are the issues to be aware of when contemplating, planning, and executing a research project that includes qualitative work? What about getting funded or dealing with the IRB? How does qualitative research fit in a research career on a health sciences campus?

In Class Group Activity: Review and discuss 3-page transcript of focus group.

Required Reading:

  1. Charmaz chps 1-2
  2. Grbich chp 5

Note/Slide Files: QRM 2010 lecture02 13Jan pdf.pdf (332 KB)

D DohanCB 6702
Tues 1/19/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
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.

Required Reading:

  1. Mackenzie and Xiao. Video techniques and data compared with observation in emergency trauma care. Quality & safety in health care (2003) vol. 12 Suppl 2 pp. ii51-7
  2. Hodges et al. Discourse analysis. BMJ (Clinical research ed) (2008) vol. 337 pp. a879
C KoenigCB 6702
Tues 1/26/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

Interviews and Focus Groups

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?

In Class Group Activity: Review and discuss 3-page transcript of provider interview.

Required Reading:

  1. Dohan, Daniel. "Managing indigent care: a case study of a safety-net emergency department." Health services research (2002) vol. 37 (2) pp. 361-76
  2. Dohan, Daniel and Marya Levintova. "Barriers beyond words: cancer, culture, and translation in a community of Russian speakers." Journal of general internal medicine (2007) vol. 22 Suppl 2 pp. 300-5

Note/Slide Files: QRM 2010 lecture04 26Jan pdf.pdf (74 KB)

Assignment:
Assignment 2 (due Feb 9):
Building on your 1-page research prospectus, develop a qualitative data collection protocol (approximately 2-4 pages). The protocol should include information about (a) field sites and how you’ll gain and maintain access; (b) who you will be working with to collect data in the field sites and how you will carry out the logistics of data collection; (c) how you will manage informed consent; (d) your plan to integrate data collection and analysis via theoretical or purposeful sampling as the project continues.

D DohanCB 6702
Tues 2/2/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

Community Based Participatory Research

Much qualitative research occurs with the active participation of local communities. In this session, we’ll have a panel of guests discuss experiences working with different community-based organizations and explore how different ‘communities’ engage with and affect the qualitative research experience.

Required Reading:

  1. Charmaz chps 3-4

Note/Slide Files: QRM 2010 lecture05 02Feb pdf.pdf (170 KB)

A Napoles-Springer
A Patel
M Potter
CB 6702
CB 6702
CB 6702
Tues 2/9/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

Coding and Memo’ing

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.

Required Reading:

  1. Grbich Part 5 (chp 17)

Assignment:
Assignment 3 (due Feb 23):
Continue analytical work through coding data and writing memos. Develop a 3-5 page analytical diary to document 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.

D DohanCB 6702
Tues 2/16/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
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?

Required Reading:

  1. Grbich Part 4 (chps 14-16)
  2. Charmaz chp 7
D DohanCB 6702
Tues 2/23/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

Making the Argument: Transforming Codes and Memos into 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)?
D DohanCB 6702
Tues 3/2/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

Project Presentations

D DohanCB 6702
Tues 3/9/2010
1:15 PM-2:45 PM
Lecture

Project Presentations

D DohanCB 6702