07:20 PM to 10:00 PM T
Section Information for Spring 2020
In a basic sense, qualitative researchers attempt to study the lived experiences of human beings and try to make sense of or interpret such experiences by gathering data in a natural setting sensitive to the people and places under study and analyzing such data by using both inductive and deductive approaches with the intent of establishing patterns or themes. Qualitative methods are especially appropriate when the goal of the researcher is to understand both the meanings individuals and groups attach to their behavior and their life-world, and social and historical contexts within which these meanings and life-worlds are produced.
This course introduces students to a variety of approaches and strategies for conducting qualitative research, and to the various issues they will encounter as they carry out research, be it for academic or professional/practical reasons. More specifically, they will be exposed to theories, methods, and ethics of conducting research in rhetoric and professional writing. Chief among the grounds we will explore are rhetorical analysis, discourse analysis, ethnography, narrative study and usability studies. We will also move through the various stages of doing qualitative research—from IRB submission process, to articulating a research question, locating a site for research, observing, interviewing, coding to writing up their findings.
To complete these studies, students will be asked to choose and define a research problem, review relevant literature, and propose a researchable question. Each student will then work individually to investigate this question using qualitative methods. Along the way, course activities and assignments will guide students through each step of the process, with an emphasis on forming research questions, constructing conceptual frameworks, developing a flexible research design, collecting and analyzing data, and, finally, writing and presenting the final report.
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Credits: 3
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.