Course Goals

The objective of this course is to provide a theoretical and experiential foundation for understanding and using qualitative research methods. Students will compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative approaches to research questions and designs. As with quantitative approaches, qualitative methodologies are employed to define, monitor and evaluate public policies and programs. They are used to understand and develop organizational effectiveness. The emphasis in this course will be on the applications of quantitative and qualitative methods and techniques to a range of issues facing public and nonprofit organizations.

Qualitative researchers seek to understand an issue in-depth and from the perspective of the persons closest to the topic under study. Given this perspective qualitative research is both time consuming and labor intense. Therefore, this course will enable students to experiment with a few techniques and apply these skills to a problem or issue in their organization, community, or volunteer association. Problems may concern policies or organizational practices.

Activities

This course will include reading assignments from texts, articles and the Internet. All readings need to be completed prior to class to assure students can participate fully in discussions of issues and exercises in applying concepts to research tasks.

Students will develop an in-depth research proposal on a public issue or organizational dynamic of interest to them. Students will prepare and present an interim and final report on their research.

Expectations

The class will be conducted as a seminar. All participants are expected to be prepared and to contribute actively to the discussion and exercises. All written assignments are due on the specified dates. No late assignments will be accepted. Students may submit materials to me via email at smemerson@csupomona.edu. Materials may also be submitted by fax to the number noted at the top of page 1.

Class activities may lag behind schedule or be changed to address the needs of students. Students are responsible for remaining current with the reading and assignment schedule as dictated by the pace of the class.

Your attendance in class is important to success in this course for yourself and your colleagues. In those rare instances when students cannot attend, they need to arrange for securing copies of handouts and notes from the session.

We participate in this effort as professionals prepared to manage our time and resources in a manner that is effective and valuable in meeting individual and group objectives. Therefore it is strongly recommended that students allow sufficient time in their schedules to complete the readings and assignments.

Grading

Grades will be determined by criteria for excellence for each assignment, mutually established by faculty and students. Final course grades will be weighted and calculated as follows:

Academic Honesty

All tests, papers, oral and written assignments and recitations are to be the work of the student presenting the material.

Any use of wording, ideas and/or findings of other persons, writers or researchers require an explicit citation of the source and use of quotation makes when the wording is an exact statement.

Supplying or use of materials for the purpose of plagiarism is not allowed and will result in a failing grade.

Required Reading

Creswell, John W. 1994 Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Heath, Anthony W. "The Proposal in Qualitative Research" The Qualitative Report 3:1.

Larson and Strom. " Interactions, Activities and Gender in Children's Television Commercials" Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media vol 45, p. 41. Available through Academic Search Elite, an on-line database of Cal Poly's Library.

Marshall, Catherine and Rossman Gretchen B. 1999 Designing Qualitative Research 3rd edition. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. (recommended, handout)

Parker, Randy. Research Methodology at the University of Texas. Prospectus outlines for qualitative and quantitative research.

Saltzstein, 1986. "Female Mayors and Women in Municipal Jobs". American Journal of Political Science. 30:1. (February) 140-164. Available via JSTOR on line.

Tannen, Deborah. 1995. "The Power of Talk: Who Get Heard and Why". Harvard Business Review. September- October 75:5, 138-148. (handout)

Trochim, William M. K. 2001. The Research Methods Knowledge Base 2nd edition. Cincinnati Ohio: Atomic Dog Publishing (students may elect to use this text on-line only for a reduced cost)

Course Schedule