Spring 2009 Lafayette 210 (or Old Mill Geography Seminar room)

Qualitative Research in Geography (GEOG196A)
Spring 2009
Lafayette 210 (or Old Mill Geography Seminar room)
MWF 12:50-1:40 pm
Dr. Meghan Cope [email protected] http://www.uvm.edu/~mcope/
How do geographers and other social scientists make sense of the social
world? How can we answer questions about how people construct meaningful
places, experience social/spatial differences, resist oppression, or simply
make everyday life tolerable? What is in the „toolbox‟ of qualitative research
on social and spatial issues?
This course has several goals. First, students will learn how to do an array of
qualitative research techniques, as well as the relative strengths and
weaknesses of these techniques, their appropriate applications, ways to
combine them in mixed-methods research, and how to analyze and represent
qualitative data. These skills will serve students well in future endeavors in
academia, non-profits, corporations, or community development. Second, the
course is intended to stimulate students to think critically not only about
specific methods but also about larger issues of the production of
knowledge, epistemologies (how we know what we know), and socially
constructed “truths”. Third, we will critically evaluate the role of the
researcher, power and positionality in the research process, and questions of
whether participatory research can truly shift us out of „expert-subject‟
relations.
The course consists of a range of readings, hands-on activities, discussions,
lectures, guest speakers, and a term project that will put students‟ new
skills to work in the “real” (campus) world. Assessment is based on
participation, group discussion, written reflection, and the term project.
Most (though not all – see schedule) weeks will run in a standard format:
Monday: lecture based on assigned readings (all readings must be
completed for Mondays and a brief comment posted on Blackboard)
Wednesday: hands-on experience, guest lecture, or other activity
Friday: reflection and discussion of the week‟s material and experiences
Required Text:
Hay, Iain. 2005. Qualitative Research Methods for Human Geographers (2nd
Edition), Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.
This appears as QRMHG in the readings schedule
Optional /Supplemental Text:
Flowerdew, R. and Martin, D. 2005. Methods in Human Geography: A guide
for students doing a research project (2nd Edition), Harlow, England: Pearson
Prentice Hall.
This book has some parallel chapters to the ones we‟ll read in QRMHG, but
also more on quantitative methods and cartography that might be of
interest, especially for those doing thesis work.
Additional Readings:
All additional required readings are available as PDFs on our Blackboard
website. Please print these and bring them to class every day of the week
they‟re assigned. They are referenced by the author(s) and publication date
in the readings schedule, but full bibliographic info appears at the end of
this syllabus. There is a list of the complete bibliographic information for
these at the end of this syllabus. Also on this list are optional suggested
readings for further depth and reference.
Assessment
This is a hands-on course that requires your full attention and engagement.
Therefore, participation is valued heavily. It is also a critically reflective
course, so the written work involves thoughtful critique as well. The term
project involves small teams of students working together to identify a
research question, designing a suitable methodology, and carrying out the
research within the UVM community. More details to come.
Attendance, Class participation
Monday postings
Reflection Papers (4 @ 10%)
Analysis Sample
Term Project – Group work & Proposal
Term Project – Representation
Final Paper/Presentation
Total
15%
5%
40%
5%
10%
5%
20%
100%
Learning Goals: This course is primarily geared toward enhancing your
understanding of the research process:
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identify the research questions and methods used in scholarly publications;
build familiarity with a wide range of methods (mainly but not only qualitative) and how
they complement or contradict each other, when/where different methods are
appropriate, etc.;
understand the necessary connections between the empirical evidence and the
theoretical framework / research question;
identify ethical practices, especially for working with marginal populations;
become qualified to work with „human subjects‟ through an on-line tutorial;
work in a group to identify research questions, methods, and practices to be used in a
real-world exercise;
construct and perform a small research project with UVM students as part of a small
group;
reflect critically on your role as a researcher, the completed exercise, the subjects‟
contributions, and the research practice;
analyze your data using rigorous techniques;
construct convincing representations of your work;
synthesize the empirical insights to connect to scholarly literature and policy.
A few policies
1. Respect each others‟ views
2. I do not accept late papers or assignments except in the most dire situations (which need
to be documented).
3. I expect all work turned in for this class to be your original words and ideas, with others‟
words and ideas properly cited and referenced. I will provide information on when and how
to cite other sources. See this link for the Academic Integrity statement for UVM:
http://www.uvm.edu/%7Euvmppg/ppg/student/acadintegrity.html
4. Common courtesies: I expect students to be present and engaged in class, and strongly
recommend you do the assigned readings promptly. Please try to avoid unnecessary
disturbances during lectures and discussions.
5. ACCESS: Students with documented disabilities are encouraged to contact me in the
first two weeks of classes to discuss accommodations. I can best be reached by e-mail or
during my office hours. I will make every reasonable effort to insure your full participation
in this course.
6. All classroom policies, including athletic and religious schedule accommodations, follow
UVM policy, which can be viewed at http://www.uvm.edu/cses.
Full References and Suggested Further Readings.
Breitbart M, 2004, Participatory research methods, in Key Methods in Geography Eds N Clifford,
and G Valentine (Sage, London) pp 161- 178.
Cidell, J. 2008. Challenging the Contours: critical cartography, local knowledge, and the public,
Environment and Planning A 40: 1202-1218.
Clifford, N. and Valentine, G. 2003. Key Methods in Geography. London: Sage.
Cope, M. 2002. Feminist epistemology in Geography, in Moss, P. (ed) Feminist Geography in Practice:
Research and Methods, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, pp.43-55.
Cope, M. & Elwood, S. 2009. (eds) Qualitative GIS: A Mixed Methods Approach. London: Sage.
Flowerdew, R. & Martin, D. 2005. (eds) Methods in Human Geography: A Guide for Students Doing a
Research Project (2nd edition) Harlow, Essex, UK: R Longman.
Hannes, E.; Janssens, D.; & Wets, G. 2009. Does Space Matter?: Travel Mode Scripts in Daily
Activity Travel. Environment & Behavior, 41 (1): 75-100.
Jackson, P. 2001. Making Sense of Qualitative Data, in Limb, M. and Dwyer, C. (eds.) Qualitative
Methodologies for Geographers: Issues and Debates, New York: Oxford University Press,
pp. 199-214.
KesbyM, Kindon S, Pain P, 2005. Participatory approaches and techniques, in Methods in Human
Geography: A Guide for Students Doing a Research Project 2nd edition, Eds R Flowerdew, D
Martin (Longman, Harlow, Essex) pp 164 – 166.
Kwan, M-P & Ding, G. 2008. Geo-Narrative: Extending Geographic Information Systems for
Narrative Analysis in Qualitative and Mixed-Method Research, Professional Geographer, 60
(4): 443-465.
Limb, M. and Dwyer, C. (eds.) Qualitative Methodologies for Geographers: Issues and Debates, New
York: Oxford University Press
McCall, M. & Minang, P. 2005. Assessing participatory GIS for community-based natural resource
management: claiming community forests in Cameroon. Geographical Journal, 171 (4): 340356.
McIntyre, A. 2003. Through the Eyes of Women: photovoice and participatory research as tools for
reimagining place. Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography, 10 (1): 47-67.
Post, C. 2008. Modifying sense of place in a federal company town: Sunflower Village, Kansas, 1942
to 1959, Journal of Cultural Geography, 25 (2): 137-159.
Richards, L. 2005. Handling Qualitative Data: A practical guide. London: Sage.
Schein, R.H., 1997. The place of landscape: conceptual framework for interpreting an American
scene. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 87 (4), 660_680.
Valentine, G. 2002. People Like Us: Negotiating Sameness and Difference in the Research Process,
in Moss, P. (ed) Feminist Geography in Practice: Research and Methods, Oxford: Blackwell
Publishers, pp. 116-126.
Qualitative Research in Geography
Schedule
Spring 2009
Week
Topic
Readings
Assignments
Jan 12, 14, 16
Ch. 1 QRMHG “Qualitative Research
and its Place in Human Geography”
In-class exercise
Jan 21, 23 (no
class Monday –
MLK Day)
Introduction: The
Production of Knowledge;
Theory, Epistemology,
and Research Practice
The scope, practices, and
ethics of Qualitative
Research
Ch. 2 QRMHG “Power, Subjectivity,
and Ethics in Qualitative Research”
Ch. 5 QRMHG “Qualitative Research
Design and Rigor”
Jan 26, 28,
30*
Participatory Research
Approaches
Breitbart M, 2004.
KesbyM, Kindon S, Pain P, 2005.
IRB on-line tutorial
(if you haven‟t done it
in the past year)
Reflection Paper 1
Due Fri. Jan 23 –
Knowledges, Ethics &
Rigor
Monday posting
Feb 2, 4, 6*
Ethnography &
Participant Observation
Ch. 12 QRMHG “Knowing Seeing?
Undertaking Observational Research”
Valentine, 2002
Monday posting
Feb 9, 11, 13*
Interviews, surveys &
focus groups
Ch. 6 QRMHG “Interviewing”
Ch. 8 QRMHG “Focusing on the Focus
Group”
Feb 18, 20*
(no class Mon)
Feb 23, 25,
27*
Photo and landscape
analysis
Mental maps, Maps as
research tools;
Participatory mapping
Travel diaries and
activity journals,
Photovoice, and other
new techniques
Schein, 1997
Spring break
Spring break
Monday posting
Reflection Paper 2
due Fri. Feb. 13 –
Watching & Talking
with People
Monday (Wednesday!)
posting
Monday posting
Group Proposal Due
Wed. Feb. 25
Monday posting
Reflection Paper 3
due Fri. March 6 –
Mapping Meanings
Mar 16, 18,
20*
Archival research
Mar 18 – Dr. Orzeck
Mar 23 – 27
AAG meetings
Dr. Cope away all or part
of this week - TBA
Ch. 9 QRMHG “Historical research
and archival sources”
Post, 2008
Mar 2, 4, 6*
Mar 9 – 13
Spring Break
Housel, 2007
Cidell, 2008
McIntyre, 2003.
Hannes, 2009
Work on group projects
Spring break
Monday posting
No additional
assignments or
readings this week
Qualitative Research in Geography
Schedule, cont.
Spring 2009
Mar 30, Apr 1,
3*
Mixed Methods and
Qualitative GIS
McCall & Minang, 2005
Cope & Elwood, 2009
Monday posting
Apr 6, 8, 10*
Discourse & Text
analysis
Monday posting
Reflection Paper 4
due Fri. Apr. 10 –
Mixed methods
Apr 13, 15,
17*
Making sense of your
data 1: Coding and
theme-building
Making sense of your
data 2: Representing
Qualitative Research
Apr 22 – Dr. Elder
Group Representations &
Wrap-up
Final Presentations
Ch. 11 QRMHG “Doing Discourse
Analysis”
Ch 15 QRMHG “Computers,
Qualitative Data, and Geographic
Research”
Ch 14 QRMHG “Coding Qualitative
Data”
Jackson, 2001
Ch 17 QRMHG “From Personal to
Public: Communicating Qualitative
Research for Public Consumption”
Apr 20, 22,
24*
Apr 27, 29
TBA – Final
Exam period
Monday posting
Analysis Sample due
Mon. April 20
Monday posting
Group Project Visual
Representation Due
Final Paper due at
Exam Time
* Follows the weekly schedule of Monday-lecture, Wednesday-exercise, Friday-Reflection/Discussion. Bold
text indicates a day on which a posting is due.