SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION
CMNS 482/851

 

Adam Holbrook & Roman Onufrijchuk	Fall 2001
HC 105; 291-5192	Harbour Centre Day
Email: jholbroo@sfu.ca, and roman@sfu.ca (Schedule TBA)

(DIRECTED STUDY)

INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE FIELD TECHNIQUES FOR COMMUNICATION RESEARCH

 

Prerequisites:

Two upper level communication courses and/or permission of the instructor(s). Students will need to have access to PowerPoint. Qualitative research often involves learning from living interactive, interpersonal interfaces, whether synchronous or asynchronous, face-to-face or via written form and/or through telepresence. In this course, students will be exposed to specific issues in interviewing and interpersonal communication, in the context of the research process and the need to manage this communication to ensure the objectivity of the research project.

This course introduces graduate students who are starting on their research work, and senior undergraduates who may be considering graduate work in Communication, to specific circumstances, methods and techniques that they are likely to encounter in the field. A number of different research situations and requirements will be elaborated, including the development of raw data into material suitable for analysis. Students will explore a survey of qualitative research theory, tools and methods, while gaining practical experience working in the field. The course also includes an introduction to the institutional dimensions or research -- granting bodies, ethics, grant proposals and client brief interpretation, research management and reporting techniques. It combines lectures and seminars surrounding a problem based learning research project.

For its problem-based thread, the course will take advantage of the start of the Innovation Systems Research Network (ISRN) research program to enable students to become familiar with actual field work. The ISRN undertaking is a current, major, nation-wide research program involving a standard interview protocol, and the problems associated with maintaining quality and consistency in a large project, Students will have an opportunity to engage in research as well as study the dynamics as the project unfolds.

SYLLABUS: (Subject to change).

1. Introductory meeting
2. Theory of innovation -- definitions; philosophy of science (AH).
3. Qualitative research -- definitions and characteristics.
- Preparing for research: focus and concept development and articulation. (RO)
4. The ISRN project in depth. (AH)
- Actor-network theory (in brief)
- Techmaps
- Interview guide
ASSIGNMENT: (20%)
1. Set up interviews
2. Acquire "tombstone" data
5. In-Depth interview: preparation and conduct. (RO/AH)
PROJECTS PROCESS:
1. Review assignment
2. Interview scheduling
6. Research pragmatics and management. (AH/RO)
- Ethics and granting councils' rules
- Grant applications
- Budgets
7. Presentation techniques and alternatives. (RO/AH)
ASSIGNMENT: (20%)
1. Turn in interview assignment
2. Review problems
8. Methodologies and Tools I: Champions of Innovation & Delphi method. (RO& guests)
PROJECTS PROCESS:
Set final assignment and presentation topic.
- (Subject area: critical analyses of own ISRN interview and research suggestions.)
9. Methodologies and Tools II: Focus groups & coding for databases (e.g. NUD*IST). (RO & guests)
10. Methodologies and Tools III: Moderating, facilitating and flow management. (RO)
11. Roundtable on ISRN results. (AH)
- Potentially videoconference training with Calgary using ISRN/CANARIE system.
12. PRESENTATIONS: (40%). (AH/RO)
13. PRESENTATIONS: (40%). (AH/RO)
Required Reading: There is no textbook. Students will be provided with appropriate methodological and theoretical handouts, web sites, as well as documentation for group and individual work. A list of recommended readings will also be put on reserve at the downtown Library.
Grading:
- Participation: 20%
- Interview set up and tombstone data: 20%
- Conducted interview and report: 20%
- Final presentation: 40%

(The final presentation will consist of a PowerPoint presentation on a topic to be established with the instructors during the course.)

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices with respect to both levels and distribution of grades. In addition, the School will follow Policy T10.02 with respect to "Intellectual Honesty," and "Academic Discipline" (see the current Calendar, General Regulations Section).