Qualitative research spans a continuum of approaches that include those that lie near the positivist end such as in the work of Miles and Huberman, to those that embrace feminist and post-modern epistemologies such Annie Rogers and Catherine Reissman. The more positivistic qualitative researchers build their work on conceptual frameworks and write from the perspective of an objective researcher. Post-modern and feminist qualitative researchers embrace subjectivity in research emphasizing the position and voice of the researcher in the process, and the participatory and collaborative nature of research. They explore a range of interpretive approaches and choose those that will best tell the stories of people who have been silenced. They seek to redress social justice issues and to make research accessible and useful.

A great deal has been written on access, ethics, data collection strategies, and representational possibilities from these various perspectives. Far less attention has been paid to making the interpretive process explicit, that is, the work that accompanies the transformation of field texts, from the “raw” forms to the ultimate, public representational ones. Yet the persuasiveness of a study is enhanced substantially when the interpretive processes the researcher uses are made transparent. The notion of trustworthiness, replaces validity. Trustworthiness, or credibility, is based on the persuasiveness of the work, not on specific measures or approaches to guarantee the "accuracy" of the interpretation.

Making the interpretive process transparent is particularly useful to other researchers who may use, adapt or build on the creative possibilities that exist for developing interpretive strategies. Just as we can learn from the “particular” (Donmoyer, 1990) through well-crafted, in-depth stories about individual people and contexts, so too can we enhance our interpretive strategies, particularly as students of qualitative inquiry, by having access to what researchers do in transforming their field texts to their research representations.

Aim of the course

Using Maxwell and Miller’s (2002) pivotal article (see course pack) on categorizing and connecting approaches to data analysis as the backdrops/frames for analyzing qualitative field texts (data), the aim of the course is to explore a variety of interpretive approaches that may be used with a range of material. The course is directed particularly to those students who have already gathered data and are in the intensive stages of analyses.

Course format

The course is designed to follow a seminar/workshop format, where through participation and collaboration, the understandings gleaned from course readings will be co-constructed and critiqued. A range of interpretive approaches will be explored in a hands-on way using common data and/or individual data sets in exercises that will be shared with the group. One exercise will be chosen from the assigned application readings each week and will be applied to each person’s own data. Meant to be short, succinct, and works in progress, these exercises should be submitted in hard copy and in duplicate at the end of the particular class to which they are assigned. Invited guests will add to the experience by sharing their interpretive strategies, issues, and insights.

Evaluation

Student work will receive ongoing responses as it is submitted. The course will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis. The rationale for a pass/fail system is that it enhances the risk-taking and collaboration by eliminating the competition that grading fosters. Since most students will have successfully completed a qualitative course or the equivalent, the emphasis is not on demonstrating competency in the traditional way, but rather on exploring and building knowledge and skills that will be particular to, and useful for, each student’s research agenda.

Students will be required to complete and share in-class collaborative work, facilitate in-class response groups, participate in ongoing memoing exercises, and complete and share work done out of class time. These collaborative and individual assignments will become part of an “exhibition/sharing” of work that will take place in the final class which then will be submitted. More specific guidelines for this final assignment will be discussed and distributed in class.

Course packet

Available at the McGill Bookstore (price approx. $40)

Other useful resources

Please note: McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more information).

COURSE OVERVIEW

(R) = Response to readings prepared for class discussion
(A) = Application of approach outlined in article to individual data sets
Assigned readings & exercises to be discussed/shared on date indicated