ENG:202 Research ENG:202 Research WritingWriting

March 9March 9thth, 2009 , 2009

AgendaAgenda

Literature Reviews: Your favorite Literature Reviews: Your favorite mistakes mistakes

The next step in your research The next step in your research projects: Methodology. How to collect projects: Methodology. How to collect rich data? How to conduct interviews?rich data? How to conduct interviews?

Class Activity: Investigating Spring Class Activity: Investigating Spring Break 2009 ExperienceBreak 2009 Experience

Talking about “Covering”Talking about “Covering”

Your favorite mistakesYour favorite mistakes

Any one person could be a child abuserAny one person could be a child abuser Research shows that….(you need some Research shows that….(you need some

research examples)research examples) Some research suggest that…Some research suggest that… Kevin Yurkerwich argues that minority Kevin Yurkerwich argues that minority

couches have never had fair shot at trying couches have never had fair shot at trying to become a head coach in the NFL. to become a head coach in the NFL. “Qualified black candidates will now be “Qualified black candidates will now be provided with the opportunity to interview provided with the opportunity to interview for head coaching vacancies” (Yurkerwich, for head coaching vacancies” (Yurkerwich, Kevin)Kevin)

The following literature review The following literature review attempts to analyze….The first article is attempts to analyze….The first article is about..the second article focuses on….about..the second article focuses on….

Great use of action verbs!-Try to stick Great use of action verbs!-Try to stick with past tense when you report with past tense when you report studies….examinED, studiED, statED, studies….examinED, studiED, statED, FOUND…FOUND…

Article 1 deals with…Article 2 talks Article 1 deals with…Article 2 talks about…about…

Research MethodsResearch Methods

Qualitative MethodsQualitative Methods

(e.g., Ethnography, Auto-(e.g., Ethnography, Auto-ethnography, Life History, ethnography, Life History, Narratives, case studies)Narratives, case studies)

The goal is to understand The goal is to understand individual’s cultural worlds.individual’s cultural worlds.

Relying on observations, Relying on observations, interviews, field notes.interviews, field notes.

Quantitative Methods Quantitative Methods

(e.g., Statistical Analysis(e.g., Statistical Analysis

Surveys)Surveys)

Relying on counting the themes, Relying on counting the themes, survey results etc. (frequency survey results etc. (frequency counts) Quantifying the data counts) Quantifying the data

Allows you to see patterns of Allows you to see patterns of language use.language use.

“ “ The more a theme appears the The more a theme appears the more warranted is your more warranted is your claim”claim”

Without some qualitative Without some qualitative analysis, the numbers are analysis, the numbers are meaningless!meaningless!

Qualitative Methods of Data CollectionQualitative Methods of Data Collection

People’s words and actions represent the data of qualitative People’s words and actions represent the data of qualitative inquiry and this requires methods that allow the researcher inquiry and this requires methods that allow the researcher to capture language and behavior. The key ways of to capture language and behavior. The key ways of capturing these are:capturing these are:

Observation – both participant and direct Observation – both participant and direct In-depth interviews In-depth interviews Group Interviews Group Interviews The collection of relevant documents The collection of relevant documents Photographs and Video TapesPhotographs and Video Tapes

Interviews Interviews

Set the interview time and location Set the interview time and location with the person you will be with the person you will be interviewinginterviewing

Write your interview questions (what Write your interview questions (what do you need to know)do you need to know)

Keep your questions open ended.Keep your questions open ended. Decide how to record your interviewsDecide how to record your interviews

Question categoriesQuestion categories Opening questionsOpening questions

Could you please describe…?Could you please describe…?

Can you tell me about…?Can you tell me about…?

Please discuss…Please discuss…

I am interested in….What can you tell me about this I am interested in….What can you tell me about this subject?subject?

Follow-up QuestionsFollow-up Questions

Really? How so? Can you elaborate on X point?Really? How so? Can you elaborate on X point? Probing QuestionsProbing Questions

Can you tell me more about…? Could you please give Can you tell me more about…? Could you please give me an example…?me an example…?

Class Activity on Interview Class Activity on Interview

Find out what your classmate did in her Find out what your classmate did in her spring break. Research Question: How do spring break. Research Question: How do U.S. college students spend their spring U.S. college students spend their spring breaks? breaks?

Come up with at least 5 questions that can Come up with at least 5 questions that can best answer this large research questionbest answer this large research question

Conduct a 5 minutes long interview.Conduct a 5 minutes long interview. After your interview, write one paragraph After your interview, write one paragraph

about your participant’s views/experiences about your participant’s views/experiences on spring break.on spring break.

Book DiscussionsBook Discussions Covering by Kenji YoshinoCovering by Kenji Yoshino review, analyze, and synthesize the reading material. review, analyze, and synthesize the reading material. tell us the social, political and cultural importance of this tell us the social, political and cultural importance of this

reading to our everyday life and give some solid examples reading to our everyday life and give some solid examples from the reading. from the reading.

lead the class in a critical discussion by using class lead the class in a critical discussion by using class activities (e.g. asking discussion questions, showing a short activities (e.g. asking discussion questions, showing a short movie/documentary, sharing visuals anything that you think movie/documentary, sharing visuals anything that you think might be useful to facilitate the class discussion). might be useful to facilitate the class discussion).

create a short handout outlining the major points of your create a short handout outlining the major points of your presentation. presentation.

post a blog entry about your presentation experience.post a blog entry about your presentation experience.     

AssignmentAssignment

Start thinking about your Start thinking about your methodology. Come up with 10 methodology. Come up with 10 tentative interview questions about tentative interview questions about your research topic.your research topic.

Methodology Papers due next Methodology Papers due next Wednesday (March 18Wednesday (March 18thth))

Read Covering part 1 (pages 3-73)Read Covering part 1 (pages 3-73)

AgendaAgenda

Continue with conducting Continue with conducting effective effective interviews.interviews. Polishing our interview questions.Polishing our interview questions. Covering by Kenji Yoshino (Presented by Covering by Kenji Yoshino (Presented by

Emily, Zack and Julie)Emily, Zack and Julie)

--Moving beyond the notion of “melting pot”--Moving beyond the notion of “melting pot”

--Inclusive approaches in contemporary civil --Inclusive approaches in contemporary civil rights issuesrights issues

--Understanding how people struggle from self---Understanding how people struggle from self-expression and “cover” selves. (an excellent expression and “cover” selves. (an excellent critique of assimilation)critique of assimilation)

InterviewsInterviews

Interviews are particularly useful for Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant’s getting the story behind a participant’s experiences. The interviewer can experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depth information around pursue in-depth information around the topic. Interviews may be useful as the topic. Interviews may be useful as follow-up to certain respondents to follow-up to certain respondents to question e.g., to further investigate question e.g., to further investigate their responses. (McNamara,1999)their responses. (McNamara,1999)

Training for the interviewsTraining for the interviews

It is crucial that you organize in It is crucial that you organize in detail and prepare some good detail and prepare some good interview questions before the actual interview questions before the actual interview.interview.

Share your questions with a peer to Share your questions with a peer to get some feedback.get some feedback.

Selecting participants for Selecting participants for your researchyour research

Interview individuals who have some Interview individuals who have some expertise/first hand experience on your expertise/first hand experience on your research topic.research topic.

For example: if you are researching African For example: if you are researching African American women’s experiences in college, American women’s experiences in college, you need to interview…. If you’re you need to interview…. If you’re researching about the abuse of prisoners in researching about the abuse of prisoners in the US, you need to interview…. If you’re the US, you need to interview…. If you’re researching about interracial relationships researching about interracial relationships and stereotypes, you interview…and stereotypes, you interview…

Preparation for the Preparation for the InterviewInterview

Choose a setting with the least distraction—try not to meet Choose a setting with the least distraction—try not to meet at a noisy cafeteria or at a party.at a noisy cafeteria or at a party.

Explain your research and the purpose of the interview.Explain your research and the purpose of the interview. Address terms of confidentiality. Tell your participants that Address terms of confidentiality. Tell your participants that

their names will not be used for confidentiality reasons.their names will not be used for confidentiality reasons. Explain the format of the interview.Explain the format of the interview. Indicate how long the interview usually takes.Indicate how long the interview usually takes. Allow interviewee to clarify any doubts about the interview.Allow interviewee to clarify any doubts about the interview. Prepare a method for recording data, Prepare a method for recording data, e.g., take notes, audio e.g., take notes, audio

record the interview.record the interview.

Important Tips!Important Tips! Be knowledgeable about your topics! Use Be knowledgeable about your topics! Use

your lit. reviews.your lit. reviews. Prepare questions that are easy to Prepare questions that are easy to

understand.understand. To control the conversation, avoid any To control the conversation, avoid any

digressions form the main topic.digressions form the main topic. Speak clearly. Take notes.Speak clearly. Take notes. Ask follow up questions. Encourage more Ask follow up questions. Encourage more

responses.responses. Attempt to remain as neutral as possible.Attempt to remain as neutral as possible.

The content of the The content of the questionsquestions

Questions based on participant’s Questions based on participant’s background.background.

Questions based on experienceQuestions based on experience Questions based on opinions and Questions based on opinions and

ideas.ideas. Questions based on feelings.Questions based on feelings. Questions based on knowledge.Questions based on knowledge.

Generating Interview Generating Interview QuestionsQuestions

Take a few minutes to polish your Take a few minutes to polish your interview questions based on what interview questions based on what you learnt from the last two class you learnt from the last two class session.session.

Share your questions with a class-Share your questions with a class-mate. Give feedback.mate. Give feedback.

coveringcovering

The hidden assault on our civil The hidden assault on our civil rightsrights

Kenji YoshinoKenji Yoshino

Who is Kenji Yoshino?Who is Kenji Yoshino? Professor of Constitutional Professor of Constitutional

Law at the NYU School of Law at the NYU School of Law. Law.

received his received his undergraduate degree undergraduate degree from Harvard College, took from Harvard College, took a Rhodes Scholarship to a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University Oxford University

earned his law degree at earned his law degree at Yale Law School. Yale Law School.

A specialist in A specialist in constitutional law, constitutional law, antidiscrimination law, and antidiscrimination law, and law and literature law and literature

http://www.kenjiyoshino.com/

What is covering?What is covering?

““Covering” is sociologist Erving Covering” is sociologist Erving Goffman’s term for how we try to Goffman’s term for how we try to “tone down” stigmatized identities, “tone down” stigmatized identities, even when those identities are known even when those identities are known to the world.to the world.

Examples of covering: Examples of covering:

Religious covering, gay covering, sex-Religious covering, gay covering, sex-based covering, racial covering, based covering, racial covering, disability-based covering disability-based covering

The story of uncovered The story of uncovered selves…selves…

All of us struggle for self expression; we All of us struggle for self expression; we all have covered selves… (p.25)all have covered selves… (p.25)

Everyone covers. To cover is to Everyone covers. To cover is to downplay a disfavored trait so as to downplay a disfavored trait so as to blend into the mainstream. Because blend into the mainstream. Because all of us possess stigmatized all of us possess stigmatized attributes, we all encounter pressure attributes, we all encounter pressure to cover in our daily lives.to cover in our daily lives.

Kenji YoshinoKenji Yoshino

How do we all cover?How do we all cover?

Racial minorities are pressed to “act Racial minorities are pressed to “act white” by changing their names, white” by changing their names, languages, or cultural practices. Women languages, or cultural practices. Women are told to “play like men” at work. are told to “play like men” at work. Gays are asked not to engage in public Gays are asked not to engage in public displays of same-sex affection. The displays of same-sex affection. The devout are instructed to minimize devout are instructed to minimize expressions of faith, and individuals expressions of faith, and individuals with disabilities are urged to conceal with disabilities are urged to conceal the paraphernalia that permit them to the paraphernalia that permit them to function. function.

Agenda Agenda INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH WEEK (March 23INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH WEEK (March 23rdrd--

2727thth) No class meeting. You will be collecting ) No class meeting. You will be collecting your data and transcribing it.your data and transcribing it.

Guest Speaker from Criminology DepartmentGuest Speaker from Criminology Department—She will talk about her survey. —She will talk about her survey.

Working on your methodology papers (due Working on your methodology papers (due wed. March 18wed. March 18thth))

Workshop on methodology papers.Workshop on methodology papers. Covering—Presentation by Cyreene Covering—Presentation by Cyreene AssignmentAssignment

How do you find experts to How do you find experts to interview/send out surveys?interview/send out surveys? See the tips in Curious researcherSee the tips in Curious researcher Pages 99-113Pages 99-113

Methodology Methodology

DATA COLLECTION PROCEESES DATA COLLECTION PROCEESES PARTICIPANT INFORMATIONPARTICIPANT INFORMATION INTERVIEW QUESTIONSINTERVIEW QUESTIONS INTERVIEW CONTEXTINTERVIEW CONTEXT OTHER METHODS?OTHER METHODS?

Free writing about Yoshino’s Free writing about Yoshino’s Covering (PART 1 AND 2)Covering (PART 1 AND 2)

Take a look at the parts that you read from Take a look at the parts that you read from Covering. Covering.

Write 5 minutes about what he means by Write 5 minutes about what he means by covering (use quotes). What strikes you as covering (use quotes). What strikes you as the most important thing the author is the most important thing the author is saying?saying?

Also, write about his writing style. Is he Also, write about his writing style. Is he using first personal pronoun? Is he using using first personal pronoun? Is he using facts/citing other research/talking about facts/citing other research/talking about personal experience?personal experience?

Yoshino’s writingYoshino’s writing

Personal narrative, or as he calls, literary Personal narrative, or as he calls, literary narrativenarrative

Legal argumentsLegal arguments AutobiographyAutobiography Personal Story: a story against demands of Personal Story: a story against demands of

assimilationassimilation Examples drawn from his personal experiencesExamples drawn from his personal experiences Cites important works on civil rights to Cites important works on civil rights to

strengthen his claimsstrengthen his claims His main argument: SEE PAGE 27!His main argument: SEE PAGE 27!

PresentationPresentation

Volunteers for oral feedback and Volunteers for oral feedback and written feedbackwritten feedback

AssignmentAssignment

Work on your methodology paper—Work on your methodology paper—Due on Wednesday, March 18Due on Wednesday, March 18thth

Read covering Part IIRead covering Part II