Mixed

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE School of Information Studies

INFOST 891 – Mixed Methods Research for Information Studies

Fall 2017: September 5-December 14

DRAFT SYLLABUS

Instructor: Richard Smiraglia Location: NWQB 2569 E-mail: smiragli@uwm.edu Phone: 414-229-4707 Office Hours: TBA Fax: 414-229-6699

Meeting Times & Location: NWQB 2450

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

Presents techniques for designing and executing mixed methods research in information studies as well arguments for and against the use of mixed methods for theory building. 3 credits.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Mixed methods research is appropriate when research questions require analysis of phenomena from different perspectives. Concrete analyzable entities often are best described quantitatively, but cultural or social perspectives, or real-life contexts often are best described qualitatively. Mixing the two together is frequently appropriate in information studies, where documents, queries, users, etc. can be studied quantitatively, but their impact as information phenomena is best studied from multiple perspectives. Historical analysis of information phenomena also often requires a mixed methods approach. In this course students will review the philosophical foundations of each paradigm, so as better to understand the appropriate use of each, as well as to effectively avoid pitfalls in mixing methods. Analysis of specific information phenomena will provide basic practice in designing and executing mixed methods research in information studies.

PREREQUISITES:

INFOST 591 or equivalent; or permission of the instructor. INFOST 903 Qualitative Research Methods INFOST 904 Quantitative Research Methods

OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate the following SOIS Program Outcomes:

•Analyze research problems and questions that are amenable to mixed quantitative and qualitative research approaches (research problem, research questions and

Mixed literature review, class participation). •Critically analyze existing relevant journal literature in relation to research questions (research problem, research questions and literature review). •Articulate the ethics and responsibility of conducting mixed methods research and required documentation (data collection and IRB, class participation). •Differentiate and justify appropriate data collection methods for the proposed research questions (data collection and IRB, class participation). •Apply both quantitative and qualitative techniques and use software to analyze and interpret data (data analysis exercise). •Exhibit critical thinking about building or modifying a theory based on the analysis of quantitative data (theory building, class participation). •Exhibitcriticalthinkingaboutemergentgroundedtheorybasedontheanalysis ofqualitative data (theory building, class participation). •Designaresearch methodology in the field of information studies (proposal presentation, completed research proposal, class participation).

Class participation: Class participation will be based on your regular attendance and substantive contributions to class discussions and lab exercises. Workload: Students should be prepared to devote at least 10 hours to this course each week, which will include class meeting times, outside reading and time devoted to completion of the course requirements.

Method:

Lecture/Discussion/Lab Students with special needs should contact the instructor as early as possible for accommodations. See policies below.

TEXTS:

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

Creswell,JohnM.andVickiL.PlanoClark.2010.Designingandconductingmixedmethodsresearch.2d.ed.SAGEPublications.ISBN:978---1412975179

Other Required Readings: Berg,BruceL.andHowardLune.2011.Qualitativeresearchmethodsforthesocialsciences.8thed.Pearson.PDFofchapter1.Bergman,ManfredMax.2010.Hermeneuticcontentanalysis:Textualandaudiovisualanalyseswithinamixedmethodsframework.InSAGEHandbookofMixedMethodsinSocial&BehavioralResearch,pp.379---96.

Mixed Dickinson,WendyB.2010.Visualdisplaysformixedmethodsfindings.InSAGEHandbookofMixedMethodsinSocial&BehavioralResearch,pp.469---504.Greyson,Devon,SoleilSurette,LizDennettandTrishChatterly.2013.“You’rejustoneofthegroupwhenyou’reembedded”:reportfromamixed---methodinvestigationoftheresearch–embeddedhealthlibrarianexperience.JournaloftheAmericanMedicalAssociation101no.4:287---97.

Johnson,BurkeandRobertGray.2010.Ahistoryofphilosophicalandtheoreticalissuesformixedmethodsresearch.InSAGEHandbookofMixedMethodsinSocial&BehavioralResearch,pp.69---94.

Ma,Lai.2012.Somephilosophicalconsiderationsinusingmixedmethodsinlibraryandinformationscienceresearch.JournaloftheAmericanSocietyforInformationScienceandTechnology63:1859---1867.

Nagel,Ernest.1979.Thestructureofscience:ProblemsintheLogicofScientificExplanation.2ded.Indianapolis:Hackett.PDFofchapters1---4.

Nastasi,BonnieKaul,JohnH.HitchcockandLisaM.Brown.2010.Aninclusiveframeworkforconceptualizingmixedmethodsdesigntypologies:Movingtowardfullyintegratedsynergisticresearchmodels.InSAGEHandbookofMixedMethodsinSocial&BehavioralResearch,pp.305---38.

O’Brien,HeatherL.andMahriaLebow.2013.Mixed---methodsapproachtomeasuringuserexperienceinonlinenewsinteractions.JournaloftheAmericanSocietyforInformationScienceandTechnology64:1543---1556.

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Week: Topics: Readings: 7 September

Nature and foundations of mixed methods research

14 September

Mixed methods research in information studies (student lab 1)

Creswell, chapters 1-2

Berg, chapter 1

Nagel, chapters 1-4

Ma, Some philosophical considerations 21 September

Research questions for mixed methods research (student lab 2)

Creswell, chapter 6

O’Brien and Lebow, Mixed-methods approach ...

Greyson et al., “You’re just one of the group” ... 28 September

Mixed methods designs Creswell, chapters 3-4

Mixed 5 October Discourse analysis Budd, John M. and Douglas Raber. 1996. Discourse analysis:

method and application in the study of information. Information Processing and Management 32: 217–26.

Frohmann, Bernd. 1994. Discourse analysis as a research method in library and information science. Library and Information Science Research 16: 119–38.

12 October Sampling, and why “sampling” is wrong in qualitative designs

Data collection strategies

Creswell, chapter 6

19 October Data collection instruments (student lab 3)

26 October Data analysis Creswell, chapter 7-8 2 November

Class project: Design and Execute a Mixed Methods study 1. Problem, Purpose, Literature Review

during weeks 10--12 the class will conduct together a small-scale mixed methods research study

9 November

Class project: Design and Execute a Mixed Methods study 2. Research Questions, Design, Data Collection

16 November

Class project: Design and Execute a Mixed Methods study 3. Analysis, Theory Building, Conclusions

student draft research proposals due

23 November

Thanksgiving eat turkey, its required

30 November

Student proposal presentations 2

7 December

Overview Creswell, chapter 9

14 December

ASSIGNMENTS:

Detailed instruction of each assignment will be distributed in class.

Student lab 1:

Mixed Find 3 published articles in your topical area of choice—one quantitative, one qualitative, and one mixed-methods. Summarize for each the research problem, the overall design, and major findings. Turn in your 1-3 page summary in D2L. Prepare a presentation to the class on your findings.

Student lab 2:

Using the 3 published articles from Student Lab 1, summarize for each the research questions or hypotheses, explain how the design directly represents those questions, and discuss theoretical implications of results. Turn in your 1-3 page summary in D2L. Prepare a presentation to the class on your findings.

Student lab 3:

Find 2 published articles that use mixed methods (different from labs 1 & 2) in your topical area of choice. Summarize the data collection instruments used. How do they appropriately represent the research objectives? Turn in a 1-3 page summary in D2L. Prepare a presentation to the class on your findings.

Student Mixed Methods Research Proposal

In a topical area of your choice, define a research problem approriate for mixed methods research. Prepare a formal research proposal using mixed methods. This should include:

Research Problem, Research Questions and Literature Review

Research Design and Data Collection Methods

IRB forms as required

Data Analysis and Theory Building Turn in an abstract of the topic and research problem (250 words) for your mixed methods research proposal September 29. Turn in your methodology and analysis plan November 3. Turn in your full draft proposal November 24. The final paper, after feedback from the instructor, is due December 15. For December 1 and 8, as assigned, prepare a 20 minute presentation of your proposal to the class. EVALUATION:

Assignments Percentage

Student lab 1 15%

Student lab 2 15%

Student lab 3 15%

Completed research proposal & presentation

35%

Class participation 20%

Mixed

Total 100%

GRADING SCALE:

96-100 A 74-76 C

91-95 A- 70-73 C-

87-90 B+ 67-69 D+

84-86 B 64-66 D

80-83 B- 60-63 D-

77-79 C+ Below 60 F

UWM AND SOIS ACADEMIC POLICIES

The following links contain university policies affecting all SOIS students. Many of the links below may be accessed through a PDF-document maintained by the Secretary of the University: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf. Undergraduates may also find the Panther Planner and Undergraduate Student Handbook useful (http://www4.uwm.edu/osl/students/). For graduate students, there are additional guidelines from the Graduate School (http://www.graduateschool.uwm.edu/students/current/), including those found in the Graduate Student and Faculty Handbook: http://www.graduateschool.uwm.edu/students/policies/expanded/.

Students with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of a course, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. Students with disabilities are responsible to communicate directly with the instructor to ensure special accommodation in a timely manner. There is comprehensive coverage of issues related to disabilities at the Student Accessibility Center ( http://www4.uwm.edu/sac/ ), important components of which are expressed here: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/DSAD/SAC/SACltr.pdf.

Religious observances. Students’ sincerely held religious beliefs must be reasonably accommodated with respect to all examinations and other academic requirements, according to the following policy: http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S1.5.htm.

Mixed Page 8 of 8

Please notify your instructor within the first three weeks of the Fall or Spring Term (first week of shorter-term or Summer courses) of any specific days or dates on which you request relief from an examination or academic requirement for religious observances.

Students called to active military duty. UWM has several policies that accommodate students who must temporarily lay aside their educational pursuits when called to active duty in the military (see http://www4.uwm.edu/academics/military.cfm), including provisions for refunds, readmission, grading, and other situations.

Incompletes. A notation of “incomplete” may be given in lieu of a final grade to a student who has carried a subject successfully until the end of a semester but who, because of illness or other unusual and substantial cause beyond the student’s control, has been unable to take or complete the final examination or some limited amount of other term work. An incomplete is not given unless the student proves to the instructor that s/he was prevented from completing course requirements for just cause as indicated above (http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S31.pdf).

Discriminatory conduct (such as sexual harassment). UWM and SOIS are committed to building and maintaining a campus environment that recognizes the inherent worth and dignity of every person, fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect, and encourages the members of its community to strive to reach their full potential. The UWM policy statement (http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S47.pdf) summarizes and defines situations that constitute discriminatory conduct. If you have questions, please contact an appropriate SOIS administrator.

Academic misconduct. Cheating on exams and plagiarism are violations of the academic honor code and carry severe sanctions, ranging from a failing grade for a course or assignment to expulsion from the University. See the following document (http://www4.uwm.edu/osl/dean/conduct.cfm) or contact the SOIS Investigating Officer (currently the Associate Dean) for more information.

Complaints. Students may direct complaints to the SOIS Dean or Associate Dean. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific university policy, it may be directed to the appropriate university office responsible for enforcing the policy (http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S49.7.htm).

Grade appeal procedures. A student may appeal a grade on the grounds that it is based on a capricious or arbitrary decision of the course instructor. Such an appeal shall follow SOIS appeals procedures or, in the case of a graduate student, the Graduate School. These procedures are available in writing from the respective department chairperson or the Academic Dean of the College/School (http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S28.htm).