Course Description and Objectives

Honors 302: Preparation for Graduate/Professional Studies (Qualitative Methods, 1 credit)

Honor students explore qualitative research, considering historical context, philosophical assumptions, culture and its impact on paradigms and perspectives, and a review of research approaches, such as narrative, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, creative, community-based action, indigenous methodologies, and case studies. Students consider the ethical practice of research with human subjects and the Heritage University Institutional Review Board process, Guest scholars conduct experiential workshops during the semester. Students have opportunities to visit graduate schools in the region. Offered spring semester. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honor Program or Permission of Dean of Arts and Sciences

Objectives include the following:

1. Understand the differences between types of data (quantitative, qualitative, qualitative-quantitative).

2. Become familiar with key terms in qualitative analysis including "cultural paradigm," "weltanschauung," "phenomenology," "grounded theory," "ethnography," and "context."

3. Be able to recognize how that terminology affects research design, data acquisition, and data analysis in circumstances that demand qualitative research.

4. Understand the differences between types of field research (true experiment, quasi-experiment, correlation analysis, case study, ethnography, etc.) and the appropriate situations for using each (emphasis here on those generating qualitative rather than quantitative data).

5. Be able to judge the validity and reliability of simple research designs for QUALITATIVE research.

6. Know the basic formats for writing up, reporting, and presenting qualitative data.