Chapter 7: Case Studies, from Research Methods in Human Computer Interaction (Second Edition), 2017 (Pages 153-185).
As you read this, compare the design of case study-based methods to "more traditional" engineering methods. Reproducibility is a cornerstone of science; what are the reproducible elements of a case study? What does "experimental design" look like in the context of a case study? What makes a case study "powerful", and how are case studies used to guide future studies, science?
Create an annotated bibliography (see below) with this reading as your first entry. (If you already maintain an annotate bibliography, you may add this there instead.)
For those who are interested in a more formal description of research methods, the following chapters discuss four major experimental methods, their design considerations, their analytical power, and experiences from real-world examples of each study mechanism.
Readings from:
P. B. Elmore, G. Camilli, & J. Green (Eds.), Complementary methods for research in education. Washington, DC: AERA.
[12pgs] Cook, T.D. & Sinha, V. (2006). Randomized Experiments in Educational Research.
[11pgs] Shadish, W.R. & Luellen, J. K. (2006). Quasi-Experimental Design.
[10pgs] Schoenfeld, A. H. (2006). Design experiments.
[11pgs] Yin, R. K. (2006). Case Study Methods.
For a modern, holistic view, we recommend Qualitative Literacy: A Guide to Evaluating Ethnographic and Interview Research, by Mario Luis Small and Jessica McCrory Calarco. Publisher link; access link for UC-affiliates.
Suppose you were given two qualitative studies: one is a piece of empirically sound social science and the other, though interesting and beautifully written, is not. How would you tell the difference? Qualitative Literacy presents criteria to assess qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviewing and participant observation. Qualitative research is indispensable to the study of inequality, poverty, education, public health, immigration, the family, and criminal justice. Each of the hundreds of ethnographic and interview studies published yearly on these issues is scientifically either sound or unsound. This guide provides social scientists, researchers, students, evaluators, policy makers, and journalists with the tools needed to identify and evaluate quality in field research.
An annotated bibliography is a tool for you to help organize your thoughts and more easily refresh yourself on papers you have read. Annotated bibliography entries are not abstracts. They may include a brief (1-2 sentence max) summary, but more importantly they should capture your thoughts on the work. How does this reading relate to your area of focus or study? Which tables, results, experimental methods, ideas do you want to come back to? What conclusions did you draw while reading (not what did the authors write in their conclusions section; if yours overlap, capture that)?
Your first few AnnoBib entries will not be good. That's okay. You don't have a sense of what is useful or important to you yet. This is a skill that is highly personal and refined with practice.
You don't have to have read everything in your annotated bibliography. A few times this term, we will present a paper in lecture and ask you to update your AnnoBib after class. The first note in your annotation should be that you haven't read it! Capture what you remember from the presentation, and try to identify when/why it would be valuable to return to this and read it fully and deeply (example: "Saw lecture on 2023-02-01; looks like a good source for academic performance variation for early-career students with race/gender demographics and an intersectionality analysis."). Your AnnoBib should be useful to you.
Finally, AnnoBib entries are not written in stone! If you end up reading that full paper, update your entry! If something made you think of another paper, refined your thoughts, etc, update those entries. It is a living document that should serve your needs.
Note: Lots of online examples get hung up on style and formatting. Don't waste your time on MLA vs APA vs (...). You may find some of their templates and questions/prompts useful however when considering what you find valuable in an annotated bibliography entry.
Update your annotated bibliography with entries for any material from class today and/or any new reading material assigned today.
Prepare a writeup summarizing your experiences with this panel. Your writeup should include:
Summary of the focus/goals of each speaker
Which focus area did you find most personally engaging? What do you think are the top current questions/issues in this area?
What question did you submit to the panel?
If it was chosen, do you feel it was answered (summarize the answer) and/or did it open more questions for you (summarize these)?
If it was not chosen, which speaker would you have most-liked to hear give their thoughts, and why that speaker?
With some time and distance, what is a new question you wish you had had an opportunity to ask our panelists? Why do you think this question is important?
We will consider three different analytical lenses throughout the term, spending two weeks on each lens. For each, we will start with an instructor-guided example. Then, your focus subgroups will study two specific examples. Finally, we will come back together as a whole class to identify intersectional and cross-cutting concepts.
Critically read the material assigned for your subgroup. When you are finished, engage with the class discussion board on Canvas.
Minimum: Post one new discussion topic; reply to two other discussion threads.
Submit your discussions and responses on Canvas.
(If not finished in class):
Prepare panel presentation material
Prepare questions for panelists
Prepare a write-up summarizing your experiences with this lens. Your write-up should include:
An insight from one of the other focus areas you had not previously considered.
An example from the discussion threads which changed or broadened your thinking on the topic under discussion.
What question did you ask (or want to ask) during the in-class panel session?
If it was chosen, do you feel it was answered (summarize the answer) and/or did it open more questions for you (summarize these)?
If it was not chosen, what answer might you have given if you were on the panel?
An example from your academic, professional, or personal life where you think applying the techniques from this lens could be informative.
Submit your write-up on Canvas.