a proposed qualitative study (involving interviews, focus groups, ethnography, or other qualitative method discussed in the course) that relates to the hypotheses and research questions from your literature review (which is attatched)
For this assignment, you are to write a proposal for a study that uses at least one qualitative method discussed in the course (i.e., interviews, focus groups, ethnography, qualitative textual analysis, or other qualitative method). Note that you will not be required to conduct the actual study, but rather you are asked to describe how you would conduct a study connected to the hypotheses and/or research questions proposed in your literature review. This paper should be detailed enough to where the reader could replicate the process your study proposes (i.e., I should be able to conduct the study without having any design-related questions). Lastly, feel free to write this paper in first person (e.g., “I will conduct a focus group …”).
Structure
Your qualitative study proposal should be divided into three sections. Note the page length for each section is a general recommendation and not a requirement. The page length requirement for the assignment can be found in the Requirements section below.
Introduction (1/2 page)
Briefly give a preview of your study plan and discuss which hypotheses/research questions your proposal would specifically address.
Body (3-4 pages)
Participants (1/2 page)
Describe the larger population you are studying and outline the sampling methods you would use to study this larger population.
If you are planning on recruiting human participants, who would you try to recruit to participate in your study? What criteria would you use to determine whether someone could participate (e.g., adults over the age of 18, etc.)? Are there specific characteristics or demographics that you would target for recruitment? How many participants would you aim for having in your study? Do you need IRB approval for your study? Would you consider offering incentives for participation in your study? If so, what incentives and why? How would you pay for these incentives?
If you aren’t dealing with human participants, what do you plan on analyzing? For example, if you propose conducting a qualitative textual analysis – what texts would you include in your study and why?
Procedure (1/2 – 1 page)
Explain the process by which your study would be conducted. How would you recruit participants for the study? What specifically are you asking participants to do? If you’re conducting a textual analysis, detail the process by which you plan to analyze the selected texts.
The key in this section is to be as specific as possible. Don’t simply say “I’ll interview my friends.” How would you reach your friends (i.e., through social media? Phone? Text message? Email?)? How would you conduct the interview (i.e., over the phone? Online through Zoom? In person?)? If you’re conducting a textual analysis: how would you specifically locate, identify, and sample the texts you plan to analyze?
Design & Materials (1 ½ – 2 pages)
If you’re proposing conducting interviews – what types of general questions do you plan on asking? As with the quantitative paper, do not simply list out every question you plan on asking in the text (save that for an appendix). How will you transcribe the interviews? Will you take notes during the interview? Are you planning on sticking to just the questions on your list, or will you ask follow up questions?
If you’re proposing conducting a focus group – you might include similar information as above, but you’ll need to also address how the focus group will operate. Will you serve as a moderator? How many people do you plan on having within the focus group? How many discussions will you have? How will they be conducted (e.g., in a physical space or virtual?)? How will you schedule these focus groups? How long do you anticipate the discussion to last?
If you’re proposing conducting an ethnography – How would you gain access? Would you be recording (audio/video) anything? Would you be taking detailed notes? In other words, walk me through the steps you would take to conduct such a study.
If you’re proposing conducting a qualitative textual analysis – Will you be developing your own approach to coding/analyzing themes in the text? Would you use someone else’s approach here? Again, try to walk me through the materials you’d be using in such a study.
Proposed Analysis (1/2 page)