ANNOTATED READING LIST (revised 10/1)
WMST 4011: Understanding Research In
Women’s Studies
Dr. Diane Samdahl, Fall 2003
dsamdahl@coe.uga.edu
Note: I have tried to mark
all revisions in red to clearly indicate where this deviates from the
schedule handed out on the first day of class. This is the official guide and takes
precedence over earlier versions as to readings and assignments for any
particular day.
The assigned readings below come from several
sources. A class reading packet
contains Power Point handouts and chapters from selected texts. Articles from that packet are referenced
below by author and title. Other
assigned articles can be find online at ProQuest (PQ), EbscoHost (EH),
or GenderWatch (GW), all of which are accessed
through GALILEO, or on the Internet.
Articles found online are marked below with an asterix (*). In addition,
chapters from Reinharz (1992), Feminist Methods
in Social Research, have been selectively required or simply
recommended. A copy of that book will
be available on reserve at the library but you can obtain your own copy as an
e-text through GIL.
How do you handle this much reading? Many of the online articles are included
simply as examples of specific research methods. Those articles should be skimmed with
attention to their research design. We are looking for broad understandings of
the research process, not the overwhelming detail or theoretical content of
each of these studies.
SECTION I: INTRODUCTION TO
POSITIVIST TRADITIONS
August 19: Introduction and overview
This will be an overview of the course including an examination of the
syllabus, discussion of readings and assignments, etc.
August 21: But isn’t research
objective?
Today’s discussion will examine prevailing beliefs about
the “truthfulness” of science and research, and examine the reasons why it’s
important for women to understand research methodology. What are the basic tenets of traditional research? What makes some research feminist? What is the difference between research methods and epistemology? The
following articles will spur our discussion about the relevance of research
in a women’s studies curriculum.
·
Martin:
The egg and the sperm . . .
Assignment: think about
the reasons WMST requires a research class
August 26: Foundations of the feminist critique of research methodology
Today’s
class will consist of a debate, with some students being assigned to argue
for and some students being assigned to argue against the statement,
“Feminist research requires different methods than traditional research.”
Come to class prepared to argue either point; you will turn in a paper on
this topic next week.
·
Harding:
Introduction: Is there a feminist method? (Ch 1 in Feminism and
Methodology)
·
Hall:
Toward a gender-conscious sociology
·
[Recommended: Reinharz: Chapter 1, Introduction]
continued
Assignment due today: Turn in a list of three arguments for
and three arguments against the statement, “Do feminist research methods
differ from traditional research methods? Why or why not?” Be prepared to effectively argue either side
of this discussion. Turn in your list
(typed) at the end of class.
Assignment (due Sept 2): Write a 2 page essay on the topic:
“Is there a feminist research method?”
The paper should be typed, 12-point font, double spaced with 1-inch
margins.
SECTION II: THE TOOLS OF POSITIVIST
RESEARCH
August 28: Measurement—For better and worse
Measurement is an important basis for positivist research,
but feminists have difficulty accepting some positivist measures (e.g. can we
meaningfully classify people as
male or female?). Given the prevalence
(and power) of positivist measurement, it’s important to understand what
measurement entails. Familiarity with
the processes and terminology associated with measurement will provide an
important premise for making your own assessment of the measurements you
encounter.
·
Power Point slides on measurement
·
Critically examine the fact sheet on domestic
violence in the reading packet; pick two facts and think about the exact
measurement (including wording) that would be required to produce that
information
Assignment due today: Think about the measurements (including
labels and categories as well as numerical assessments) that are applied to
you, and identify two measurements that are significant in some fashion. Do you think they are meaningful ways to
assess you? Why or why not? What is
your reaction to being “measured” in this way? Turn in a short paper (1-page typed, double
space) about these two measures.
September 2:
Application: Measuring gender and sexual orientation
Continuing the discussion on measurement, we will examine
in detail how gender and sexual orientation have been operationalized
and measured. When assessing the measurement of anything, it is critical to
examine in detail the processes that led to those results. Conflicting results (or unpopular results,
or biased results, or . . .) often stem from disagreement in how a concept is
operationalized and measured. The last portion of the class period will
be spent discussing the questionnaire assignment.
·
*Rothblum: Sexual orientation and sex in women’s lives
(via EbscoHost)
·
Critically examine the examples measuring
gender in the reading packet, thinking about the assumptions that each
measurement makes and whether or not it effectively captures what “gender” is
·
Come prepared with a list of possible topics
for the questionnaire assignment
Due today: Essay
assigned August 26 on feminist research methods
September 4: Quiz, followed by
discussion of questionnaire construction
The first part of today’s class will be a quiz on material
covered to date, followed by a discussion of questionnaire construction. The Power Point slides cover many technical
aspects of questionnaire design. The
Cook et. al article contains an interesting
discussion on how public polls produce differing results depending on how a
question is worded.
·
Power Point slides on questionnaires
·
*Cook et. al: Measuring
public attitudes on abortion (via EbscoHost)
Upcoming assignment (due Oct 2): Design a questionnaire on
the assigned topic. The questionnaire
should be at least 2 pages in length, and should demonstrate your ability to
use a variety of question formats to gather effective data.
September 9: Questionnaires continued
We will continue the discussion of
questionnaire construction and examine the sample questionnaires that were
handed out. The latter portion of the
class period will be spent discussing possible topics for the questionnaire
assignment and developing the conceptual framework (variables) for that
questionnaire.
For today: Examine the
questionnaires you were given for good or bad examples of wording, response
format, and layout. Come to class
ready to comment on these questionnaires.
Be prepared to select topic(s) for the questionnaire assignment.
September 11: A closer look at
survey research
Outside of medicine and psychology, much of the empirical
research we encounter is based on survey methods. Surveys are often (though not always)
positivist in design, and thus they share some of the same limitations as
experiments. It’s important to
understand the processes of survey research in order to critique the
understandings that they produce. You
also may need to conduct a survey in your professional job. Are there ways to make survey research more
compatible with a feminist agenda?
How?
·
Power Point slides on surveys
·
*Dowdall et. al: Binge drinking among American college women
[via EbscoHost]
·
[Strongly recommended: Reinharz: Chapter 4, Surveys]
Assignment due today: Complete the
worksheet associated with the Dowdall article
September
16: Application: Campus survey of GLBT
Today will be spent examining in detail the report on a
campus survey of GLBTQ students. This is a multi-method study, combining
traditional survey techniques with more qualitative forms of data collection.
Pay attention to how these two forms of data complement one another.
·
“In the Shadow of the Arch” (available online
via the UGA campus website)
Assignment: Complete the worksheet associated with this report
September 18: Guest speakers Dr. Bob Hill and Dr. Sara Oswalt
Today two faculty members involved with “In the Shadow of
the Arch” will come to class to speak about that project. Come prepared with questions about the
study. This is a good opportunity to
learn about the nitty-gritty real life aspects of carrying out a survey such
as this.
Assignment: Prepare two thoughtful questions to ask the
researchers about this study. These
will be turned in at the end of class (typed).
September 23:
A closer look at experimental design (new date)
Experiments are the epitome of
positivist research and can be used to illustrate the assumptions of
positivism including randomization, control, and causation. Since it’s
impossible (and unwise) to discount all of experimental research, it is
important to be able to differentiate strong experimental design from weaker
studies. Try to articulate the ways
that typical experiments are not feminist,
but also ask yourself how experiments can serve to highlight or empower
women’s lives.
·
Power Point slides on
experiments
·
Sherif: Bias in psychology
(Ch IV in Feminism and Methodology)
·
*Dall’Ara: Studying sexual harassment…(available via
PQ)
·
[Strongly recommended:
Reinharz:
Chapter 5, Experiments]
Assignment due today: Complete the worksheet associated
with the Dall’Ara article
September 25: Evaluating programs
and services
Feminist organizations are often required to show evidence
of their effectiveness in order to receive continued funding and
support. In addition, this type of assessment
helps organizations know how (or if) they impact the women they are trying to
serve. Evaluation takes on aspects of
experimental design and survey research, and it provides a good example of
how these traditional tools serve a feminist agenda. The reading packet contains one section of a
workbook on how to evaluate program outcomes.
The article by Levine illustrates evaluation that incorporates a
feminist perspective.
·
Power Point handouts on evaluation
·
Measuring Program Outcomes: A Practical
Approach (pp. 1-24, 42)
·
*Levin:
Participatory evaluation: researchers and service providers [no longer
available online; DMS will provide a copy]
Assignment due today: Complete the
worksheet associated with the Levin article.
(update: no worksheet for this reading)
September
30: Quiz, followed by workshop on
questionnaires
The
first portion of today’s class will be a quiz on material covered since the
last exam. The remainder of class will
be a workshop for students to discuss, share, and critique drafts of each
others’ questionnaires in an effort to bring all up to higher standards of
excellence.
Assignment: Bring in two drafts of your
questionnaire.
In-class activity: Peer
review of questionnaires
October 2: Examining conflicting research results
Your knowledge of research methods
becomes useful when you encounter two or more studies that report conflicting
research results. How do you assess
the relative strengths of each study?
Which conclusion has the stronger empirical evidence? Today we will practice those skills with
two assigned articles; later in the term you will give a presentation on
conflicting research studies in a topical area of your choice.
·
Bailey, Bobrow, Wolfe, & Mikach:
Sexual orientation of adult sons…
·
Cameron & Cameron:
Homosexual parents
Assignment: complete the
worksheet associated with today’s readings
Upcoming assignment (due Dec 4): Find two empirical
research articles that report conflicting results on the same topic. Critically assess each article as you make
your determination about which conclusion is most solidly based in strong
research techniques. You must identify
the two articles by November 4, and give a class presentation on them on
December 2-4. A paper discussing the
relative methodological strengths of these two articles is due December 4.
NOTE: there was inconsistency regarding topics for 10/2 and
10/7. We discussed interviewing on
10/2 and will discuss the conflicting research reports on 10/7 (the articles
are in your reading packet). Complete the worksheet and bring articles to
class on 10/7.
October 7: Feminist interviewing
Interviews can be very structured,
like the telephone surveys Gallup Polls conduct, or they can be unstructured
and loose-flowing. With interviews
that we begin to break away from strict positivist research design and move
towards more qualitative epistemologies.
As these readings explain, truly feminist interviews are difficult to
accomplish. Group interviews, called focus groups, are used in program
evaluation and offer more “personable” data than questionnaires.
·
Power Point handouts
on interviewing and focus groups
·
Reinharz: Chapter 2,
Interviews
·
DeVault: Chapter 4 in
Liberating Method
·
*Montell: Focus group interviews: A new feminist
method (GW)
Upcoming assignment (due Oct 28): Conduct a 5-10
minute interview on the assigned topic.
Obtain permission and tape record the interview. Transcribe a 1-2 minute portion of the
interview. Turn in the transcription
and a 2-3 page paper that reflects on your performance (strengths and
weaknesses) as a feminist interviewer.
SECTION III: AN OVERVIEW OF
STATISTICS
Statistics, like research more generally, have
traditionally been a male domain. That
in itself is reason why it’s important for women to understand
statistics. Even though you may prefer
qualitative research strategies for your own inquiries, you cannot escape
statistics that are used to count and classify you, or statistics that are
served up as evidence against
discrimination and inequity. We will
not go deep into statistics and their calculations, but we will examine basic
statistics that are used in descriptive reports and research articles in
order to increase your confidence in examining and critiquing statistics
about women.
October 9: Statistics that
describe
This class will examine the logic and assumptions behind
averages and percentages, as well as the “margins of error” reported in
national polls. We’ll also look at
effective (and misleading) ways to set up tables and graphs to report
descriptive data. Statistics are not
absolute facts, and the interpretation
given to statistical differences is often driven by hegemonic expectations.
·
Power Point handouts on descriptive statistics
·
Overview of statistics (see link on class web page)
·
*Cannon: Quantitative methods: coping with
statistics (GW)
·
Readings / examples to be announced
October 14: Statistics for relationships
The most intimidating statistics are those that come with men’s
names, Greek letters, and p-values.
Without concerning ourselves with how they are calculated, we’ll learn
what these statistics are trying to do and how we should interpret them. A little knowledge will make you a wise consumer of research, for it’s
not uncommon to see misleading or incorrect conclusions pasted on the end of
a statistical research report.
·
Power Point handouts on statistics for
relationships
·
Readings / examples to be announced
October 16: Summary and review of statistics
Today we’ll examine some statistical research reports in
attempt to decipher exactly what they are saying. Come prepared with questions from the last
two class periods.
·
Readings / examples to be announced
October 21: Quiz on statistics
After the quiz on statistics, there will be time to
discuss the interview assignment and/or the assignment related to conflicting
research reports.
October 23: NO CLASS
The instructor is at a conference today. Use this time to complete the interview
transcription and the related reflection paper which are due next class
period.
October 28: Interviews revisited
Today
we will discuss the interview assignment you had. Prepare by thinking about the strengths and
problems with interviews and the ways that interview data are interpreted and
reported. Tempted as you may be to
skip these readings, I think you’ll find them interesting and relevant as you
write your reflection paper.
·
Standing:
Writing the voices of the less powerful (in Feminist Dilemmas..)
·
*DeVault: Women’s
talk: Feminist strategies for analyzing research interviews (GW)
October
30: NO CLASS-- Football holiday (woof woof)
November 4: Reflections on
positivism
Today we return to issues from early in the term as we
reflect on the epistemological tenets of positivism. Embedded in this discussion is the
“quantitative/ qualitative debate.”
With a stronger understanding of the feminist critique of positivism,
this discussion should shape up differently than it did early this term.
·
Power Point handouts on ‘Introduction to
qualitative research’
·
*Brayton: What
makes feminist research feminist? Available online at:
http://www.unb.ca/web/PAR-L/win/feminmethod.htm
·
*Dankoski: What
makes research feminist? (GW)
·
*Renzetti: Studying partner abuse in lesbian
relationships…. (GW)
·
*Samdahl: Methodological and epistemological…
(available on class web page)
·
[Recommended: *Dallimore: A feminist response to issues of validity
in research (PQ)]
SECTION IV: INTRODUCTION TO
QUALITATIVE METHODS
November 6: Transition into
qualitative: Content analysis and discourse analysis
Content
analysis can be approached using traditional quantitative techniques or using
a more qualitative approach. Thus, it
makes a good transition as we wrap up our discussion of positivist research. The Sims article illustrates that content
analysis can be subversive, using traditional quantitative techniques to
reveal hidden sexism or discrimination in our culture. Discourse analysis,
while somewhat comparable to content analysis in design, employs a very
different approach and does not produce quantitative data. The DeVault
chapter introduces discourse analysis and the Blackwell article provides a
good example of research using this technique.
·
Power Point handouts on content analysis and
discourse analysis
·
*Sims: Gender equity…: A content analysis of test
bank questions (PQ, 1997 backfile)
·
DeVault: Women write sociology: Rhetorical
strategies (in Liberating Method)
·
*Blackwell:
The deserving sick: poor women and medicalization
of poverty (GW)
·
[Strongly recommended: Reinharz: Chapter 8, Content Analysis]
November 11: Ethnography
Ethnographies take us to the far end of a spectrum that
began with positivist research, for they represent entirely different
orientations to the pursuit of knowledge.
In some respects, ethnographies are similar to anthropological
research where researchers immerse themselves in another culture with a goal
of fully understanding people and their surroundings. Since
ethnographies contextualize knowledge, they can
uncover the complexity of competing discourses that shape our experience. Thus, they are an important tool for
feminist research.
·
*Johnson
& Samdahl: How dare they be here. . . (available on class web page)
·
Reinharz: Chapter 3, Ethnography
November 13: Researching across
race and culture
Research often “others” minorities and people from
non-Western cultures, particularly positivist methods and the Eurocentric
beliefs that shape that style of research.
However, this critique has also been leveled against feminist
researchers when their research excludes blacks, Latinas, women from lower classes or
educational levels, and people from Third World
countries. Unique problems arise when
researching across race and culture.
·
Ladner: Introduction to “Tomorrow’s Tomorrow” (Ch.
VI in Fem and Methodology)
·
*Ghorayshi: Women
in developing countries… (GW)
·
[Recommended:
Reinharz:
Chapter 6, Cross cultural research]
November 18: Oral History [guest speaker:
Catherine Kleiner]
Oral histories and case studies
can be used to reveal and validate aspects of women’s lives. They don’t intend to generalize, but rather
show in clear detail what a few women’s lives have been like or what a
particular situation entails—from the perspective of the women themselves. Oral histories are built from repeated, prolonged
interviews with women while case studies incorporate many diverse methods in
attempt to gain that depth of understanding.
- Readings to be
announced after consultation with the guest speaker
- [Recommended: Reinharz: Chapter 7 Oral History and Chapter 9
Case Studies]
November 20:
Reflections on feminist research
Again, we return to the discussion
of the relationship between feminist methods and feminist epistemology but
with a greater understanding of feminist methods and how they vary from more
common positivist designs. Much of the
feminist critique of positivism can be understood as issues of ethics and are addressed through action research (thus, as the
semester’s schedule was modified some other readings got merged with today’s
readings). In addition to the readings
below, you might want to revisit the readings from earlier discussions of
feminist research.
·
Lather: Research as praxis (Ch 3 in Getting Smart)
·
Fine: The politics of research and activism
·
Kirsch: What do you know about my life,
anyway? (Ch. 2 in Ethical Dilemmas)
(continued)
·
[Recommended: *Millen: Some methodological issues raised by doing
feminist research on non-feminist.. online at: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/2/3/3.html]
·
[Recommended: Reinharz, Chapter
13, Conclusions]
November 25: Work sessions for
papers
Knowing that your schedules fill up towards the end of the
term, and respecting the extra demands of working in a group, today’s class
will be devoted to working on the final papers/presentations for class. Each group must meet with the instructor
and give a progress report on their project; the remaining time will be
allotted for groups to work on their papers and presentations.
Assignment: Groups must meet with instructor to discuss their
project
November 27: Thanksgiving holiday
Tangent: If you
join Thanksgiving activities, pay attention to the gendered division of
labor. In many ways, women in our
culture carry the responsibility to “make holidays” for others in their
care. Do you see this in the
Thanksgiving activities in which you participate?
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