Course Description

This course has two main parts.  First, it provides an overview of the history of the Philosophy of Science.  Topics discussed include epistemology, ontology, and metaphysics.  Debates within these subdisciplines are explicated and paradigmatic shifts are discussed, particularly as they relate to research in social work.  Second, the course reviews elements of research design and the choices that face the social work researcher.  Included in discussions are:  the conceptualization of research, including issues of operationalization and measurement; methods for sampling subjects and/or data; issues relating to the protection of human subjects; approaches for gathering data, including survey research, field research, intensive interviews, and unobtrusive measures; and a brief introduction to the methods employed for data analysis. As well, the course will review issues around the protection of human subjects in social work research. Discussion of these topics will be oriented toward social work and social policy settings.
 

Course Structure

Class sessions will meet daily from 9:15 AM until 12:45 PM, except June 15 and June 18 which will be extended class sessions (time TBD).  Topics covered are indicated below. 

Those books which I will assume you have read have an asterisk beside them on the schedule below. I encourage you to also look at the other books listed. Discussion will be based on the books indicated in the outline. It is advised that you familiarize yourself with as much of this material as possible prior to the start of the course. Many of the books can be located through local libraries or inter-library loan, or through any bookstore (I will not be having copies ordered through the MUN bookstore). In preparation for the first class session you should have read Decolonizing Methodologies and to also have done some general reading on the philosphy of science (ontology, metaphysics, and epistemology). There is no single "best" text, so I'd encourage you to simply become familiar with the general concerns in the philosophy of science. The Couvalis book is a good start, however it has a conservative orientation so should be viewed as such - it argues for a relatively traditional view of science, but through discussion gives good insight to arguments advanced by key figures in the field (e.g., Hume, Kant, Popper, Mill, Kuhn, Feyerabend, and others). Note that I will attemt to give handouts to help broaden your readings on many of the topics.

As class time permits, we will take time to collectively explore each other's reserach interests and curiosities. The expectation is that seminar-style discussions and debates will help folks understand their own and other's planned direction for doctoral reserach, and will facilitate a process of mutual assistance in refining and critically assessing research questions and designs that may be used for answering those questions. Being the first research course in the PhD program, there is full appreciation that much of this work is at a nascent stage. The course is designed and structured to facilitate each individual's thinking about and development of the direction for their research program and to set the stage for future work in the research curriculum.

Assignments for the course are indicated below. The first paper is due the first day of class. There are two in-class presentations. These are each based on empirical research reported in an article in a professional journal (a different article for each presentation).  You can select these articles prior to arriving in St. John's and become familiar with them in advance.  (By empirical research is meant research in which there is collection or observation of original data.  This includes surveys, observational studies, interviews, etc, etc -- the spectrum is wide.  It does not include arguments based on anecdotal information nor does it include arguments based on other's research only.)

Class Schedule 

ASSIGNMENTS

1)  ESSAY

In preparation for the first class session, you are asked to prepare an essay, not to exceed 1500 words (roughly 6 pages, double spaced, inch margins all-around, 12 pt font), that addresses the following statement.
 

There is no correct answer, as you know, however by thinking about the issue we will be able to jump into the course the first day of class.  In addressing the statement, take a position and provide a logical argument that supports that position.  Grading is based on the strength of your argument;  not on the position you take

DUE:            8 June 09
WEIGHT:    15%
 

2)  PRESENTATION I  (12 June 09)

For this assignment you will need to choose an article, based on empirical research, from the social work literature.  Your presentation should take no more than 40 minutes and should provide the following:

I.  Overview of Research Article (~10 minutes)

• What is the focus of the research, and what is advanced as its purpose or goal?
• Identify the author's hypotheses or expectations.  For example, are there formal or informal     hypotheses presented by the author, does the author intend to assess alternative explanations for a phenomenon, is the author engaged in research that is exploratory  and which is directed at description or explanation.
• Discuss the sample or data base, the methodology used for data collection, the form of data presentation employed, the types of statistics used (if any), and methods used for displaying     the data (e.g., tables, graphs, etc).  In other words, briefly summarize the design and method used for gathering data, and describe how the data is presented to you, the reader.
• Discuss the findings.  What does the research find or conclude based on the data.
• Provide an overview of the implications and conclusions given by the author.

• Assess the appropriateness of the design for answering the research question.  What assumptions has the researcher made by the design chosen and how have these influenced what was done?
• Identify ways in which the research design has predetermined the range of findings. Specifically, are there issues or explanations that are overlooked because of the research design or are some explanations elevated in weight because of the design?
• Suggest ways in which the design of the study may be improved.  You may wish to focus on changes that are based on the conceptualization of the research, on changes that are related to issues of measurement, or on changes in the design.

• Provide an opportunity for and facilitate questions and discussion from your colleagues about the article and your critique.
  

WEIGHT:    22.5%

3)  PRESENTATION II  (19 June 09)

Same as for PRESENTATION #1, except that (with a new article) you should have more insight and have developed a more critical eye.

WEIGHT:    22.5%

Note:  You may wish to prepare handouts or overheads to assist in your presentation. You are also expected to prepare a brief (5 – 6 pages -- 1250 - 1500 words) paper reflecting your presentation.

4)  FINAL PAPER

This paper has four parts:

• Identify an area of research that captures your interest and briefly describe a research question that you are interested in thinking about.  In three or four pages, provide justification for the study, identify and explicate the concepts or variables that will be studied, and discuss the purpose for the research (in other words, what do you hope to achieve with the study).  You are making no commitment by identifying a question -- one simply needs to be identified for the exercise provided by this assignment.
• With this research question in mind, describe and discuss a research design that you believe can effectively answer the question.   Now, critically analyse the research design and describe its strengths and weaknesses.  In other words, what features of the question can be answered by the design and what features are overlooked.
• Propose an alternative research design that you also believe could be effective.  Again, describe and discuss how this design can be used to answer the research question, and then critically analyse the research design and describe its strength and weaknesses.  What features of the question can be answered by the design and what features are overlooked?
• Given that you have two competing designs for answering the same research question, provide a discussion that argues for one design over the other.  Argue why the design is better (what does it provide that the other doesn't), but also accommodate any of its weaknesses and argue for how these can be overcome or dealt with.  The point of this last section is to demonstrate why the design you choose will work and to also have you demonstrate awareness of the limitations inherent in the design.
  

DUE:            On or about 10 August 09

WEIGHT:    40%