Please note: This course will be taught in hybrid mode. Hybrid delivery of courses will include synchronous live sessions during which on campus and online students will be taught simultaneously.
Sarah Shair-Rosenfield is professor of comparative politics at the University of York. Her research investigates the way that political actors are constrained by rules and institutions, how actors may subsequently affect the structure of those institutions in pursuit of specific policies and outcomes, and whether certain traits or characteristics of political actors, whether groups or individuals, can affect the interdependent relationship between actors’ choices and the institutions in which they operate. She is a collaborator on the Regional Authority Index, a widely-used measure of decentralised governance from 1960 to 2018, has been invited to consult with the United Nations and United States Agency for International Development. She is joint Editor-in-Chief of Political Studies, has recently convened multiple early career training programmes funded by the British Academy, American Political Science Association, and Political Studies Association, and is a co-founder of the Women in Southeast Asian Social Sciences (WiSEASS) network.
Relevant publication: Electoral Reform and the Fate of New Democracies: Lessons from the Indonesian Case (2019 University of Michigan Press)
Course Content
Aspiring social scientists often wonder, “what is mixed methods research?” and “when should I use mixed methods in my research?” But before making decisions about using mixed methods research, other questions should be considered, such as “what is my philosophical stance?” and “what is my research question?” In this course, I will introduce students to mixed methods research in the social sciences. This course will provide depth and breadth on developing well-refined and theoretically driven mixed methods studies, along with guidance on using appropriate methods and instruments during data collection, integration, and analysis. The course content will be enhanced by an overview of both qualitative and quantitative methods, separately, then an examination of these methods together, and their valuable contributions to mixed methods research. The course provides (1) an introduction to mixed methods research; (2) an examination of the philosophical assumptions that guide the decision to use mixed methods research; (3) a context for data analysis and integration; and (4) a framework for drawing conclusions from mixed methods that inform future research, practice, and policy. A primary aspect of the course will be to teach students how to determine if mixed methods are necessary, given the problem statement and research questions.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to: (1.) Adopt a philosophical stance and highlight the major theoretical underpinnings guiding mixed methods research; (2.) Determine when someone should consider conducting a mixed methods study and understand the procedures for choosing a mixed methods design; (3.) Discuss measurement, sampling, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data for mixed methods research; (4.) Describe ways to integrate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to address a mixed methods research question; and (5.) Identify ways to disseminate results from mixed methods research.
Course Prerequisites
This is an introductory course. Participants are not required to have anything more than basic knowledge, comfort, and familiarity using one (or both) of the single methods (qualitative or quantitative).
