MAJOR ASSIGNMENT 2: THE ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF QUALITATIVE DATA

Required Readings

Ravitch, S. M., & Carl, N. M. (2016). Qualitative research: Bridging the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Chapter 11, “Research Ethics and the Relational Quality of Research” (pp. 343–382)

Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Chapter 13, “Sharing the Results” (pp. 213–232) 

Shenton, A. K. (2004). Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects. Education for Information, 22(2), 63–75.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

The following articles are examples of literature reviews on the aspects of social change.

Thomas, E. F., McGarty, C., & Mavor, K. I. (2009). Transforming “apathy into movement”: The role of prosocial emotions in motivation action for social change. Personality & Social Psychology Review, 13(4), 310–333.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Kezar, A. (2014). Higher education change and social networks: A review of the research. Journal of Higher Education, 85(1), 91–125.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Aguinis, H., & Glavas, A. (2012). What we know and don’t know about corporate social responsibility: A review and research agenda. Journal of Management, 38(4), 932–968.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Walden University Library. (n.d.). Course guide and assignment help for RSCH 8310. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/rsch8310 

For this Major Assignment 2, you will finalize your analysis in your Part 3, Results section, and finalize your presentation of results from the different data sources. Also, for this week, you will complete the Part 4, Trustworthiness and Summary section to finalize the last part of this Major Assignment 2.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review the social change articles found in this week’s Learning Resources.

Part 4: Trustworthiness and Summary

1. Trustworthiness—summarize across the different data sources and respond to the following:
   
   
   
   • What themes are in common?
   
   
   • What sources have different themes?
   
   
   • Explain the trustworthiness of your findings, in terms of:
     
     
     
     • Credibility
     
     
     • Transferability
     
     
     • Dependability strategies
     
     
     • Confirmability
     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   

Summary

• Based on the results of your analyses, how would you answer the question: “What is the meaning of social change for Walden graduate students?”


• Self-Reflection—Has your own understanding of you as a positive social change agent changed? Explain your reasoning.


• Based on your review of the three articles on social change, which one is aligned with your interests regarding social change and why?

By Day 5

Submit Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of your Major Assignment 2.

This is NOT related to the Week 4/8 assignments. You need a NEW problem, purpose, and RQ. Please watch the video contained in the course Announcements from Week 2. Please also view the rubric for this assignment in the Course Information tab.

The RQ is provided in Week 7, so go back and check that material. Use the RQ provided and write a Purpose Statement that aligns, as well as a Problem Statement focused on the need for social change.

Also, remember that the data for this assignment consist of the peer interview, videos we watched in the discussions and reviewing the Walden social change website. This paper is focused on understanding social change NOT your own topic.

Please follow the rubric and the template, and essentially ensure that you are including each of these headings/topics:

Introduction

Problem Statement

Purpose Statement

RQ

HINT: the RQ should be phrased: What is the meaning of social change for Walden

graduate students? Use this RQ. Write a purpose statement that aligns with this (see

my Announcement on Alignment), and write a problem statement that aligns as well.

Role of the Researcher

HINT: Be sure to mention that you, as a qualitative researcher, are the data collection

instrument, among the other instruments involved in the study.

Data Sources

Instrumentation

Data Analysis

HINT: You have multiple sources of data here, but think about coding for the purpose

and RQ only. It is not necessary to code for EVERYTHING. Code for ideas related to your RQ. Also, consider all of the data, from different sources, together as THE data for your research. Code them together, big-picture, instead of coding one source of data independent from the others.

Results

HINT: Your themes need to answer the RQ.

Trustworthiness: (a) credibility, (b) transferability, (c) dependability, and (d) confirmability.

HINT: Discuss each of these and provide sources as well as indicated how you addressed them in your study.