Course syllabus

 

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES PROGRAMME

 

Thursdays, 12pm-2pm

Social Sciences Building 201E-516

(Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

 

Course Outline 2018

 

Course Convenor 

Professor Andreas Neef

 

Office: HSB 838

Email: a.neef@auckland.ac.nz

Office hours:  Thursdays 2:30-4pm, by appointment only

 

1. Course description and course outcomes 

The aim of this course is to deepen students’ understanding of the purpose of research in development and equip them with the methodical and analytical skills of conducting their own research project. The course aims to provide students with an overview of all phases of development research, from the design and theoretical framing of research, ethical considerations, methods employed for data collection, data coding and data analysis (including software tools) through to writing development research. The course examines the way in which theory shapes research methodology and introduces a variety of methods and tools for qualitative and mixed-method development research.

 

By the end of this semester, students should know:

1. key theoretical arguments used in framing different research approaches in development studies;
2. the importance of ethics in research, and how to assess the potential impact of development research on research participants and the broader communities;
3. how to draw on a suite of methods and tools appropriate for their research data collection and analysis;
4. how to write development research for a specific audience.

 

By the end of this semester, students should be able to think critically about development research and

1. understand quality criteria in development research;
2. evaluate research from an ethical perspective;
3. be able to skilfully choose and employ a range of strategies and methods for data collection, analysis and writing.

 

2. Assignments

 

Ethics Essay (15%)                                        800 words

Fieldwork Practicum (50%)                         Group presentation (10 min) and                                                                                                         individual field report (2,500 words)

Textual Analysis Exercise (35%)                   Annotated coding list for an analysis
of a 8-12 page text

 

Ethics Essay (15%) Week 5 – 29 March

In this essay, you are to write a review of a paper reporting on development research. You will reflect on the broad range of ethical issues raised by this research:

What ethical issues are addressed in the paper?

What ethical issues are not addressed in the paper?

What are likely impacts of the research (positive and negative)?

What could researchers do to minimise negative impact?

Assess whether you believe this research should have been undertaken

             

Fieldwork Practicum – Presentation & Report (50%) Week 9 – 3 May

Students will work in small groups of 2-3 to undertake research under guidance of three experienced lecturers. They will conduct interviews or focus groups and employ an additional research method of their own choice. Following the field practicum, they will give a 10-min group presentation (worth 15%) to the whole class and prepare an individual field report (worth 35%), incl. transcripts from interviews/focus groups.

• The group presentation should give a brief overview of the research process and discuss some key findings/highlights.
• The field report should focus on the individual role of the student in the research process and include annotated fieldnotes (with complete transcripts attached).

 

Textual Analysis Exercise (35%) Week 12 – 30 May

Select a development policy document, a development-related media report or a transcript of an interview that you have conducted (8-12 pages), develop appropriate codes for textual analysis and write an annotated coding list (codebook).

• The selection of the document to be coded should ideally be based on your own research interests.

• You should develop a range of inductive codes through ‘microscopic’ textual analysis.

• You should put together a coding list (codebook) of your selected codes and provide definitions/explanations for each of them.

 

3. Expectations

This course is designed to introduce students to development research. Class time provides opportunities for you to develop an understanding of major concepts, arguments, methods and tools within development research and discuss these critically with the class lecturer and fellow students. The expectations are as follows:

1. Students will attend the weekly classes and contribute actively in the discussions
2. Submitted work is your work; work is routinely analysed through ‘turn-it-in’
3. Sources of ideas and quotes will be appropriately referenced;
4. Advertised submission dates are non-negotiable (with the exception of serious illness, family bereavement or other compelling reason with appropriate documentation).

Late submissions without prior written permission of the course lecturer will normally be penalised in the following way:

            1 day late = 15% penalty

            2 days late = 20% penalty

            3 days late = 25% penalty

            4 days late = 30% penalty

            5 days late = 35% penalty

            6 days late and beyond – work will not be marked.

 Please note that weekends and public holidays are not included in the calculations.

 

4. Seminar Schedule (Thursdays 12pm-2pm)

 

Class	Date	Topic
1	1 Mar	Introduction to the Course
2	8 Mar	Design of Development Research I: Research Questions, Literature Review, Conceptual Frameworks
3	15 Mar	Design of Development Research II: Ethical Issues
4	22 Mar	Design of Development Research III: Quality Criteria Ethics Essay Due
5-7	24 Mar	Fieldwork in Development Research: Gaining Access, Observation, Interviews, Focus Groups, Participatory Methods, Field Notes (Saturday, full day, blocked seminar with three lecturers)
		MID SEMESTER BREAK
6	19 Apr	No class (fieldwork)
7	26 Apr	No class (fieldwork)
8	3 May	Group presentation and Fieldwork Report Due
9	10 May	Analysis in Development Research I: Data Preparation/Coding
10	17 May	Analysis in Development Research II: Textual Data Analysis with Software Exercises
11	24 May	Analysis in Development Research III: Theory Development and Writing
12	30 May	Class Forum and Course Evaluation Textual Analysis Exercise Due

 

5. Readings 

Refer to the pdf-file of the syllabus under "Files" and the "Readings List".  

 

6. Inclusive learning

Students are urged to discuss privately any impairment-related requirements face-to-face and/or in written form with the course convenor.