ATPS Lecture Notes, Fall 2010, Week 1
Welcome!
Knowledge is knowing what to do, wisdom is knowing what to do and when to do it, virtue is knowing what to do and when to do it and then doing it.
In both public administration and social science research the hardest part of our work is taking steps towards virtue. Acting on our knowledge at the right time can be tough.
However, we may be able to use analytical techniques to help us. This means that you develop useful thinking habits. These useful habits may involve systematic approaches to your own thought processes.
Ex. How and why do you make inquiries?
This year, by conducting your own research project, one of the major take aways for you will be recognizing the analytical techniques you use to think.
The brain is a reflex organ. The ways in which we think effect the ways in which we act and react. By recognizing your thought processes, you are developing an analytical technique.
I have no interest in telling you what to think. I hope to teach you how to think through problems and questions in a methodical manner. These will become your toolbox of analytical techniques. My analytical techniques for any work or research project are: 1) why does this matter? 2) am I attached or detached to the outcomes? 3) what assumptions am I making about the project or presumed problem? 4) what do I know for sure about the project or problem? 5) why does this matter now ?
These 5 steps are an analytical technique that help me move through the levels of knowledge, wisdom, and virtue.
These steps also help me to demystify science. Being scientific does not necessarily mean that you are always in pursuit of answers. Sometimes reaching “enlightened continuations” of your research question in order to pursue further research and ask more questions is the epitome of a scientific act. If all research projects ended with discrete findings and absolute answers then science, in my opinion, would be a very dull activity.
For the first two weeks of the quarter we have one objective to focus on: frame how we “think” about doing research. Starting week 3, we'll begin to focus on how we go about “doing” research.
But what will you base your research on? What do you need to satisfactorily answer your research question? ……………..proof?
Tell story of sanity.
Everyone has a different understanding of “proof.”
Where do you locate knowledge and power?
Scientists, publications, TV, teachers, colleagues, government, service recipients?
The tools of social science can help you work effectively with the “theys” of the world. Well, they said this or they created the policy or they found that………….Really?, based upon what proof? Where did the evidence come from? How was it gathered? Who analyzed and interpreted it? Who funded it? What statistics were used? Where the levels of measurement appropriate? What were their variables? What was their sampling approach? What was their response rate? Did they answer their research question?
Social science gives us a common language (yes it is its own language) and common set of tools with which to observe and understand social phenomena. This phenomena could be policy development, program analysis, employee retention, student learning, food security, domestic violence, budget crises, or civic engagement. Whatever your interest area is or whatever your work involves, being able to transform data into useful information for decision makers is crucial. Having the ability to be both a producer and consumer of research will greatly enhance your abilities as a leader. You will now be the “they” we all refer to.
Faculty Intros. & Expecations
Student expectations of us as faculty
Go over syllabus and ask if they have questions-- we will not form seminar groups until week 4
Words of caution:
-Conducting research projects with organizations you work for or with-- be sure you are ready to share the potentially negative results you find.
-It depends--your research projects are dependent upon the contexts, cultures, and audiences with whom you are working. Therefore, sometimes you will ask a question of us and we'll say well…. “it depends”…..we will very rarely be able to give a blanket answer for all projects. The research process is full of twists and turns and nuance. Be prepared to change and course correct. There is no cook book or one best way to do research. There is only the specific guiding research question and how we cobble together a solid path for getting you to a reasonable answer.
-Have realistic expectations. This is not your opportunity to save the world. It would be highly unusual for you to produce findings that are generalizable. Most of you will do a case study and you will not be able to extrapolate your results beyond the people who responded to your survey, focus group, or interview. Why? It takes a lot of resources to do a truly random sample and your response rates will be lower than you expect. This is your time to learn. This is not your time to be a perfect researcher. This is your opportunity to understand the ins and outs of research, make mistakes, and learn how to do it better next time.
-Many of you have already selected your method without having a well developed research question. This is backwards!
Your research question guides this entire process, your research question is formulated based upon the paradigm and world view you are coming from, which is impacted by the target population of your research and the context in which the research occurs, which needs to be determined by your sampling approach, which will impact the goals of your research, which help you decide your methodology of quant, qual, or mixed mode, and your hypothesis tests your research question which you haven't developed yet! We do not know which method or “tool” will serve you best to get at responding to your research question and testing your hypothesis.
If I were in your shoes right now I would focus on the following 5 points in the next couple weeks (not method!):
• What assumptions and biases am I bringing to this research? What are my plans for naming them outright and mitigating them?
• What are the limitations of my research? (time, money, access, existing info, scope)
• Which paradigm or paradigms will I draw from to inform my research framing and reasoning processes?
• What is the problem my research addresses? (one sentence) Why is this a problem and for who ? Keep focused on your audience and stakeholders.
• What is the underlying story? The best research projects I have ever seen start from a great story and then are supported by the findings of the research. Use Joy and Serah's stories as examples.
• What is the one guiding research question that really zones in on the specific piece of my topic I want to research? (small, manageable, clearly defined, no flowery language) Elevator test. This means you will need to be in contact with any of the 3 faculty to help you narrow and focus your topic. Don't be shy! We need you to come to us as your project morphs day by day. A big part of our job is to make sure your project is feasible. We want you to be successful. We will help you whittle your project down.
Go over components of a research project handout--- similar to what they read in Babbie
Be the architect of your research project. Be a designer. Don't start with the roof- start with what makes social science research possible- humans- subjects/ participants/ respondents. The “who” of your research is where you should start.
Researcher manipulation is what makes something quant or qual (not method or paradigm)
Terms upon which we develop, conduct, and present research:
Methodologies : (general principles about the formation of knowledge) quantitative, qualitative, mixed mode.
Methods : how we start to operationalize the study- translate the world of ideas into the world of behaviors . Methods such as surveys or focus groups are tools and can be designed as either quantitative or qualitative or mixed mode.
Quantitative : (hear “quantity”) The numerical representation and manipulation of observations for the purpose of describing and explaining the phenomena that those observations reflect. Raw data must be converted into numerical equivalents before analysis can occur.
Qualitative : (hear “quality”) The non-numerical examination and interpretation of observations for the purpose of exploring underlying meanings and patterns of relationships. Data is collected from notes, observations, interviews, in-depth, and is not summarized by numbers or analyzed with statistics. Words, pictures, narratives are used as data.
Mixed Mode : Both- use of numbers & words to provide meaning to data.
So! A survey or an interview or a focus group is NOT inherently quant or qual- the choices made by the researcher make it so.
Overlap between policy design and research design handout --part one-- broad applicability of skills they will learn in this class----handout part two
You are the architect of this project. Research design is influenced by the paradigms and norms under which you operate.
Epistemology : How you come to know- the lenses you use to acquire knowledge. How do you know to ride a bike? Example: relying on personal experience. (or science)
Theory : concept formulation and hypothesis testing. Speculation as opposed to facts.A proposed description, explanation or model. Example: theory of incrementalism in management.
Ideology : a generally accepted theory or idea. An organized collection of ideas. A comprehensive vision. Set of ideas proposed to all members of society. Example: passivism or peaceful resistance.
Paradigm : when an ideology becomes dominant in form and substance (institutionalized). Thought pattern within a discipline. Kuhn “logically consistent portrait of the world.” Ex. Performance measurement in public administration or capitalism in economics.
These go in a circle….. each informs the other.
Discuss classic debates in the field of PA and how these are the same debates we see in the social sciences. ---set Tim up for week 2--similar to positivists and post-positivists they read about in Babbie
Divide between the classics and the challenge.
Classics: Efficiency, Facts, Science, Objectivity, Administration (Experts), formal authority, sameness (rational model) ….. versus….
Challenge: Effectiveness, Values, Qualitative Analysis, Subjectivity and Politics, informal authority (the faces of power), otherness (difference)
Defining the Classics :
Public organizations should operate with power located at the top to maximize efficiency. Public administration should be about value free, neutral professionals who are experts that maintain bureaucracy. Army of experts.
Made a clear distinction between politics (legislation that follows the public will and values) and administration (the execution of law by value free experts).
Defining the Challenge :
The aim of the challenge is to show what is wrong with the world and as it is and to help improve it. They question whether an effect is morally or politically desirable. Recognize that social constructions exist= we cannot know “facts” separate from interests. Emphasize the imbrication of theory and practice. The goal of the challenge is to bring about social and political change.
The main three paradigms (positivism, interpretive, critical) differ in where they locate the sources of power and knowledge (where we locate the “soul” of science). Here's some background about where these paradigms came from:
1) Age of Enlightenment that ushered in Modernity and developed Positivism – The Classics
The Enlightenment sought to establish a new nature of knowledge where subjective ideas such as religion did not rule the landscape. Instead, philosophers and scientists would rely on proof, physical observation and verifiable predictions to claim knowledge. They were looking for basic truths of the world ( UNIVERSAL TRUTHS ).
The central claim was that there was an objective truth of reality out there to be discovered that was separate from the observer , instead of the subjective views of reality expressed in religion and politics. This could be discovered through the scientific method of observation, hypothesis, experimentation and verification . Enlightenment thinkers believed in a rational, orderly and comprehensible universe which could then form a rational and orderly organization of knowledge . -- positivism
Relies on deduction --- goes from big observations to atomistic, testable hypotheses.
The order of the scientific method was seen as a way of keeping chaos out and ordered efficiency in……things were seen in absolutes, either you could prove knowledge scientifically or you could not. This was what is known as “empiricism” or dependence on evidence.
Western societies felt protected by “scientific experts” rather than ruled by traditions or a King. We moved from divine right to discovering natural laws. Positivism stretches beyond social science and is entrenched within Western institutions. For example, in the judicial system and in public policy controversies, if studies deviate from accepted scientific practice…..they are thrown out of court as unreliable or disregarded as too political.
Critique: knowledge generated by science is (generally) accepted as “true”; this passes enormous power to the elites with the skills needed to generate this knowledge – positivism
2) Postmodern, The Challenge- interpretive and critical paradigms
This was a move to get away from the “experts” of science. Science was insufficient in answering the individual questions of suffering and sacrifice (WWI, WWII,depression). Views science as inherently corrupt and not based in the realities of individual experience. These paradigms want to get at the things we can't see , such as emotion and prejudice and hate .
It sees knowledge as coming from individual realities. All that's real are the images we get through our points of view.
Relies on induction ---- going from specific experiences to analyzing or deconstructing the big picture.
*It is crucial to remember that any methodologies (quant., qual, mixture) and any methods (surveys, interviews, focus groups) can be present in any paradigm. The tool does not make the paradigm, how you use and construct that tool (survey) reveals your paradigmatic leanings.
Handout the general topic categories and ask them to form groups based upon how they have been sorted or based upon someone's topic they might want to work with. Start the research forming process.