Seminar on the Craft of Inductive Qualitative Research
Michel Anteby and Leslie Perlow
HBS 4852
This seminar provides a forum to demystify the craft of qualitative inductive research. How do field notes get transformed into published books and articles? How does theory get built and substantiated? What is the behind the scenes process successful scholars are using? Our goal is to look behind the curtain and understand the art and science of writing up this work. It is also to gain an appreciation for the variety of ways in which people work.
Towards this end, the seminar will be composed of two parts: 1) learning from others and 2) learning by doing. The first part of each class will involve uncovering the story behind a published piece of work, written by a leading scholar. The second part of each class will involve class participants sharing their own writing based on on-going research projects. This writing can take the form of full paper or much earlier stage memos, outlines or other writing sample.
The seminar is offered as a Pass/Fail course and has three requirements:
- In preparation for each class, participants will read the piece of work by the leading scholar, and possibly some earlier drafts, memos, or reviews.
- For each class, participants will also be provided a writing sample distributed by one of the class participant, whose week it is to share their work.
- Participants will be responsible for sharing their work during at least one class session.
This course is open to doctoral students who have successfully completed their first-year of graduate work and are engaged in inductive qualitative research projects with data. Permission of the instructors is required for all enrollees.
First session meets on September 16, 2010.