Qualitatively Different: Teaching Fieldwork to Graduate Students

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-1997

Description

What is it like to teach qualitative methods to graduate students in predominantly quantitative departments? We draw on our experiences teaching fieldwork in three departments to show that folk notions of science-ideas about how scientific work should be done-make it difficult to teach an inductive approach to fieldwork. Specifically, these folk notions make it hard for students to take an open approach to their studies, use their emotions in developing their analyses, and write ongoing analyses of their field notes. Throughout the article, we offer strategies for dealing with students' resistance.

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