Due:
Worth: 40%

Choose one of the following questions and write a formal essay - 5000 word max. (12 double-spaced pages).

1. With reference to empirical work, outline the philosophical and historical underpinnings of qualitative research in social geography.



2. Compare critical approaches and feminist approaches to social research.



3. Defend a position regarding the following statement: 'Conducting qualitative research is more art than science'.

HINT 1: It is far better to organize the sections of your paper conceptually rather item by item. For example, in a piece that compares critical approaches and feminist approaches, resist the temptation to discuss one in the first half of the paper and THEN the other in the second half. Rather, try organizing according to dimensions on which they are congruent and divergent e.g., ontology, epistemology, attitude towards reflexivity, role of the knowing subject. In this example each of those sections would begin with a clear statement about whether the two approaches are similar or different on that particular dimension (e.g., ontology).

HINT 2: Illustrate key points (e.g., analytical abduction) with examples. Typically there are two types of examples: 1) fabricated examples cobbled together from your own understanding of the phenomenon; or 2) empirical examples from actual studies that involve the phenomenon in question.

Paper 2: Qualitative Methodology in Practice

Due:
Worth: 40%

Choose one of the following topics to write a formal essay - 5000 word max. (12 double-spaced pages) - on the relationship between qualitative methodology "in theory" and how it is actually practiced by rigourous-minded geographers (if you prefer to identify your own topic, please check with me first - not entirely essential but...):

1. To what extent is grounded theory used by qualitative geographers as an analytical strategy?  What is the variety of analytical strategies used?  What is the match between the methodological "ideal" (e.g., Charmaz) and what geographers are actually doing? What are the implications?
2. How are qualitative geographers showing their readers that their empirical research is rigourous. What are the implications?
3. Can discourse analysis be conducted on "the knowing subject"?  Provide empirical support. What are the implications?
4. To what extent are grounded theory and discourse analyses compatible such that they may be used together in one study?  Provide empirical support. What are the implications?
5. Suggest a topic. If you have data in hand or would like to borrow some data you may choose a paper that involves the beginnings a grounded theory or discourse analysis base on a limited number of transcripts. You would need to comment on the process with reference to the literature (e.g., rigour)

In all cases you will have to select a manageable time period - e.g., 2000-2005.  Please restrict your empirical papers as much as possible to the geography peer reviewed journals - this is a geography course after all.  Thus, Geobase may be your best bet for database searches.