Research Methods for Fieldwork in the Developing World

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course prepares undergraduate students for independent field research in a developing country. Although the focus of the course is on the developing world, many of the strategies and research methods are relevant to research in other settings and we encourage all interested students to register. The first part of the class focuses on the utility of research on topics of development - both in foundational academic research as well as in the creation and evaluation development projects. The second part exposes students to various field research methodologies, including ethnography, archival research, interviews, surveys, and experiments as well as some theoretical and logistical considerations for research design. We will engage in a variety of hands-on practicum exercises to solidify classroom learning during this section. The last part of the course will concentrate on student workshops to hone their own research designs for upcoming individual field research. This course is interdisciplinary, and focused on field research methods. We will *briefly* touch on topics of research design, such as developing a research question, a theoretical framework, and hypothesis testing, as well as analysis of data and evidence. However, we encourage students to see this course as a complement, rather than a substitute, for discipline specific research methods and analysis courses.