Post by Guest » Thu May 05, 2016 11:32 am
First, a note of thanks to Tim Büthe and Alan Jacobs and others for their hard work building this discussion. These posts have been valuable in helping explain the possible impacts of this initiative. They also raise new questions. Since I’m writing in response to Andrew Bennett’s email request for graduate student comments, I’ll post under the “Graduate Student concerns” thread, but as James Heilman said, graduate students have mostly the same concerns as faculty. My three points below build on the excellent points made by others.
1. A solution in search of a problem? Unpacking the problem(s)
I am sympathetic to those who suggest DA-RT may be a solution in search of a problem. It’s hard to know how to participate in this discussion without engaging with this question first. For example, some have suggested that these discussions will increase the quality (or perhaps the credibility) of qualitative research in general, easing the path to publication. Others suggest just the opposite, that DA-RT would place additional burdens on qualitative researchers and do little to increase the quality of their work, and potentially harm the quality. If the problem is quality, then is it that: (1) poor quality research is getting published? (2) good quality research isn’t getting published? (3) good quality research isn’t getting produced? (4) good quality research is being produced and even published, but authors feel they have to misrepresent how they did their work? (5) Or is it the problem something else, maybe not related to quality at all? Posing questions like these might shift the discussion beyond changes individual researchers and journals might need to make, to consider other intervention points in the system. For example, although some have discussed potential effects of DA-RT on graduate training, what changes might be made to graduate training to address the underlying problems that motivated DA-RT?
In general, I’m wondering whether explicitly unpacking the problem(s) would help contextualize potential solutions, and perhaps prompt new ideas beyond data access and transparency.
2. Unintended Consequences: Potential chilling effects, mutually reinforcing each other, and potential implications for graduate training
I appreciate and agree with the posts from those who raise concerns about unintended consequences. DA-RT might disincentivize scholars from tackling certain types of research, as several posts suggested. Potentially, this could mean fewer experts available to teach qualitative methods courses. Other posts suggest DA-RT could disincentivize graduate students from pursuing qualitative dissertations, an effect that seems highly likely given the pressure to complete degree programs quickly. Potentially, this would mean fewer students taking qualitative methods courses. Departments may respond by reducing their qualitative courses offerings. For some departments including my own, would that mean going from one elective course in qualitative methods to… none? It’s particularly worrisome that these effects may reinforce each other, undermining the discipline’s capacity and willingness to tackle complex research questions where qualitative and inductive approaches excel.
3. Against requirements. For reflections. And for new methods scholarship.
I agree with the “against requirements” post by Kurt Weyland, and others suggesting informal and voluntary guidelines. It’s seems too likely that a set of formalized standards and requirements, whether these are intended to guide journal editors, scholars or students, risks being overly burdensome, have unequal impacts, is likely to squelch innovation, and could even be misused.
The exchange of posts between Margaret Keck and Alan Jacobs and others is one alternative. Identifying good examples of methodological reflections like Keck’s could be one of the most useful outcomes of these discussions for those of us new to qualitative research. Perhaps examples like this could be highlighted in the next generation of methods books and articles, ones that could be referenced when and where applicable.
First, a note of thanks to Tim Büthe and Alan Jacobs and others for their hard work building this discussion. These posts have been valuable in helping explain the possible impacts of this initiative. They also raise new questions. Since I’m writing in response to Andrew Bennett’s email request for graduate student comments, I’ll post under the “Graduate Student concerns” thread, but as James Heilman said, graduate students have mostly the same concerns as faculty. My three points below build on the excellent points made by others.
1. A solution in search of a problem? Unpacking the problem(s)
I am sympathetic to those who suggest DA-RT may be a solution in search of a problem. It’s hard to know how to participate in this discussion without engaging with this question first. For example, some have suggested that these discussions will increase the quality (or perhaps the credibility) of qualitative research in general, easing the path to publication. Others suggest just the opposite, that DA-RT would place additional burdens on qualitative researchers and do little to increase the quality of their work, and potentially harm the quality. If the problem is quality, then is it that: (1) poor quality research is getting published? (2) good quality research isn’t getting published? (3) good quality research isn’t getting produced? (4) good quality research is being produced and even published, but authors feel they have to misrepresent how they did their work? (5) Or is it the problem something else, maybe not related to quality at all? Posing questions like these might shift the discussion beyond changes individual researchers and journals might need to make, to consider other intervention points in the system. For example, although some have discussed potential effects of DA-RT on graduate training, what changes might be made to graduate training to address the underlying problems that motivated DA-RT?
In general, I’m wondering whether explicitly unpacking the problem(s) would help contextualize potential solutions, and perhaps prompt new ideas beyond data access and transparency.
2. Unintended Consequences: Potential chilling effects, mutually reinforcing each other, and potential implications for graduate training
I appreciate and agree with the posts from those who raise concerns about unintended consequences. DA-RT might disincentivize scholars from tackling certain types of research, as several posts suggested. Potentially, this could mean fewer experts available to teach qualitative methods courses. Other posts suggest DA-RT could disincentivize graduate students from pursuing qualitative dissertations, an effect that seems highly likely given the pressure to complete degree programs quickly. Potentially, this would mean fewer students taking qualitative methods courses. Departments may respond by reducing their qualitative courses offerings. For some departments including my own, would that mean going from one elective course in qualitative methods to… none? It’s particularly worrisome that these effects may reinforce each other, undermining the discipline’s capacity and willingness to tackle complex research questions where qualitative and inductive approaches excel.
3. Against requirements. For reflections. And for new methods scholarship.
I agree with the “against requirements” post by Kurt Weyland, and others suggesting informal and voluntary guidelines. It’s seems too likely that a set of formalized standards and requirements, whether these are intended to guide journal editors, scholars or students, risks being overly burdensome, have unequal impacts, is likely to squelch innovation, and could even be misused.
The exchange of posts between Margaret Keck and Alan Jacobs and others is one alternative. Identifying good examples of methodological reflections like Keck’s could be one of the most useful outcomes of these discussions for those of us new to qualitative research. Perhaps examples like this could be highlighted in the next generation of methods books and articles, ones that could be referenced when and where applicable.