Building on this work, you are required to write a 5 double-spaced paper that uses your two semi-structured interview data to explore an original sociological research question on a topic of your choosing. Your paper should follow the standard format of an academic article (more or less): statement of purpose, discussion of methodology, findings section, and conclusion. It should also include an appendix which contains your revised interview guide and demographic questionnaire (completed by your interviewees).
Be sure to proofread your paper.
Requirements in Research Essay:
* Give a brief overview of what your research study
* Highlight your central research question(s)
* Give a sense of who your interviewees are and how you recruited them
* What kinds of questions are you planning to ask your interviewees?
* Why is your study important?
* How does this job relate to the things you’ve learned in this class OR your other methods courses?
* 1. The quality of your semi-structured interview (Your ability to get people to tell you stories, your appropriate use of probing and follow-up questions, the overall quality and appropriateness of your questions); 2. Organization and readability of your paper and discussion of your qualitative findings paired with including direct quotes; and 3) the quality of your reflections as an interviewer.
TITLE PAGE (separate page from the 5 pages)
Provide your interview study with a title. Feel free to be creative. It might be helpful to go back and review the titles of the research articles that we have read in this course. Your title page should also include your name, the course title, and section number.
INTRODUCTION
Clearly situate your research topic in the larger context of what your topic is about. Explicitly state your research question and identify the research focus/purpose of your research study. Conclude your introductory paragraph with a statement about how the rest of your paper is organized. Think of your introductory paragraph as a roadmap. Use this space to direct your reader (me) where your paper is headed. If you are stuck, I recommend reviewing past introductory paragraphs of qualitative research articles we have read in class throughout this semester.
METHODS SECTION
This section of your paper calls for you to provide an accurate and thorough account of how you collected your data. Be sure to explicitly state the qualitative methodology that you employed for your study. This is also the section that you should explicitly include information about your interviewee. Refer to previous qualitative research articles we have read in class if you need a clear picture of what a methods section of a paper contains.
FINDINGS SECTION
This section requires you to briefly discuss the emergent themes from your interview data. It is key that you attempt to interpret what was said…analyze, don’t just describe. What did you learn? What did you not learn? What questions do you wish you would have asked but did not for whatever reason? Please explicitly state your findings in a comprehensive yet concise level of detail. For this section, you must pull out and include key quotes from your interview data as you highlight your findings. I recommend referring back to previous research articles that use semi-structured interviews as an example of ways to frame your findings section and incorporate direct quotes from your interview participant.
CONCLUSION
Give a brief summary of your findings. Please be sure to move beyond simply stating what was already stated in your findings. Instead, please tie your interview findings back to the larger idea of your study’s focus. For example, why are your findings important? In addition, please emphasize the advantages and disadvantages of this qualitative approach. Finally, please include a brief discussion answering the following question: based on this preliminary interview, how would you proceed with a larger scale interviewing project on this topic?
Interview Questions:
1. Tell me about your college application process and why you ultimately chose to attend SJSU? What are your experiences attending SJSU?
2. What inspired you to work with individuals with disabilities? What kind of disabilities do you work with and if you can tell me what you do throughout the day with your clients?
3. What did your parents say when you told them you’re going to apply for San Jose State University? As a full-time student and part-time employee, what kind of organization do you use to remain on top of your assignments?
4. What’s your major? Why did you choose to study it?
5. What inspired you to work with people with disabilities in this field?
6. What is the most rewarding part of your job? What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
7. How are your work and the major you’re studying affecting your life, particularly in view of your role? What are the things you tend to do so it doesn’t take a toll on you?
8. Were you experiencing stress from working and attending school full-time?
9. What advice would you give to students who will apply for this major?
10. What are some common challenges people with disabilities face, based on your experiences?
11. How do you define disability in the context of your experience, and what perspectives guide your understanding? Try to give an example of working with someone with certain disabilities.
12. In what ways do Passport To Learning policies and practices impact the inclusion and success of people with disabilities? How do the rules and ways of learning in Passport To Learning help people with disabilities be included and do well?
13. How does this job help with the community and changes in how people with disabilities are perceived and treated differently? How can the impact of community work on changing perceptions and treatment of people with disabilities be measured or evaluated?
14. Would you mind clarifying or emphasizing anything about your academic experience as a full-time student and part-time employment in case it wasn’t asked? Can you share more about how balancing full-time studies with part-time work has influenced your academic and personal growth?
Interview Answers from 2 Interviewees
Miguel Ortiz
* Mexican
* 25
* Male
* SJSU Student – Part Time Job
* 1 year & half
* Social Work
Tony Hermandez
* Mexican
* 30
* Male
* SJSU Student – Part Time Job
* 3 years
* Sociology
Answer: Interviewee 1 (Miguel)
1. Overall college application went well and wasn’t so difficult. I chose to attend SJSU because it is close to my house and money costs as well would be cheaper than going somewhere farther. Most of my experience in SJSU has been really enjoyable , getting to meet and interact with new people. Went to a couple different club meetings such as VSA. The campus is big and has many places to do activities and hangout with people.
2. I would say what inspired me to work with people with disabilities was that I love helping out people. Working with them made me realize how rewarding it can be after accomplishing their goals. I’ve worked with people with autism, cerebral palsy, ADHD, epilepsy and mild intellectuals. I help my clients with their daily tasks, independent living skills and get them into programs, school or find them low income housing. It all depends on what their goals are in becoming independent. Like a regular day can mean going to get groceries and working on money. Paying their bills and learning how to budget. Or getting into different programs and finding low income housing.
3. My parents thought it would be the most convenient move to save up money, not having to pay much rent and transportation wise. With my job I can make my own schedule. I know when to have clients in certain times and days. By managing my schedule, I can decide whether to study in the morning or night, go to gym at a certain time, know when to work and dedicate school time.
4. My major is in sociology with a concentration in race and ethnic studies. The reason I got into social work is because I love helping people out, I’m really into the idea of how to improve our society and how to find ways to make life better for others. It is rewarding when someone improves in their life and can aid them when they most need it.
5. I think people with disabilities need a lot of help in becoming independent and need to learn how to be more out in the world. I feel like they need more opportunities and to be more accepted by people. I believe everyone deserves the right to enjoy life like everyone else and be happy.
6. The most rewarding part is when they accomplish a goal that hasn’t taken a while, rather it be to get a new job, start school again or get into a program that will improve their lives. That is rewarding. The most challenging aspect would be when they get mad or upset about something they didn’t like to do. As well when they wanna give up when they are so close to their goal. It can be challenging but if you are patient and learn new ways to help them out then it gets easier throughout time.
7. I would say it affects my free time and socializing with other people. As well it can take a toll towards your mental health when you don’t give yourself time to breathe. I tend to go on walks, go to the gym, hang out with friends or play video games to lower my stress levels. I also like to watch movies during my free time to unwind.
8. Yes, at times it stresses me out but you just gotta stay positive and move forward. Stress will go away eventually, you just gotta push through it and know that it will be very rewarding afterwards because you’re improving your life.
9. I would say study hard, read a lot and inform yourself right. As well learn how to improve your writing and always check your surroundings to study around you what you can improve in this society. As well, always be on time, always with assignments and do them early because the more you wait the more you will be stressed out with big assignments.
10. Some common ones can be people not accepting them, seeing them differently, making them feel like they’re incapable of doing things and always being treated like a child when they’re older.
11. Having a disability may mean many things such as certain things they can’t do because of it but doesn’t mean that they can’t be guided to a different way to do things and go on with their life normally. A person with autism for example depending on what spectrum they are in will depend how you can guide them with their goals. For example one client of mine, tends to repeat questions and be stuck on the loop. so I tend to change the subject and remind them to not stay always in the same topic for 10 minutes straight. I also remind them to be patient whenever we are cooking or doing activities. It’s reminders that are important so that they can become independent.
12. Passport to learning follows goals and new things for the client to improve or learn themselves. By having this they become more independent day by day and step by step. The rules and goals help the clients to interact more and socialize with their workers. The worker is supposed to teach them that it’s okay to interact with new people and do new activities that they might enjoy rather than the same thing.
13. This job helps this community by having them live more independently, making them have confidence in themselves, to be treated as equal as others and as well accomplish their dreams. If they become independent then they change perceptions of their life and learn how that change is important to move forward. As well, by evaluating this we find new ways to change other people’s lives.
14. I would say for academic and employment experience just continue going, work hard and always stay positive for yourself. Accomplish your dreams and never give up on what you’re looking for. I tend to do my work early during my free time, so that I have more free time later on. As well I try to be ahead of everything, try to learn from others methods to improve and try to keep a balance where I don’t over stress myself.
Answer: Interviewee 2 (Tony)
1. My college application wasn’t too bad, it went pretty well. I chose to attend SJSU because it is close to my father’s house and I can stay there during the weeks when I have classes. So far it’s been pretty good, I met new people and have made some good memories.
2. I was inspired to work with people who have disabilities because of my little cousin who has autism. I work with mainly people who have autism. I help them with their daily tasks, weekly schedules, career and finances.
3. My parents were really supportive. We went out to celebrate as a family. I set the reminders in my phone with an alarm that goes off keeping me on tasks.
4. My major is Sociology. I chose it because of the wide variety of careers that I can be given to after graduation.
5. My little cousin inspires me to work with people with disabilities because he holds a special place in my heart.
6. The most rewarding part is when I see my clients happy because they have learned a new skill. The most challenging aspect is when they attack me or get angry about something.
7. I would say that I changed my outlook on our modern day society which often leaves me in a state of worry. I like to play volleyball, go for a run, and spend time with family and friends to help me relax.
8. Sometimes it can be stressful, but I keep a positive attitude and think about the future and all the things that I will be able to do with my degree.
9. My advice would be to set time to focus on each assignment, take good notes, and turn in your assignments very promptly.
10. As they get older, if they’re not in a club or community activity, they begin to feel lonely and outcast.
11. A person who has autism can focus on one area and forgets to do other things instead of taking a step back and looking at the big picture. For example, I have a client who wanted to clean his house, but did not know where to start because he kept focusing on one small area of the house instead of seeing everything else that needed to be picked up.
12. It teaches them to function on a normal level and take on adult responsibilities so that they can feel that they are contributing members of the community. These rules and goals help clients to be more independent and take accountabilities in their own day to day lives.
13. This job helps the community by taking the stress load off of the client’s families and friends allowing them more free time to interact in the community. I start to see people with disabilities are capable of living normal lives, having a normal job and even raising a family.
14. When it comes to academics and employment, it’s important to find a balance and have a schedule that you can stick to. It has taught me not to become discouraged when things don’t always go as planned.
