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Course Syllabus
AFA 4936 - Section 11BF - SPRING 2015
African American Studies – The University of Florida
Dr. P. Hilliard-Nunn
Class Time:
Wednesdays (7-9) 1:55PM-4:55PM
Class Location: Room 233 Turlington Hall
Office Hours:
Wednesdays 12:30PM-1:30PM
Other Times By Appointment
Credit:(03) Three Hours / Exam 30D
Office Phone: 352 392-5726
Office Location: 105 Walker Hall
E-mail: [email protected]
COURSE GOAL: The goal of this course is to introduce students to some of the conceptual and
operational methods used to research and write about the experiences of African Americans.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This class is the African American Studies Capstone that fulfills
partial requirement for the African American Studies minor and/or major. This is part one of two
Senior Seminar courses. This is a research intensive course which allows you to apply your
knowledge gained from years of coursework in African American Studies to complete a research
proposal. The course is interdisciplinary and seeks to develop in students, a knowledge view that
consciously applies methodology, theory and language from more than one discipline in
examining central themes, issues, problems, topics, or experiences of people of African descent in
the Americas. During the course, students will learn to read and interpret research literature,
abstract journal articles, complete research exercises, study the research practices of other
scholars, prepare an annotated bibliography and write a research proposal. Next semester, in
Senior Seminar II, students will execute their study and complete the research paper. The
knowledge gained throughout the semester is intended to be cumulative. There will be no quizzes
or exams unless deemed necessary by the professor.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course, each student will have an intellectual
understanding along side practical experiences in the use of research methods. Secondly,
students will learn to effectively research library, archival, and internet sources to create an
annotated bibliography and a research proposal. Finally, students will apply their research to
formulate an analysis which includes the intersections of class, culture, ideology, gender, and race
and the impact of the structures and policies, western or otherwise, on the lives of African
Americans.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is based on you being on time, signing the roll sheet, being
prepared and staying for the entire class. Do not arrive at class more than 10 minutes late and expect to
receive credit for being present. It is assumed that enrollment in the class means that there are no conflicts
with other obligations (weddings, work, travel, meetings, etc.) during class time. Do not send messages
about your attendance through a classmate. Simply telling me or e-mailing a message indicating that you’ll
be absent does not automatically become an “excused absence.” Because this class meets once a week, it is
critical that you attend every class session. If you have an official excuse for an absence, provide me with a
written letter and/or medical excuse on a physician’s official letterhead w/ phone or official university
letterhead that includes the time and date of your care or other business upon your return to class. Poor
attendance and tardiness will affect your final grade. If you miss more than two classes, you should
consider dropping the course. No further admonishments will be made.
MAKE UP POLICY: All assignments are known in advance; therefore, permission to hand in an
assignment late is only granted for exceptional circumstances.
Quiz/Test/Exam: Students with documented official university or medical excuses may take a
make up quiz/test/exam. The professor must be notified before or immediately after the absence
and the exam must be scheduled on the first day that the student returns to campus. Students who
do not provide documentation and reschedule will not be given a make up.
Assignments: Students with valid official university or documented medical excuses be allowed
to turn in assignments within one day of her/his return to campus without penalty. The
assignment will be considered late and reduced one letter grade for each day the assignment is not
turned in beginning with the due date if the proper documentation is not provided.
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: In compliance with the
University of Florida’s policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate
academic accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities. Requests for
academic accommodations are to be made during the first three weeks of the semester, except for
unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Students are encouraged to register with
Student Disability Services to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations.
UNIVERSITY CODE OF HONOR: Each student in this course is expected to abide by the
University of Florida’s Student Honor Code and Code of Conduct. Any work submitted by a
student in this course for academic credit will be the student's own work. Students suspected of
academic dishonesty or of violating the Honor Code will be reported to the Dean of Students
Office.To learn more about the UF policy regarding Academic Honesty, please visit:
http://www.dso.ufl.edu/judicial/academic.php.
STATEMENT REGARDING HARRASMENT: UF provides an educational and working
environment that is free from sex discrimination and sexual harassment for its students, staff, and
faculty. To learn more about this policy, visit: http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/sexual/
UF COUNSELING ASSISTANCE: Students who may experience stress related personal issues
are encouraged to visit the University of Florida Counseling and Wellness Center at 3190 Radio
Road. Phone: 392-1575. Website: http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc/contact-us.aspx.
REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION:
1.
CLASS ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION & BINDER
(15%):
Attendance will be based on you arriving at class on time, signing the class roll sheet, and
remaining for the entire class. Participation means that you have completed your readings
and/or assignments on time and are able to contribute to the class discussion in a meaningful
way. Any information and/or changes that are announced in class are YOUR responsibility,
whether you attended class or not. Unexcused absences and tardiness will decrease your grade for
participation. If you must miss class, for any reason, on a day that you are due to present or turn in
an assignment, you must turn in your work ahead of time. Permission to hand in an assignment late
is only granted for exceptional circumstances. Simply telling me that you’ll be absent does not
automatically become an “excused absence.” (See page one, attendance policy). A test worth
10% of the grade will be given if it appears that students are not completing readings and
assignments. You will be notified about this ahead of time should a test be given.
1 ½ Inch BINDER: You will need a dedicated binder that you bring to each class. It will hold your
class notes, reading notes, articles, ALL RETURNED ASSIGNMENTS and related information.
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2.
DISCUSSION LEADER
(15%):
Each student will lead two (2) 30 minute discussions of an assigned article. Summarize three
main points about the article, share your thoughts and articulate. Give background
information about the scholar. Complete a discussion leader form (add pages to allow you
to answer all of the questions asked for this assignment). E-mail discussion leader form
and additional summaries to me by 5:00PM the day before you lead the discussion.
Make copies of the discussion leader form w/questions for each student and the
instructor (about 6 TOTAL). Bring them to class the day that you lead the discussion.
3.
RESEARCH METHODS & INFORMATION EXERCISES
(25%):
ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TYPED AND ORGANIZED
1. African American Studies Journal Description and an African American (Jan 14)
Studies Scholar Description Write a report about one African American Studies
journal and an African American Studies scholar.
(See handout)
2. *Archival and Statistical Research Exercise
(Feb 4)
Visit UF’s Smathers Library (aka Library East) to review materials in the archive.
What kinds of archival and statistical data are located there? You may also review
information online. Select three (3) sources of archival data at the archive to obtain
information about one of the following people, groups, or events Zora Neale
Hurston, Activism at the University of Florida, Civil Rights struggles in Florida, James
Haskins, Black Seminoles in Florida, Black political life in Florida, African Americans
and Education. Write a 4 page essay about your findings and what the document and/or
artifacts “mean.” The report should include a picture of photos of the documents and a
reference page that includes the sources that you consulted to gather your data.
3. (Option1 ) Life or Oral History Interview Exercise
(Feb 11)
Interview a person using a digital/tape recorder or video camera. The interview must
last at least 55 minutes to one (1) hour and incorporate either Life History or Oral
History data that has some significance for your original research project. Transcribe
the data. Turn in your typed transcription. DO NOT interview roommates
or random friends. Put thought into who you will interview.
OR
(Option 2) Participant Observation Field Notes Exercise – 2 VISITS REQUIRED
Choose a setting with people, issues and/or actions related to your research. Spend, at
least one hour there at the same time on two (2) different days. Document in field
notes what you observed. Submit 5-6 pages of typewritten field notes and handwritten
field notes. (You should not be a party to, observe, or participate in any criminal act for
this exercise.)
4. Questionnaire Exercise
(Feb 18)
Using your research thesis as a guide, construct a questionnaire that encourages people to be cooperative and yields responses you can use. Focus on the validity and reliability of each item.
5. Consent Form and IRB (Institutional Review Board-UF) Application
(Mar 18)
Visit the UF’s IRB website and read about the IRB application process. Download the IRB form Social & Behavioral Research Protocol Submission Form AND complete it according to the instructions provided. ALSO, prepare an Informed Consent document that will be connected to your research. http://irb.ufl.edu/irb02/defs.html
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4.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL ELEMENTS
(25%):
1. Research Question(s), Thesis Statement, Interdisciplinarity Description and Theoretical
Underpinning(s). WEAVE THIS TOGETHER IN a 4 PAGE ESSAY.
(Jan 21)
A. A clear research question.
B. A detailed thesis statement clearly explaining how you will interpret the question or
subject.
C. A description of the interdisciplinarity of your project.
D. A description of the theory/theories that you will use to examine and explain your
research.
Note: Your topic may not change unless you resubmit a new question and thesis
statement one month before the due date for the draft proposal.
2. Annotated Bibliography: (13) academic sources. Books, Journals, documents and other
relevant sources that address the subjects, disciplines, theories, concepts related to your
topic. It is not an abstract. Include a two sentence summary of how the work is
connected to your research. (See description)
(Feb 25)
3. Literature Review: Background, literature, findings, conclusions, further research
and/or why you are exploring your topic.
(Mar 11)
4. Rough Draft of Research Proposal: (Abstract, Outline, Proposal, References) (April 1)
(SEE HANDOUT)
5.
FINAL PROPOSAL & PRESENTATION
(DUE: April 22)
(20%)
E-mail the proposal to me at [email protected] before 6PM on April 21 AND Turn
in two hard copies of the proposal at the beginning of class April 22.
Final 10-15 Page Research Proposal: not including references, and the title page)
Title Page: Name, Class Info. Working Title, Research Question, One paragraph Abstract
Topic Outline: This should be a one page topic outline of the proposal)
Introduction- Question, Thesis, Is this problem/topic important? Why? Interdisciplinarity.
Literature Review: A review/critique of relevant research, articles, books, and other
information related to your topic. What theories are already a part of the discourse on your
subject? What theory/theories will help to guide you as you move forward? What does the
existing information say and how do the works/concepts help you to explain, counter,
examine, etc. your topic. Weave the information into an analysis, critique and/or
explanation of your subject. Limitations/Delimitations.
Planned Methodology / Research Design: (This is required despite what kind of study you
are doing) General Procedures. How do you plan to structure and execute your research project?
Where is your data and how will you get it? How will you use your data to answer your
question? What approach? Qualitative, Quantitative, Mixed, Operational definitions, Sample (if
relevant). If you are doing a historical review, what sources will you use and how will you
determine their validity.
Significance and Conclusion: Describe how your proposed research will lead to a significant
improvement over the other studies and how it will benefit the field of African American
studies and other disciplines that you will integrate.
References: A minimum of 20. (Citations should link to your theories, concepts, etc.)
Appendix: Any consent letters, questionnaires, or other key information.
Oral Presentation: Present/defend your research proposal in class. You will have 10-15
minutes.
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REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION AT A GLANCE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5
Attendance & Participation
Discussion Leader
Research Methodology Exercises
Research Proposal Assignments
Final Proposal & Defense
TOTAL
15%
15%
25%
25%
20%
100%
Your Grade Will Be Based On The Following Scale %: 93-100=A, 90-92=A-, 87-89=B+, 83-86=B, 8082=B-, 77-79=C+, 73-76=C, 70-72=C-, 67-69=D+, 63-66=D, 60-62=D-, 57-59=F+, 57 and below = F.
PRESENTATION OF WORK: All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced using
Times Roman 12 point font in MS Word. You must use a standard one-inch margin - no boldfaced fonts. Use the style APA, MLA or Chicago that is used in your academic discipline. All
pages should be numbered and stapled. Do not use a cover sheet. Include the proper identifying
information in the upper right hand corner, single spaced. UF has an online writing for students
Visit their site at http://web.cwoc.ufl.edu/owl. Work will be considered late and graded down one
letter grade after the beginning of class on the due date. Work will continue to be reduced a letter
grade for additional day it is late. Finally, DO NOT e-mail or fax papers unless I ask you to.
EVALUATION OF ALL CLASS ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS IS BASED ON:
1) Quality, scope and organization of documentation; 2) Clarity and coherence of expression; 3)
Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation; 4) Quality of critical analysis; 5) Demonstration of an
understanding of information and concepts addressed in the readings and/or discussed in class; 6)
Following directions and completing assignments on time.
REQUIRED READING: (You must purchase the texts and bring them to class)
Leedy, P. D. and J. E. Ormrod. (2010). Practical research: Planning and design. 9th Edition Pearson.
McDougal III, Serie. (2014). Research methods in africana studies. NY, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.
Williams, M. (2002). Science and social science: An introduction. London: Routledge.
UF Resources: Online Writing Lab: //web.cwoc.ufl.edu/owl/ &
IRB Website: //irb.ufl.edu/irb02/index.html
Other required reading: The discussion articles may be found online via the UF Library website under
this course listing. Readings are due on the day that they are listed below and in the course outline.
1. Hall, Perry A. (1996, July). Introducing African American Studies: Systematic and Thematic Principles.
Journal of Black Studies, 26(6), 713-734.
2. McLoyd, Vonnie C. (April, 2006). The role of african american scholars in research on african
american children: historical perspectives and personal reflections. Monographs of the Society for
Research in Child Development, 71(1), 121-144.
3. Tillman, Linda C. (2002, Dec). Culturally sensitive research approaches: An african–american
perspective. Educational Researcher, 31(9). 3-12.
4. Schiele, J. H. (2005). Cultural oppression and the high-risk status of African Americans. Journal of
black studies, 35(6), 802-826.
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5. McIlwain, Charlton D. "Perceptions of Leadership and the Challenge of Obama's Blackness." Journal
of Black Studies 38.1 (2007): 64-74.
6. Hill Collins, Patricia, (1989, Summer). The social construction of black feminist thought, Signs
14(4), 745-773.
7. Robinson, Tracy L., and Janie V. Ward. "African American adolescents and skin color." Journal of
Black Psychology 21.3 (1995): 256-274.
8. Azibo Daudi Ajani ya, (2007). Articulating the distinction between black studies and the study of blacks:
The fundamental role of culture and the african-centered worldview. (Originally published in 1992),
in The African American Studies Reader, ed. Nathaniel Norment (Durham: Carolina Academic Press,
525-546.
9. Hatchett, Bonnie F., Karen Holmes, Daniel A. Duran, CuJuan Davis. (May, 2000). African americans
and research participation: The recruitment process. Journal of Black Studies, 30(5), 664-675.
10. Hall, Ronald E. "The ball curve: Calculated racism and the stereotype of African American men."
Journal of Black Studies (2001): 104-119.
11. Carr, G. K. “What Black Studies is Not: Moving from Crisis to Liberation in Africana Intellectual
Work.” Socialism & Democracy 25, 1 (2011), 178-191.
12. Carroll, K. K. “Africana Studies & Research Methodology: Revisiting the Centrality of the Afrikan
Worldview,” Journal of Pan African Studies 2, 2 (2008): 2-27
COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK 1 Jan 7 2 Jan 14 3 Jan 21 TOPIC WELCOME / COURSE OVERVIEW THE DISCIPLINE
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
RESEARCH QUESTION
RESEARCH DESIGN
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
INTERDISCIPLINARY
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
READING & ASSIGNMENT Introductions READING:
Leedy/Ormrod Chapters 1 and 2
McDougall - Chapter 1 and 2
DUE: Journal & Scholar Description
READING:
McDougall - Chapter 4 and 5
Leedy/Ormrod Chapter 5
DUE: Research Question , Thesis
Statement, Interdisciplinarity/theory 4 Jan 28 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
ARCHIVES & HISTORICAL
RESEARCH
READING:
Leedy/Ormrod Chapter 7 and 8
McDougall - Chapter 6 and 12
DISCUSSION LEADER #1: Perry Hall DISCUSSION LEADER #2: Vonnie McLoyd
5 Feb 4 ORAL HISTORIES and
PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
READINGS DUE:
Leedy/Ormrod Chapter 6 and 7
DISCUSSION LEADER #3: Linda Tillman
DISCUSSION LEADER #4: J. Schiele DUE: Archival Research.
McDougall - Chapter 8
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6 Feb 11 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
INSTRUMENTATION
QUESTIONNAIRES
DISCUSSION LEADER #5: C. D. McIlwain DISCUSSION LEADER #6: : P. Hill-­‐Collins 7 Feb 18 READINGS DUE:
Leedy/Ormrod Chapter 9, 10 &11
McDougall - Chapter 10, 11 & 13
DUE:
Life/Oral History Interview Exercise
OR Participant Observation
PROPOSAL STRUCTURE
DUE:
Questionnaires CONNECTIONS/TRIANGULATION
8 Feb 25 9 Mar 1-­7 10 Mar 11 11 Mar 18 DISCUSSION LEADER #7 Robinson & Ward DISCUSSION LEADER #8 D. Azibo DISCUSSION LEADER #9 Hatchett, Holms, Duram REVIEWING THE LITERATURE Spring Break LITERATURE REVIEW
IRB PACKET
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
DISCUSSION LEADER #11 12 Mar 25 13 April 1 14 April 8 15 April 15 16 April 22 ORGANIZING YOUR PROPOSAL DISCUSSION GROUP #11 – G. K. Carr DISCUSSION GROUP #12 -­‐ K.K. Carroll IN CLASS PEER REVIEW READINGS DUE:
Leedy/Ormrod Chapters 4, 5 and 6
McDougall – Review Chapter 5
DUE: Annotated Bibliography
NO CLASS READINGS DUE:
McDougall – Chapter 7 and 10
DUE: Literature Review
READING:
UF IRB SITE. READ IT ALL
McDougal Chapter 3
DUE: Consent Letter AND IRB Form
READINGS DUE:
Leedy/Ormrod Chapter 12
DUE: First Draft of Proposal
PROPOSAL REVISIONS PROPOSAL REVISIONS PROPOSAL DEFENSES LAST DAY OF CLASS Bring completed proposal to class. CONFERENCES
National Council for Black Studies (NCBS) – March 5-8, 2015
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) - 100th Annual
ASALH Convention 2015 in Atlanta, GA (Sept 23-27)
http://asalh.org/annualconvention.html
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RECOMMENDED READINGS
Babbie, E. 1995. (Eighth Edition). The practice of social research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Bogues, Anthony. (2003, Spring). Teaching radical africana political thought and intellectual history,”
Radical History Review (Special Issue on Transnational Black Studies), 87. 146-156.
Brown, T. N., (2003, September). Critical race theory speaks to the sociology of mental health: Mental
health problems produced by racial stratification. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44 (3),
Special Issue: Race Ethnicity and Mental Health. 292-301.
Chilungu, Simeon W. (1976, Sept). Issues in the ethics of research method: An interpretation of the angloamerican perspective. Current Anthropology, 17(3), 457-481. Ejournal
Davis, Darren W. (1997). The direction of race of interviewer effects among african- americans.
American Journal of Political Science. 41, 309-22.
Fry, G., Supang Chantavanich, Amrung Chantavanich. (1981, Summer). Merging quantitative and
qualitative research techniques: Toward a new research paradigm. Anthropology & Education
Quarterly, 12(2), 145-­‐158.
Hearn, K. D. & L. R. Jackson (2002, Spring/Summer). African american women and HIV Risk: exploring
the effects of gender and social dynamics on behavior. African American Research
Perspectives. 8(1), 163-173.
Ladson-Billings, Glorida and Jael Donnor. (2005) The moral activist role of critical race theory scholarship.
(Chapter 11) in Handbook of Qualitative Research. Retrieved
http://eps.education.wisc.edu/Faculty%20papers/LadsonBillings_Denzin%2011%20Feb8%20200
5.pdf
McDowell, Linda (1992). Doing gender: Feminism, feminists and research methods in human geography.
Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. New Series,17(4). 399- 416.
Norment, N. (Ed). (2007). The African American studies reader. (2nd Edition). Carolina Academic Press.
Santiago-Valles, W.F. (2006, Summer)). Producing knowledge for Social Transformation: Precedents from
the diaspora for twenty-first century research and pedagogy. The Black Scholar, 35(2), 50-60.
Thomas, Gloria D., Carol Hollenshead (2001, Summer). Resisting from the margins: The coping strategies of black women and other women of color faculty members at a research university. The Journal of Negro Education, 70(3), Black Women in the Academy: Challenges and Opportunities. 166-­‐175. Tyson, C. A. (1988, December), A response to “coloring epistemologies: Are our qualitative research
epistemologies racially biased? Educational Researcher, 27(9). 21-22.
Vesey, G. A. (2002, Fall). A successful strategy for recruitment and retention of black elders in applied
research. African American Research Perspectives. 8(2), 40-56.
Youngblood, D. (2007). Interdisciplinary studies and bridging disciplines: A matter of process. Journal of
Research Practice, 3(2), Article M18. Retrieved from
http://jrp.icaap.org/index.php/jrp/article/view/104/101
This syllabus represents a guide for the course. Should changes be made, students will be notified ahead
of time. No eating or drinking in class. No cell phones, pagers, laptops or other electronic devices may be
used in class. Should you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call me.
Wisdom is not a medicine to be swallowed.
To ask well is to know much
African Proverbs
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