Engineering Education Research Briefs 2.0: Scholars and Scholarship · Drs. Jeremi London and Monique Ross (Founded By Dr. Ruth Steveler)

METHODS with Dr. Elliot Douglas, University of Florida

September 3, 2019·41 min·4 clips

Dr. Elliot Douglas, a top qualitative researcher, shares why understanding qualitative methods is so challenging in engineering education.

Dr. Elliot Douglas, a professor at the University of Florida and former NSF program officer, joins host Ruth Streveler to discuss qualitative research methods in engineering education. Dr. Douglas is recognized as a leading qualitative researcher and has extensive experience reviewing proposals and journal articles. The episode aims to demystify qualitative methods for new researchers in the field. Dr. Douglas draws from his experience at the National Science Foundation and as Deputy Editor of the *Journal of Engineering Education* to outline common challenges in qualitative research proposals. He discusses specific criteria for evaluating the quality and rigor of qualitative studies submitted for funding or publication. The conversation covers foundational concepts like research paradigms and their critical role in shaping a study's design and methodology. A key insight is that many qualitative proposals falter by not adequately aligning their research questions with an appropriate methodological framework. Dr. Douglas emphasizes that methodological choices must be justified and coherent throughout the entire research design. He explains how a researcher's philosophical stance on the nature of knowledge fundamentally influences every aspect of their study. The discussion reveals that reviewers often encounter proposals where data collection methods are described without a clear connection to the analysis plan. Dr. Douglas stresses the importance of demonstrating how collected evidence will be interpreted to build a credible argument. He provides practical advice for constructing a compelling narrative that logically links all components of a qualitative study. The tone is educational and conversational, reflecting a mentor sharing wisdom with less experienced scholars. The style is direct and practical, focusing on actionable guidance for improving research design. Listeners seeking a foundational, how-to guide for crafting qualitative research will find this episode highly valuable. Those looking for advanced theoretical debate or specific research findings might find the content too introductory.

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