Location

LUT University, Mukkulankatu 19, Lahti (room information will be added later on)

Registration

Registration is open until September 8. Max. 30 participants. First priority is given to students who complete the course to gain credits.

Speakers

Professor Carolyn Seaman, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), USA

Organizer

Professor Maria Paasivaara, LUT University, Finland

Course Description

Empirical studies in software engineering are a well-established approach to investigating important research questions by collecting data about software development phenomena through observation, analyzing that data to find evidence for propositions that help us understand the phenomena, and iterating to build on the knowledge base. The data that is at the heart of this process can take the form of numbers or discrete categories (quantitative data), or it can take the form of text or images (qualitative data). The latter provides a way to capture concepts and ideas that are difficult to measure quantitatively, especially related to human behavior. Software engineering, being a socio-technical field with human behavior at its core, is well-suited for qualitative methods. Increasingly, the important and thorniest (and thus most interesting) research questions in our field address the human aspects of software development, and thus opportunities to exploit the strengths of qualitative research abound.

This course presents several beginning and advanced qualitative methods for data collection and analysis and helps students explore them in the context of empirical research in software engineering. Examples from real software engineering studies will be used throughout the presentation, and interactive activities and assignments will be used to give students hands-on experience in applying these methods.

Outline of the seminar days

15 September

10-12                    Introduction to the course

                             Introduction of participants

                             Terminology and basic concepts in qualitative research  

12-12:45               Lunch

12:45-14:45          Qualitative data collection

                             Interviewing (including an exercise)

                             Observation (including an exercise)

14:45-15:00          Break

15-17                    Qualitative data analysis

                             Constant comparison method

                             Coding (including an exercise)

16 September

10-12                   Research design

12-12:45              Lunch

12:45-14:45         Work on research protocols

14:45-15:00         Break

15-17                   Presentation and critique of protocols

Assignments

Before the first day: About 20-25 pages of reading in English (exact readings added later on), and submit three questions you would like to have answered by this course.

Estimated time: 3 hours

Between day 1 and day 2: Submit finished coding exercise (we will start the exercise during the day, and students will finish and submit it before the beginning of the second day).

Estimated time: 3 hours

After day 2: Submit a completed research protocol (again, we will start the protocols during the day, and students will work in groups/pairs to complete them by the end of the week). 

Estimated time: 10 hours

Individual guidance

After the course, Carolyn Seaman is available for short individual guidance sessions. In these sessions, a PhD student can discuss their own qualitative research with Carolyn, show their work, and ask specific questions for guidance. Carolyn will be available for these discussions both in Lahti (September 17th) and in Lappeenranta (September 18th). Students registered for the course will get information about booking the slots. Individual guidance is voluntary.

Participants

PhD students who have had some exposure to research culture (e.g. what a research question is and some research methods) and some exposure to qualitative methods.

Credit points

Doctoral students participating in the seminar can obtain 2 credit points. This requires participating in the two seminar days and completing all the assignments.

Registration fee

This seminar is free-of-charge for Inforte.fi member organization's staff and their PhD students. For others the participation fee is 400 €. The participation fee includes access to the event and the event materials. Lunch and dinner are not included.