30 Minute Meeting - Skylar Kaat
Make your office hour appointments here
Week 2 (June 5) Ethics, Sensitivity and Care in Research
In social science, theory, methods, and ethics are deeply intertwined. This week, we explore what it means to conduct research with care for the people we learn from and with. We will discuss how ethical practice goes far beyond institutional review boards (IRB) - it involves developing our own sense of responsibility and accountability that is specific to context of your reserach. We will explore strategies on how to navigate the social complexities of fieldwork, build trust, and remain reflexive about power, representation, and impact throughout the research and writing process.
Week 3 (June 12) Working Across Language
Translation is never a neutral act. This week, we will talk about how working across languages (whether named-languages or community languages) shapes the meanings we produce in research. We will discuss the politics of voice, the challenges of working with interpreters or translated texts, and how language mediates what can be known, felt, and shared.
reading list to come
Week 4 (June 19) Coding and Interpreting Qualitative Data
After you have collected data, how do you begin to make sense of it? What are interesting, and why? What counts as data in your writing, and what should get left out? This week we will talk about data analysis, not as a step-by-step guide but as a process of discovery. You will begin to figure out how to identify patterns, build themes, and make analytical choices that stay grounded in your research questions.
Week 5 (June 26) Writing for an Academic Career
Grant proposals, conference abstracts, publication pitches and manuscripts. These are the kinds of writing many researchers dread... This week, we demystify these genres by breaking down their purposes, audiences, and conventions. Whether you’re just getting started or revising a draft, we’ll look at how to craft clear, compelling writing that communicates your ideas and helps build your academic career.
Week 6 (date TBD) Research Communication beyond Academia
Your cool project doesn’t just belong in journals! This week, we ask: How can you share your research with people beyond academia? How do you report back to the interlocutors who generously shared their stories and lives with you? And, ultimately, who is your research really for? We will workshop creative, public-facing ways to communicate social science research: through zines, exhibitions, story maps, podcasts, and more.
Each week, one student will bring a carefully selected piece of data from their project to the meeting. The presenter should give a brief, informal introduction to the data and provide any necessary background information. Then the group will offer suggestions and insights. The goal of this exercise is to offer constructive feedback on each other’s methods and analyses, and to help students develop skills in peer review.
week 2 June 5 - Elaheh
week 3 June 12
week 5 June 19
week 6 date tbd
Human Research Protection Office and IRBs | Columbia | Research
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