Research in Dance
MPADE-GE 2403
Spring 2016
NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development
Department of Music & Performing Arts Professions
Dance Education Program
Professor:
Course:
Richard A. Magill, Ph.D.
Monday 4:55 – 6:35 pm
779 Education Building
Hours:
Email:
By appointment by email
[email protected]
Course Description:
Research in Dance examines the theoretical perspectives, modes of inquiry, methodologies, and
procedures for conducting qualitative and quantitative research in dance and dance education.
The course introduces a variety of research methods. The primary focus of the course is the
development of the ability to read and understand research in a way that will inform effective
pedagogy as well as provide a foundation for conducting research.
Goal:
At the end of this course, the student will be able to explain and implement the basics of dance
education research, and will be able to discuss and use existing research.
Outcomes:
• The student will be able to discuss the key theoretical and methodological distinctions in
scholarly research.
• The student will be familiar with the current approaches to dance education research.
• The student will be able to read and understand research articles involving qualitative,
quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.
• The student will be able to write and orally present a proposal for a research project.
Textbooks:
Kumar, R. (2014). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners (4th ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Locke, L.F., Silverman, S.J. & Spirduso, W.W. (2010). Reading and understanding research (3rd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Recommended Additional Textbook:
American Psychological Association (2009). Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (6th Ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
[Note: An excellent summary of APA formatting and style requirements for in-text
citations and reference lists can be found online at
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Course Requirements:
1. Pass Institutional Review Board (IRB) Exam. At NYU, the IRB is called the University
Committee on Activities Involving Human Subjects (UCAIHS). On its website
(www.nyu.edu/ucaihs) there is a link for the Human Subjects Tutorial, which opens the Tutorial
you need to study to take the Certification Exam. Forward to the Professor a copy of the e-mail
indicating you passed the exam (score of 80 or above is required to pass) no later than the
beginning of class on Feb. 23. The grade for this exam is your exam score. (Note: You may
take the exam as often as you want to.)
2. & 3. Two Reports on Research Articles. Two typed reports will each include the 12-step
guide forms based on those in the Locke et al. book. (These forms will be discussed in class; for
the reports you must use the modified versions of these forms on NYU Classes for the two
reports). Each report will describe one research article published in a peer-reviewed research
journal that you select from an approved list of articles (the list will be on a on NYU Classes) as
an example of the specified type of research. You must attach a copy of the article to each report.
2 Qualitative research 12-step report – Due March 30
3. Quantitative research 12-step report – Due April 13
4. & 5 Research Project Proposal. Groups of students (3 per group max.) will prepare both an
oral PowerPoint presentation and a typed written proposal for a research project to investigate a
specific topic or issue related to dance education. More information about this project will be
provided in a separate handout.
4. Group oral PowerPoint presentation (15 min. max.) –May 4, 11
5. Group written proposal – due May 11
Policy for projects or reports handed in late
Any project or report handed in late will receive a penalty of 5 points per day deducted from the
score.
Semester Grade Summary
1. IRB Test Score
10%
2. 12-Step Report on qualitative research article
25%
3. 12-Step Report on quantitative research article
25%
4. Oral presentation of research project proposal
10%
5. Written research project proposal
20%
6. In-class participation (includes attendance*)
10%
• For each absence of more than one, your participation grade will be reduced by 5% for the
semester.
Grading Scale
93 – 100 = A
90 – 92 = A-
87 – 89 = B+
81 – 86 = B
78 – 80 = B-
75 – 77 = C+
70 – 74 = C
67 – 69 = C-
55 – 66 = D
0 – 54 = F
DISABILITIES STATEMENT
Any student in this course who needs an accommodation due to a chronic, psychological, visual,
mobility and/or learning disability, or is deaf or hard of hearing should register with the Moses
Center for Students with Disabilities, 726 Broadway, 2nd Floor, 212.998-4980 (telephone and
TTY), Email: [email protected]
Proposed Semester Schedule [Note: subject to change]:
DATE
Jan. 25
Feb. 1
Read & bring to class the 2
research articles; we will
discuss each them as
examples of qualitative &
quantitative types of research
Feb 8
Feb. 15
No Class
—President’s Day Holiday
Feb. 22
Assignment due: IRB Exam
results
Feb. 29
March 7
March 14
No Class- Spring Break
TOPICS
• Introduction to course and
research
• What is research and its
relevance to dance
educators?
• Introduction to course and
research
• Types of research
• What is in a research
report?
• Searching for research
literature: Using NYU
Library resources &online
search engines
READINGS FOR THIS DATE
Locke et al. ch 2 (pp. 24-25)
Locke et al. ch 2 (pp. 24-25); ch. 5
(pp. 86-88);
Kumar, ch 1 (pp. 1-9) ch 17;
Locke et al. ch 1 (pp. 15-21)
Read & bring to class: Chen
article (Qualitative research
example); & Liederbach article
(Quantitative research example)
Kumar, ch 3 (pp. 51-56)
Locke et al., ch 3 (pp. 54-57)
APA Manual, ch. 1 (pp. 11- 20)
• Research ethics/IRB/
Plagiarism
Kumar, ch 14;
UCAIHS (Online Tutorial);
• Formulating a research
problem
• Selecting a study design
Kumar, ch 2 (pp. 38f) ch 4, ch. 7;
Locke et al. ch 5 (pp. 94-86)
• Qualitative research
paradigms, data collection
and analysis [Dr. Koff,
guest lecturer]
Kumar ch 8 (pp. 132-134; 155160), ch 9; ch 15 (pp. 317-327)
Locke et al., ch. 10 (pp. 181-199)
March 21
March 28
Assignment due: Qualitative
12-Step Report
April 4
April 11
Assignment due:
Quantitative 12-Step Report
April 18
April 25
May 2
May 9
Assignment due: Written
proposals from all groups
• Review of qualitative
research methods
• Discussion of Bond &
Stinson article as example
• Work on Qualitative 12-Step
Report
• Quantitative research:
Research designs, data
collection and analyses
•
Quantitative research
discussion, cont’d.
• Discussion of Lin et al.
(2014) article as example
• Work on Quantitative 12Step Report
Writing and presenting research
reports and proposals
Organize into research proposal
groups
• Kumar, ch 11; Locke et al. ch 5
(pp. 81-86)
• Locke et al. ch 10 (pp. 199-202)
• Lin et al. (2014, RQES) article
[available in Resources folder in
NYU Classes]
Kumar, ch 11; ch 13; Locke et al.,
ch 1 (pp. 15-21)
•
• Presentations of M.A. theses
• Work in groups on research
proposals
• Discussion of requirements
for summer and fall [Dr.
Koff]
• Work in groups on research
proposals
In class presentations of
research proposals [3]
In class presentations of
research proposals [4]
Locke et al., ch 11 (pp. 210222)
•
Bond & Stinson (2000/2001,
Dance Research Journal) –
[available in Resources folder
in NYU Classes]
• Kumar, ch 9 (pp. 138 – 139);
Locke et al. ch 5 (pp. 92-94)