Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the Classroom
Qualitative analysis has two extraordinary capabilities: first, finding answers to questions we are too clueless to ask; and second, causal inference – hypothesis testing and assessment – within a single unique context (sample size of one). These capabilities are broadly useful, and they are critica...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Henley-Putnam University
2015-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Strategic Security |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol8/iss5/4/ |
| _version_ | 1818530537675948032 |
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| author | John Hoven Joel Lawton |
| author_facet | John Hoven Joel Lawton |
| author_sort | John Hoven |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Qualitative analysis has two extraordinary capabilities: first, finding answers to questions we are too clueless to ask; and second, causal inference – hypothesis testing and assessment – within a single unique context (sample size of one). These capabilities are broadly useful, and they are critically important in village-level civil-military operations. Company commanders need to learn quickly, "What are the problems and possibilities here and now, in this specific village? What happens if we do A, B, and C?" – and that is an ill-defined, one-of-a-kind problem.
The U.S. Army's Eighty-Third Civil Affairs Battalion is our "first user" innovation partner in a new project to adapt qualitative research methods to an operational tempo and purpose. Our aim is to develop a simple, low-cost methodology and training program for local civil-military operations conducted by non-specialist conventional forces. Complementary to that, this paper focuses on some essential basics that can be implemented by college professors without significant cost, effort, or disruption. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:20:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b2a05863e2a4067a0c51c962063a665 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1944-0464 1944-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:20:57Z |
| publishDate | 2015-10-01 |
| publisher | Henley-Putnam University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Strategic Security |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b2a05863e2a4067a0c51c962063a6652022-12-22T00:57:09ZengHenley-Putnam UniversityJournal of Strategic Security1944-04641944-04722015-10-01854047http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.8.3S.1474Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the ClassroomJohn HovenJoel LawtonQualitative analysis has two extraordinary capabilities: first, finding answers to questions we are too clueless to ask; and second, causal inference – hypothesis testing and assessment – within a single unique context (sample size of one). These capabilities are broadly useful, and they are critically important in village-level civil-military operations. Company commanders need to learn quickly, "What are the problems and possibilities here and now, in this specific village? What happens if we do A, B, and C?" – and that is an ill-defined, one-of-a-kind problem. The U.S. Army's Eighty-Third Civil Affairs Battalion is our "first user" innovation partner in a new project to adapt qualitative research methods to an operational tempo and purpose. Our aim is to develop a simple, low-cost methodology and training program for local civil-military operations conducted by non-specialist conventional forces. Complementary to that, this paper focuses on some essential basics that can be implemented by college professors without significant cost, effort, or disruption.http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol8/iss5/4/Intelligence analysisMethodology |
| spellingShingle | John Hoven Joel Lawton Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the Classroom Journal of Strategic Security Intelligence analysis Methodology |
| title | Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the Classroom |
| title_full | Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the Classroom |
| title_fullStr | Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the Classroom |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the Classroom |
| title_short | Sample Size of One: Operational Qualitative Analysis in the Classroom |
| title_sort | sample size of one operational qualitative analysis in the classroom |
| topic | Intelligence analysis Methodology |
| url | http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol8/iss5/4/ |
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