A Workshop by Dr. Michelle Stefano (Library of Congress)

The workshop is primarily for students in the Department of American Studies at UMBC working on research methods in the humanities. The workshop will be help during our AMST 300: Approaches in American Studies course. This is the department’s methods course where students also build a research proposal that they will execute in their final senior research seminar. Students from the capstone research seminar (AMST 490: Senior Seminar) who are currently working on an original research project this semester are also invited to the workshop. In addition, AMST will extend the invitation to our Humanities Scholars students, which Dr. Stefano has worked with during her time at UMBC.

All three groups of students are interested in using qualitative research methods as part of their practice. Many of our students want to use ethnography in their research projects; however, they lack a full understand of what that work entails. Dr. Stefano’s research expertise in this field as well as teaching and public programming experience will be an asset in helping our students further their research goals.

Dr. Stefano’s expertise as well as the Folklife and Fieldwork guidebook will be invaluable resources for UMBC students in various courses. Our students will greatly benefit from a workshop on qualitative methodologies. We thank Dr. Stefano and the American Folklife Center for the opportunity.