Qualitative Research: Introduction

Course Information
This is an introductory course for individuals with limited or no previous experience with qualitative traditions or techniques of inquiry. The target audience is those who would like to become more familiar with qualitative research techniques, from postgraduate university students and staff to researchers in government and private organisations. A completion certificate will be issued to each participant.
course information
Code: QUAL 101
Offered: Globally
Duration: 5 days
Timing: 9 am - 12.30 pm
For Skill Level: 0
Price: per head quotation
Booking: Request Form
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In this course

  • you will learn about all elements of the qualitative research process and how they are interrelated
  • we will unpack the key components of qualitative research design, including the stances and theories that underpin qualitative methodologies
  • we will learn techniques of data collection and analysis
  • we will pay particular attention to what’s involved in ethically employing popular methods such as interviewing and observation
  • we combine lectures covering foundational issues with practical workshops that give you a chance to practice qualitative techniques first-hand

Course Format

  • This course will run in a classroom environment
  • No special equipment is required

prerequisites

  • None

Recommended Texts

  • Miles, M. B., A. M. Huberman & J. Saldana. (2013) Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook (Third Edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
  • Richards, L. (2014). Handling Qualitative Data: A Practical Guide (Third Edition). London: Sage.
  • Saldana, J. (2016) The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers (Third Edition). London: Sage.
  • Creswell, J. (2016) 30 Essential Skills for the Qualitative Researcher, Sage: Thousand Oaks.
  • Tracy, S.J. (2013) Qualitative Research Methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis and communicating impact, Wiley-Blackwell: West Sussex.

Requirements

  • Group: 15-20 participants
  • Venue: white board, quality data projector, access to printer
  • Catering: tea/coffee/lunch

Instructors

Syllabus

Day 1
  • Situating qualitative inquiry in the social sciences
  • Designing qualitative methodologies: frames, methods, and issues
  • The politics and ethics of qualitative research

Day 2
  • Situating the researcher in the field: the researcher as instrument
  • Interviewing practices: Planning and conducting in-depth interviews (forms of interview, rapport, phrasing questions, probing)
  • Group interviews (composition, structure, facilitation)

Day 3
  • Observational practices: forms of observation, what to look for, writing field notes
  • Unobtrusive methods: access, interpretation, online data
  • Handling data: an iterative approach, preliminary data analysis, data storage
  • Using computer software in qualitative analysis

Day 4
  • Data analysis: inductive logic, generating meaning
  • Coding systems and cycles
  • Thematic analysis
  • Discourse analysis

 Day 5
  • Writing up: The purpose of qualitative writing
  • Presenting data: audience and purpose/voice and style
  • Criteria for assessing good qualitative research
  • One-on-one consultations

Related Courses

  • QUAL 102: Qualitative Research: Design, Analysis and Representation
  • QUAL 103: Foundations of Qualitative Comparative Analysis
  • QUAL 104: Qualitative Research: Collecting, Managing and Analysing Interview Data
  • QUAL 105: Focus Groups: Who, What and How to Moderate
  • NVIVO 102: Qualitative data analysis using NVivo