| Unit name | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUCM0053 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2D (weeks 19 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Grant |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit builds on the Introduction to Qualitative Research unit and is designed for those students planning to use qualitative research as the basis for their PhD study in order to support them to develop and deepen their proposed research designs.
The Unit will specifically address the epistemological, methodological, ethical and analysis challenges that characterise qualitative research design and support students to explore these tensions in relation to their own research project. The unit will enable students to locate different qualitative methodologies in the wider context of the broad qualitative research tradition and encouraged to explore emerging and novel contemporary traditions of qualitative inquiry. Students will present their current research designs to the group and through group discussion and tutor feedback, supported to challenge and deepen their ideas for their proposals. They will be supported to explore the different strategic choices that might be made about methods and approach at each point, and to explore some of the tensions and difficulties that these methods might entail. To that end, much of the unit will be responsive to the specific qualitative approaches that the student cohort is selecting each year. In each case, the unit will aim:
1. to engage students in the historic, social and contemporary debates that frame the purpose, value and methods of qualitative inquiry
2. to develop a critical understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in research design.
3. to enable students to examine and explore the practical challenges of qualitative work in practice, in particular working with partners and the messiness of research in the field.
4. to extend students understanding of the issues involved in the analysis and writing up of qualitative data sets
5. to support students to further develop and strengthen their own qualitative research designs.
Students will be able to demonstrate that they are able to:
1. show awareness of a range of selected qualitative data collection and analysis methods, and how
they are located in debates about the trustworthiness, values and purposes of qualitative inquiry
2. critically evaluate and reflect on the methodological and practical challenges and tensions in their
selected approach to qualitative inquiry
3. articulate the epistemological underpinnings of selected approaches to qualitative research
methods
4. apply and engage with one or more approaches to qualitative data analysis
5. critique empirical studies with regards to both theoretical and methodological analysis
Teaching will adopt a blended approach involving a mix of online asynchronous and synchronous lectures, reading, group work and activities provided online.
Formative assessment
Individual poster presentations reflecting on approaches to qualitative data collection and analysis. (ILO 1-5)
Summative assessment
4,000 word essay (100%) (ILO 1-5)
A written assignment critically discussing the theory and practice of producing and analysing qualitative research data using one or more selected qualitative techniques. You will conduct a small-scale piece of data collection, try out one or more analytic approaches, and critically reflect on the process and outcomes.
