Unit name | Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences |
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Unit code | SOCIM0013 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Professor. Therese O'Toole |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The unit offers graduate level grounding in the rationale, strengths and limitations of a selection of key research methods most commonly utilised in contemporary qualitative social research. The training covers topics that may include the reasons why qualitative research methods are adopted; a range of the most common methods used; the ethics and problems associated with conducting qualitative research; the use of observation, ethnography, interviews and focus groups as research methods; the use of archives and documents; visual research; techniques in e-research; research design; the use of covert and overt research; data protection; intellectual property rights; plus practical sessions on information retrieval, and the ethics and governance of data protection.
Aims:
The main method of teaching will be weekly face-to-face seminar sessions which will involve a combination of lecturing, group discussion and student presentations.
Summative assessment will have two elements:
A). Research Design (maximum 1500 words, 25% of total assessment)
Research Design involves the following: students will be asked to design a qualitative research project which will incorporate identifying research question, aims and objectives, methodology (including ethical and political issues raised) and rationale for chosen methodology.
B.) 1 assessed essay (1 question from choice of 8) (2500 words, 75% of total assessment).