| 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. articulate the philosophical and epistemological underpinnings of their selected approach to qualitative inquiry
2. locate their selected approach in the context of historic and contemporary debates about the validity, trustworthiness, purpose and utility of qualitative inquiry
3. critically discuss the methodological and practical challenges and tensions in their selected approach to qualitative inquiry
4. demonstrate an awareness of the variety of techniques and methods that can be used for data collection and analysis in their given approach to qualitative inquiry, as well as their respective strengths and weaknesses
5. Develop a coherent design for qualitative inquiry as a basis for their further resarch study.
Lectures, small group work, presentations, seminars and virtual learning environment.
Formative assessment:
Individual presentation of draft research designs for qualitative inquiry. ILOs 1-5
Summative assessment:
An essay that presents research design for qualitative inquiry as well as a rationale for this design (4,000 words) ILOs 1-5
