Course overview
This course is designed for students to fulfil the following learning objectives; Understanding the characteristics, roles and importance of qualitative research; Achieve a working familiarity with a range of qualitative methods; Acquire skills in qualitative data collection and analysis methods, including use of NVivo; Develop the ability to select, justify and execute qualitative methods appropriate to central research questions. Topics covered in this course may include: Qualitative research features and approaches; Theoretical traditions in qualitative research; The interface between qualitative and quantitative research; Qualitative data collection; Qualitative data analysis; The theory and application of a range of qualitative methodologies which may include components such as field based case study, interview methods, historical method, ethnography, grounded theory, action research and hermeneutical method.
Course learning outcomes
- Design a research approach that appropriately and ethically addresses a research objective within a consistent conceptual framework, incorporating a coherent and suitable set of methods for design, data gathering and data analysis.
- Understand how question design relates to survey, focus group and interview question creation; design and evaluate questions for semi-structured interviews and focus groups; then conduct (and record / transcribe) interviews and focus groups in a professional and ethical manner.
- Select and use appropriate techniques, methods and tools for management of rich and complex research data and information; apply different methods and orders of analysis to rich, complex, qualitative data; and realistically evaluate the results.
- Use appropriate sophisticated software (Nvivo Pro) to support data management and facilitate data analysis.
- Present the results of qualitative research in a professional academic manner in both oral and written formats.