Qualitative researching: research design and logic, 2–3 op

This course is designed for students who want to acquire and develop skills in qualitative research design and logic. The course will cover:

· qualitative thinking, and the practice of asking yourself difficult questions,

· why qualitative approaches might be suitable and what they can offer, what kinds of knowledge and insight they can produce,

· how to develop purposeful and theoretically grounded research questions,

· the importance of planning, design and a strategic yet responsive, contextual and reflexive approach,

· how to choose appropriate methods and data sources,

· the importance of thinking, at the research design stage, about how you will analyse your data, make your arguments and substantiate your findings,

· some practical and ethical matters in research design.

Teaching

A mixture of lectures, discussion, and participative workshops, with presentations and group discussion focussed on selected students’ projects on final day.

Number of students

25 students maximum, of which up to 10 will have an opportunity to introduce their own research project to other participants and the tutor, and to engage the group in discussion of qualitative research design and logic in the context of their own work.

Structure

3 days, 10.00-16.00

Day 1 lectures, working sessions and discussion

Day 2 lectures, working sessions and discussion

Day 3 groupwork following from student presentations. Final lecture session.