IB9MU-15 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
Introductory description
The module will introduce qualitative research, examine its philosophical foundations and provide an introductory overview of the different traditions that are usually subsumed under the label. The module will be introductory in character, and will be accessible to students without prior knowledge of the topic. The module will combine lectures, individual and group online tasks between classes, and hands on in-class activities.
At the end of the module the students should:
- Recognise the key philosophical traditions that support and inform qualitative research.
- Be familiar with debates surrounding the key methods for collecting and analysing qualitative data.
- Understand more about what methods practically involve, in terms of data collection techniques and data analysis
- Understand philosophical implications of seemingly mundane or pragmatic data collection / analysis choices
- To be able to think more critically and insightfully about the methods you will use during your Ph.D.
Module aims
This module is designed to make students familiar with philosophical ideas that support and inform qualitative research; to inform them about range of qualitative research methods; to enable them to judge the appropriateness and limitations of different qualitative approaches.
The module will encourage students to engage reflexively with the issue of their own location and role as a researcher in the research process.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
The philosophical backdrop of qualitative research. Including interpretivism, phenomenology, critical theory and postmodernism.
The differences between qualitative and qualitative strategies of inquiry in business and management research.
An overview of the core methods of qualitative data collection and analysis, including Interviews, ethnography and discourse analysis.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Be familiar with debates surrounding the key methods for collecting and analysing qualitative data.
- Recognise the key philosophical traditions that support and inform qualitative research.
- Understand philosophical implications of seemingly mundane or pragmatic data collection / analysis choices
- Understand and apply key concepts that cut across all methods of qualitative research, including ethics, reflexivity and politics
- Understand more about what methods practically involve, in terms of data collection techniques and data analysis.
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Subject specific skills
To understand the subject specific implications of philosophical concepts and categories.
Transferable skills
Understand the difference between the quantitative and qualitative research traditions and what qualitative methods
practically involve, in terms of data collection techniques and data analysis.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 sessions of 3 hours (20%) |
| Private study | 48 hours (32%) |
| Assessment | 72 hours (48%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
Self study and reflective learning.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group C
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Data Portfolio | 50% | 36 hours | Yes (extension) |
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Students will be asked to respond to a number of tasks. These will relate to the different data they will collect during the module. The tasks will involve them collecting, organising/storing, and manipulating/analysing data to address particular research questions, as well as assessing the merits, limitations, and pertinence of these data to existing literature and established debates. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Exam | 50% | 36 hours | No |
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The exam will be heavily scaffolded by the modules learning activities.Part 1: 50% of the exam marks will assess how students engage with and interpret qualitative data. They will be given a short data booklet. Reading time will be given to enable students, especially those working in a second language, to read and adequately engage with the relatively simple and short data examples. The data will very closely resemble data collected during the module and will elaborate themes and aspects discussed in detail through the course of the module. The questions will relate to these data. The exam will be open book, in that students will be given 3 relevant research papers to read in advance, and hard copies of these will be available in the exam. These papers will be considered through the module. Part 2: 50% of the exam marks will be given over to questions about foundational ideas and concepts in qualitative research. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Module leader feedback.
There is currently no information about the courses for which this module is core or optional.