Course info

Introduction to Qualitative Methods for a non-social scientist 

Topic, background and motivation for the course.

The purpose of the course is to provide students with basic knowledge about – and an introductory overview of - commonly used qualitative research methods. Taking qualitative research as a point of departure, the course provides researchers with tools for identifying strengths and weaknesses of different research methods and approaches. Thus, the course encourages young researchers to critically reflect on, assess and academically justify their research design choices in view of their specific topic of research enquiry. This facilitates benefitting from the strengths of different research methods and approaches while compensating for their weaknesses.

The course is motivated by the recognized need for methodological insights and reflection among researchers working within particularly interdisciplinary fields of research.

 

Learning objectives:

The course aims to provide students with an all-round introduction to the basics of qualitative research. Selected qualitative research strategies are illustrated via best-case examples.

Students are introduced to the basic elements of qualitative research design, including the main research paradigms and their ontological and epistemological underpinnings. Overall, the course aims to provide students with sufficient methodological insights and background knowledge to identify the qualitative methods and research approaches that may best match their specific topic of research enquiry.

Upon course completion, students should also be able to critically reflect of and identify methodological strengths, weaknesses, challenges and potentials of given qualitative research designs and approaches.

Target group:

The course targets PhD students who are not familiar with – or only slightly familiar with - qualitative research methods. Perhaps students from a more technical background who wish to use qualitative methods in their research, or students who will be collaborating closely with qualitative researchers in multidisciplinary, cross-disciplinary, or interdisciplinary research projects. The course is also beneficial for students who wish to brush up on their basic qualitative research skills.

 

Criteria for course participation:

Many of the course exercises relate directly to your own research project and the (potential) use of qualitative research methods in that research. To participate in the course, then, ‘thinking through’ your research in this way should make sense to you as a researcher.

Perhaps you know that you will use qualitative methods in your research. Perhaps you have already started your qualitative research enquiry, or perhaps you are seriously considering using some qualitative methods in your research, but you are not yet quite sure.

Teaching methods:

A mix of lectures, group discussions in smaller and larger fora, student presentations and readings.

Criteria for assessment:

Active participation and a pass/fail short reflective paper, presentation or similar, on qualitative methods.

Literature list.

The course literature is listed below. This list of literature will be adapted. The numbering represents our recommended order of reading … but you don’t have to follow this recommendation, of course.

 

Primary literature
1 Guion, L. a. (2006). Conducting an In-depth Interview 1. Boards, 1–4. https://doi.org/http://greenmedicine.ie/school/images/Library/Conducting%20An%20In%20Depth%20Interview.pdf (Module 1)

2 Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019).
Chapter 4: Understanding research philosophy and approaches to theory development. Research Methods for Business Students (8th ed.). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. (Module 1)

3 Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2004). Interviews. Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing
(3^rd revise). SAGE Publications Inc. (Module 1) Chapters 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11

4 Kinney, P. (2017). Walking Interviews. Social Research Update, (67), 1–22.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2779-6_28-1 (Module 1)

5 Berger, R. (2015). Now I see it, now I don’t: researcher’s position and reflexivity in qualitative research.
Qualitative Research, 15(2), 219–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794112468475 (Module 1)

6 Flyvbjerg, B. (2006). Five misunderstandings about case-study research. Qualitative Inquiry, 12(2), 219–
245. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800405284363 (Module 1)

7 Siggelkow, N. (2007). Persuasion with Case Studies - Siggelkow - S1&2 R1.pdf. Source: The Academy of Management Journal, 50(1), 20–24. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2007.24160882 (Module 1)

8 Johnson, R. B., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed Methods Research : A Research Paradigm Whose Time Has Come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14–26. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X033007014 (Module 1)

9 Rogers, M. (2012). Contextualizing Theories and Practices of Bricolage Research. The Qualitative Report, 17, 1–17. (Module 1)

10 Harper, D. (2002). Talking about pictures: A case for photo elicitation. Visual Studies, 17(1), 13–26.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14725860220137345 (Module 1)

11 Pink, S. (2007). Walking with video. Visual Studies, 22(240–252). (Module 1) 

12 Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2004). Interviews. Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3^rd
revise). SAGE Publications Inc. (Mostly module 2) Chapters 12, 13, 15

13 Morgan, David L. (1997): Focus groups as qualitative research. 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications. (Mostly module 2) Chapters 1, 4 and 5 (pp. 1-7 and pp. 31-64).
 
Secondary literature:
Hydén, L.-C. & Bülow, P. H. (2003): Who’s talking: drawing conclusions from focus groups – some methodological considerations. International journal of Social Research Methodology 6(4): 305-321. doi.org/10.1080/13645570210124865

Jones-Devitt, S., Austen, L., & Parkin, H. (2017). Integrative Reviewing for exploring complex phenomena. Social Research Update, (66), 1–4.

Atkinson, P., & Hammersley, M. (1994). Ethnography and Participant Observation. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 248–261). 

Organizer: Post-doc Line Valdorff Madsen (lvm@build.aau.dk), post-doc Katinka Johansen (katinka.johansen@soc.lu.se)

Lecturers: Katinka Johansen & Line Valdorff Madsen

ECTS: 5.0

Time: 4-6 April 2022 and 5-6 May 2022, from 09.00

Place: Online (4-6 April) and AAU-CPH (5-6 May)

Zip code: 2450

City: Copenhagen campus

Number of seats: 15

Deadline: 14 March 2022

Important information concerning PhD courses: We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 3.000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations