Introduction to qualitative methods in social research

obligatory courses

Classroom

The classes are designed to familiarize students with basic methods and techniques of qualitative research in social sciences with particular attention to field research.

Full course description Apart from quantitative research, qualitative research is a very important and constantly developing segment of social research. While in the case of quantitative research we usually receive the answer to the question: What? How? in qualitative research we usually answer the question: Why? Qualitative research is often a deepening of the knowledge about the social world, which we have obtained on the basis of quantitative research, but it is also a separate, research-based, autonomous world, which allows us to penetrate in detail the motivations of social actors.

The implementation of qualitative research is very fascinating, but it is connected with many methodological and ethical limitations. The aim of the classes will be to familiarize students with these limitations, as well as to show the research spaces where qualitative research can be applied.

During the classes, students will be acquainted with the latest techniques used in qualitative research, and will implement their own research microprojects, which will allow them to learn more about the specifics of qualitative research.

Students will learn how to construct a research project with regard to qualitative methods, how to build scenarios for interviews, how to select a sample for research, which technique to use.

One of the important elements of the classes will be to pay attention to the possibility of conducting qualitative research on-line, as well as to a number of ethical problems that arise during the implementation of qualitative research.

The classes will have a workshop character. During the workshops, students will analyze qualitative research that has already been carried out, as well as design their own research.

P. Maykut, R. Morehouse, 1994. Beginning Qualitative Research, London: Farmer Press

B. Angrosino, 2010, Badania etnograficzne i obserwacyjne, Warszawa: PWN

M. Banks, 2009, Materiały wizualne w badaniach jakościowych, Warszawa: PWN

S. Kvale, 2010, Prowadzenie wywiadów, Warszawa: PWN

T. Rapley, 2010, Analiza konwersacji, dyskursu i dokumentów, Warszawa: PWN

U. Flick, 2010., Projektowanie badania jakościowego, Warszawa: PWN

N. Denzin, Y. Lincoln, 2010. Metody badań jakościowych, t. 1 i 2, Warszawa: PWN

D. Jemielniak, Badania jakościowe. Metody i narzędzia, t. 1 i 2, Warszawa: PWN

The final evaluation will consist of: attendance and activity at classes (30%), presentation of the final project (70%).