Introduction to qualitative research

Classroom

Assumptions and general objectives:

The workshop follows the logical course of the research process: from deciding what to test

and planning the study, through the choice of approach, sampling, data collection and analysis,

to the interpretation of the data and assessment of the quality of the study performed.

Specific objectives:

The course aims to expand students’ knowledge and understanding of the following issues:

I. What is qualitative research? Why and when to use qualitative methods?

a. Features of qualitative research.

b. Quantitative v. qualitative methods.

c. Theoretical approaches to qualitative research: postivist, interpretive (constructive),

phenomenological, ethnographic, grounded theory, narrative inquiry, critical,

postmodernist.

d. Action research.

e. Qualitative case studies.

II. How to design a qualitative project?

a. Coming up with an idea.

b. Literature review.

c. Identifying a gap in the knowledge base.

d. Choosing a theoretical framework.

e. Framing and forming a problem statement.

f. Operational conceptualization.

g. Sampling.

h. Operationalizing data collection.

i. Triangulation.

j. Ethical issues in qualitative research.

III. How to collect qualitative data?

a. Observation.

b. Gold’s typology of research roles.

c. Recording observations.

d. Interviews.

e. Focus group interviews.

f. Questions to ask and questions to avoid.

g. Documents and artifacts.

IV. How to analyze data? How to find meaning in data?

a. Qualitative data analysis.

b. Data analysis process.

c. Coding.

d. Data management.

e. Data interpretation.

V. How to ensure credibility of your findings?

a. Internal validity.

b. Common strategies to increase credibility of findings: triangulation, member

checking, prolonged engagement, negative case analysis, researcher’s reflexivity, peer

review.

c. External validity - generalizability.

d. Common strategies to increase transferability: thick description, maximum variation,

typical case sampling,

e. Reliability.

f. Audit trail.

g. Influence of ethical considerations on research credibility.

VI. How to present your research?

a. Choosing audience and focus.

b. Outline.

c. Writing process.

d. Components of the qualitative study report.

e. Dissemination.

Total number of class hours: 18

Total number of ECTS points: 2,5

Evaluation criteria:

― Attendance

― Class activity

― Case study - analysis of the description and presentation of one's own interpretation of

the situation, or one's own solution to a given research problem.

Grading scale:

more than 90% - 5

85-89% - 4,5

80-84% - 4

70-79% - 3,5

60- 69% - 3

Learning outcomes:

Knowledge

K_W01 The student knows and understands complex structures of language and laws as

systems.

K_W04 The student knows and understands main directions of development and

contemporary research tendencies in the field of international legal communication.

K_W05 The student knows and understands the latest trends, problems and research methods

used in linguistics and law in the field of international legal communication and methods of

multimodal modeling.

Skills

K_U01 The student is able to use the acquired knowledge to carry out research in the area of

international legal communication using an appropriate methodology.

K_U06 The student is able to independently plan and carry out her/his own research using the

knowledge of various research methods and tools.

Social competences

K_K01 The student is ready to recognize the importance of the latest field knowledge and the

importance of good practice.

K_K04 The student is ready to recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and

practical problems and consulting experts.

K_K05 The student is ready to apply scientifically based criteria for the evaluation of different

types of scientific products.

References

 Lune, H., & Berg, B. L. (2017). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (9th ed.).

Pearson.

 Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Sage.

 Merriam, S., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and

implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.

 Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage.

 Yin, R. K. (2016). Qualitative research: From start to finish (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.