Qualitative research methods

obligatory courses

Classroom

Participants in the course will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the most popular quantitative research methods used by sociologists, namely: observation, content analysis, in-depth interview (IDI), and focus group (FGI). The syllabus is intended to present both the strong and weak points of particular methods and the rules of their use through reading of classical and contemporary empirical texts in the area of qualitative sociology as well as through carrying out student research projects.

The class is aimed at familiarizing participants with the origins and specificity of qualitative research methods as well as research opportunities that they offer. Thanks to studying the work of qualitative social researchers and simultaneous carrying out of own research, the participants will have the opportunity to learn how to search out research programs and form research questions to structure the research process. The class will focus on four research methods: observation, in-depth interview, focus group, and content analysis. Both the theoretical assumptions of qualitative research and its practical application will be emphasized. Hence the class will largely have the form of a workshop, allowing students to acquire the skills of conducting interviews, observations and content analysis. The participants will practice making contact with the subjects and learn how to handle problems related to gaining access and deciding about one’s own identity during a study. At the same time, they will gain experience in keeping notes from field work, planning scenarios for observations and interviews, and coding them. Hence, it will be necessary to practice asking research questions structuring the study and yielding significant qualitative data. Finally, the students will learn the strategies of processing and analyzing qualitative data, such as coding, making notes and developing typologies, which will enable them to write a report from their own research. No less important will be gaining experience of working in a research team, organizing work time in a qualitative research project, critical evaluation of own and other participants’ projects, and developing sensitivity towards the persons, groups and communities’ studies, related to the moral responsibility of the qualitative researcher.

The class lasts two semesters, which translates to 60 hours of class time. To this amount one should add the time needed for the preparation of the research project, doing the field work (i.e. conducting interviews or observation), and writing a research report. This means that the out-of-class work will require another 60 hours.

Barbour R. (2011), Badania fokusowe, PWN Warszawa.

Berg Bruce L. (2009), Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, Allyn&Bacon.

Buttolph Johnson J. (2010), Metody badawcze w naukach politycznych, PWN Warszawa.

Domański H. i in. (1999)), Spojrzenie na metodę, IFiS PAN Warszawa.

Flick U. (2012), Projektowanie badania jakościowego, PWN Warszawa.

Hammersley M., P. Atkinson, (2000), Metody badań terenowych, Zysk i S-ka Poznań.

Konecki K. (2000), Studia z metodologii badań jakościowych. Teoria ugruntowana, PWN Warszawa.

Korporowicz L., red. (1997), Ewaluacja w edukacji, Oficyna Naukowa Warszawa.

Kvale S. (2011), Prowadzenie wywiadów, PWN Warszawa.

Lofland J. (2009), Analiza układów społecznych, Scholar Warszawa.

Rancew-Sikora, D. (2007), Analiza konwersacyjna jako metoda badania rozmów codziennych, Wydawnictwo TRIO Warszawa

Silverman D. (2007), Interpretacja danych jakościowych, PWN Warszawa.

Silverman D. (2009), Prowadzenie badań jakościowych, PWN Warszawa.

Szustrowa T. (red.) Swobodne techniki diagnostyczne, Wydawnictwo UW 1987 Warszawa.

Knows and understands basic sociological concepts

Has basic knowledge of methods used in research on cultural diversity

Knows basic methods and techniques of social research and can choose appropriate methods to solve basic research problems

Understands the specificity of sociological analysis

Knows how to plan and carry out a simple quantitative and qualitative study

Has basic applied knowledge of statistical description and inference

Can record and observe social phenomena in a methodologically correct way

Can use basic sociological terms and categories to analyze societies, particularly contemporary Polish society

Can independently find facts and materials needed to conduct simple sociological analyses, using various sources in both Polish and a foreign language, and using modern technologies

Can use basic theoretical categories to describe social changes in modern societies

Can conduct a simple analysis of the consequences of the processes occurring in modern societies

Can use ethical norms and rules in research practice

Can use academic knowledge acquired in social practice

Can plan and carry out a social study using basic quantitative and qualitative research methods and techniques

Can use the basic functions of a chosen computer program for data analysis

Can effectively collaborate with members of a task team

Can share the acquired sociological knowledge

Can find, gather and synthesize information about social phenomena

Can critically assess sources

Can present results of his/her own research

Knows and observes the rules of professional ethics, including those pertaining to intellectual property

Respects dignity of persons participating in a study (respondents, informers, interviewees and other participants)

Research project, oral presentation, research report