Semester 2, 2024-2025
Type of courseMethodological and Practical Courses
Location30
ECTS1 EC will be appointed for participation in the complete course
StaffLisa Ansems (LEI), Jessie Pool (LEI)
Content, learning goals, preparation
This workshop aims to familiarize students with qualitative research. It is suitable for both PhDs in the earlier years of their project (if they consider conducting qualitative research as part of their PhD) and for PhDs in the later years of their project (if they consider conducting qualitative research after their PhD).
Taking the qualitative research cycle as its point of departure, the workshop focuses on enhancing students’ knowledge of (a) developing research questions and research aims that require a qualitative research design, (b) collecting qualitative data, (c) analyzing qualitative data, and (d) writing a qualitative research report. Students will also learn about reliability and validity, ethical matters, and research planning in qualitative projects. These issues will mostly be addressed by taking qualitative interviews as a methodological point of departure, which are an often-used method in qualitative research. However, other qualitative methods will be briefly discussed as well, and much of the knowledge that the course provides is equally relevant to these other qualitative methods.
Because KLI students have different levels of experience with conducting qualitative research, the course is split up in two days. Day 1 focuses on the basics of qualitative research and designing a qualitative study, whereas Day 2 focuses on in-depth knowledge of data collection and data analysis and practicing with these phases of a qualitative project. Depending on their needs and interests, students can choose to participate in one of those days or both.
Day 1 starts with introductions. We briefly discuss students’ PhD topics, their experience with qualitative research and their expectations of the workshop. Next, we introduce the qualitative research cycle, address the differences between deductive and inductive approaches, and discuss some of the reasons why one might want to conduct qualitative research (possibly in addition to conducting quantitative studies). After this introductory lecture, we discuss the basics of the different components of qualitative research: research goals and questions, data collection, data analysis, and reliability and validity. Lectures on these topics are alternated with assignments and discussions (e.g., asking students to think about possible research questions and research aims of their own (potential) qualitative project, and discuss these both in pairs and with the entire group). Finally, we address ethical matters and research planning. Any remaining issues can be addressed during the closing discussion.
Day 2 starts with a brief recap of the topics addressed on Day 1 (also for students who attend only Day 2). We then discuss several of the topics of Day 1 in more detail, alternated with various exercises. For instance, whereas on Day 1 we explained the basics of data collection and the role of topic lists in this regard, Day 2 zooms in on the contents of topic lists and gives students the opportunity to practice with drafting their own topic list. We also practice the skill of interviewing by letting students conduct mock interviews in duos. Likewise, after providing an in-depth lecture on qualitative data analysis and various approaches to coding, students practice with qualitative data analysis by coding a sample interview transcript. Students can either bring their own interview transcripts or use material provided by the teachers. Through these lectures and exercises, students gain more in-depth knowledge of the topics addressed on Day 1 as well as hands-on experience with different aspects of conducting qualitative research. We also pay attention to how to write a qualitative research report. Day 2 ends with a closing discussion and room for any remaining questions.
Program
Day 1
10.15 – 10.30 Walk-in
10.30 – 11.30 Introductions
11.30 – 12.15 Research questions and research goals (incl. assignment)
12.15 – 13.15 Lunch
13.15 – 14.15 Data collection basics (incl. assignment)
14.15 – 15.00 Data analysis basics
15:00 – 15.15 Break
15.15 – 16.15 Reliability and validity (incl. assignment)
16.15 – 16.30 Ethical matters and research planning
16.30 – 17.00 Closing discussion
Day 2
10.15 – 10.30 Walk-in
10.30 – 10.45 Introductions and recap Day 1
10.45 – 12.00 Data collection advanced (incl. assignment)
12.00 – 13.00 Lunch
13.00 – 13.45 Practice interviews in duos
13.45 – 14.30 Data analysis advanced
14.30 – 14.45 Break
14.45 – 15.45 Practice data analysis
15.45 – 16.00 Discussion data analysis
16.00 – 16.30 Writing the research report
16.30 – 17.00 Closing discussion
Literature
Students are requested to read the following literature before the start of the course:
In addition, it is advised to install qualitative research software for which your university has a license on your laptop (e.g., NVivo, Atlas.ti). If this is not possible, alternatives will be available during the course.