Designing a Qualitative Study

Date:

13/11/2019

Organised by:

Social Research Association

Presenter:

Professor Karen O'Reilly

Level:

Entry (no or almost no prior knowledge)

Contact:

Lindsay Adams T: 0207 255 0695
E: lindsay.adams@the-sra.org.uk

Map:

View in Google Maps  (WC2B 5DA)

Venue:

Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London(tbc)

Description:

 

It is especially important with qualitative research to have a clear sense of what you are doing and why at the outset. This one-day intensive course aims to equip participants with a good understanding of the philosophical and practical planning and preparation required when conducting a qualitative research project. Through a combination of lectures and hands-on practical sessions, the course takes participants from concept to design of a qualitative research project. The course aims to: give participants a solid grounding in the epistemological and ontological basis of qualitative (and quantitative) research and how to link philosophical ideas to practical decisions; to enable participants to select appropriate sampling strategies and methods and techniques relevant for their proposed research; to introduce participants to quality concern issues and how to write in reflexivity and ethics; to give practical, hands-on, experience of designing aspects of a research proposal including a relevant sampling strategy.


Topics

  • The broad nature of qualitative research (and a closer look at some paradigms from positivism to interpretivism)
  • Reviewing the literature and developing qualitative research questions
  • Developing the design from a broad topic area to aims and objectives
  • Linking research questions, methodologies and methods
  • An introduction to main methods and techniques, and selecting an appropriate strategy
  • Designing a qualitative sample
  • Designing topic guides and other materials for use in interview or focus group studies
  • Judging, and explaining, the ‘quality’ of qualitative research

Objectives. By the end of the course, participants will

  • be equipped to plan, design, and defend their own research projects using qualitative research techniques,
  • have a clear understanding of why certain choices are made, when in relation to design
  • be confident to proceed to the next level of actually conducting the research with a clear framework and plan of action.
  • Understand choices to be made with respect to sampling
  • Be confident to prepare clear aims and objectives
  • Understand which are relevant topic areas for qualitative design
  • Participants should also feel confident to prepare (and assess) research grant funding and support applications as a result of attending this one-day course.


Who will benefit


Anyone considering taking a course in (or conducting) qualitative interviewing, ethnography, or focus group skills would be advised to take this Designing a Qualitative Study course as it provides an invaluable foundation. It is also designed to support those who need to know what to look for when commissioning good quality research. It is suitable for participants with very little or no experience of design but also can be of benefit for those wishing to brush-up their skills or simply acquire new skills. It works better if participants have a specific research project or set of projects in mind. Participants come from diverse academic and policy backgrounds and very diverse topic areas.


Course Tutor
Karen O'Reilly is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Loughborough University and a Freelance Researcher. She has taught ethnographic and qualitative methods for over 25 years, including the Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Collection and Analysis, the Swiss Summer School in Social Science Methods, in Lugano; at the Universities of Aberdeen, Essex, Loughborough and Oxford; and in Germany, Norway and Hong Kong. Her experience also includes being a Member of the Advisory Board of the NCRM biannual Research Methods Festival 2011-2012; and a member of the ESRC Peer Review College 2012 – 2016. Karen is a highly experienced ethnographer whose many publications include two widely cited books on ethnography: Ethnographic Methods (Routledge, 2nd ed. 2012) and Key Concepts in Ethnography (Sage, 2009). She has also been instrumental in the design and evaluation of Masters level Research Methods courses and programmes in a number of universities. Karen provides short courses for the SRA on a regular basis.

 

Cost:

£270 which includes lunch and refreshments. Members of SRA pay £202.50

Website and registration:

Region:

Greater London

Keywords:

Frameworks for Research and Research Designs (other), Qualitative Data Handling and Data Analysis

Related publications and presentations:

Frameworks for Research and Research Designs (other)
Qualitative Data Handling and Data Analysis

Back to archive...