Class Qualitative Research Methodology

The Qualitative Research Methodology UC addresses the diversity of paradigms, methodologies, data collection methods and qualitative data analysis techniques and is able to adapt them to the research questions formulated including epistemological assumptions, ethical principles and methodological specificities in articulation with quantitative methodologies.

1. Qualitative research: objectives, purposes, conceptual framework, research questions and observation unit.
2. Epistemological and methodological paradigms in qualitative research: Positivist, post-positivist, critical theory, constructivist theory.
3. Qualitative research methodologies: Narratives, Grounded theory and Ethnography.
4. Data collection techniques: individual interview (structured, semi-structured and non-structured), focus group and direct observation.
5. Qualitative approaches to information analysis (transcription, content and subject analysis, grounded analysis). Validation strategies. Presentation and writing results.
6. Qualitative data analysis software. Functionalities and potentialities.
7. Quantitative methods and qualitative methods: differences and articulation. Mixed Designs: sequential (explanatory and exploratory) and concurrent (triangulating and embedded). Application and purposes.

Expository method to describe the epistemological and methodological paradigms, the methodologies and methods of data collection, viewing and analysis of interviews and carrying out practical exercises to consolidate knowledge. Activities of a laboratory nature to train data collection techniques and qualitative data analysis. Tutorial support for the works.

Breakwell, G., Smith, J. A., & Wright, D. B. (2012). Research methods in psychology (4^th ed.). London: Sage.  

Creswell, J. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. London: Sage publications.  

Sullivan, C. & Forrester, M. (2018). Doing qualitative research in psychology. A practical guide. London: Sage.  

Frost, N., (2011). Qualitative research methods in psychology: Combining core approaches. UK: McGraw Hill.  

Hofmann, A. (2014). Scientific writing and communication (2^nd ed.). OUP USA. 

Mertens, D. M. (2015). Research and evaluation in education and psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods (4^th ed.).

Ritchie, J. (2013). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers (2^nd Ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd.