TLÜ ÕIS

Qualitative Research Methods I

Course code

YKI6002.YK

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Kvalitatiivsed uurimismeetodid I

Course title in English

Qualitative Research Methods I

ECTS credits

5.0

Assessment form

Examination

lecturer of 2024/2025 Spring semester

Nawal Shaharyar (language of instruction:English)

lecturer of 2025/2026 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

To give an overview of the most important qualitative data collection and data analysis methods in social sciences, of their application in the student’s specialisation field and the basic capabilities for facilitating a research inquiry and compiling a research report.

Brief description of the course

The course consists of lectures (about 40% of auditory meetings) and seminars (about 60% of auditory meetings).
Main topics:
Specifics of the qualitative approach compared to the quantitative approach. Overview of the various epistemological perspectives and qualitative methodologies. The role of the researcher and ethical issues. Qualitative research questions.
Data collection methods. Sampling techniques used in qualitative research. Interviews: types of interviews, compiling interview questions and preparation for the interview, conducting the interview, transcribing. Secondary sources (media texts, documents): kinds of data, evaluating the quality of data, collecting data. Introduction to observation methods: types of observation, conduct, documentation.
Data analysis. Qualitative and quantitative content analysis: usage and applications, types, method specific questions, coding (open and focused), analyzing the coded data. Using software in qualitative analysis: NVIVO and its alternatives. Introduction to discourse analysis: usage and applications, types, method specific questions, conducting the analysis. Triangulation.
Writing up. Functions of writing, describing the methods used, presenting results, formatting the report.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- knows data collection and analysis methods such as the interview, media monitoring, document analysis, qualitative and quantitative content analysis, discourse analysis;
- can compile a good quality sample for conducting a qualitative inquiry. The student understands the scope of generalisation of the qualitative inquiry and knows which research problems can be solved by qualitative inquiry;
- is capable of applying at least one data collection method and one data analysis method on the level necessary to write a bachelor’s thesis;
- can write a report on about a qualitative research project;
- knows the foundational philosophy of qualitative methodology and knows the ethical principles related to conducting a qualitative inquiry.

Teacher

Kairit Kall

The course is a prerequisite

Qualitative Research Methods II (YKI6003.YK)

Study programmes containing that course