Course title in Estonian
Kvalitatiivsed uurimismeetodid I
Course title in English
Qualitative Research Methods I
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2025/2026 Autumn semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
lecturer of 2025/2026 Spring 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 specialization 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 narrative, visual (& media) analysis, discourse analysis, content analysis: usage and applications, types, method-specific questions, conducting the analysis. Triangulation.
Writing up a qualitative research. Functions of writing, the significance of relating theory to methodology describing the methods used, presenting results, and formatting the research 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, and discourse analysis;
- can compile a good-quality sample for conducting a qualitative inquiry. The student understands the scope of generalization 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;
- is capable of critically evaluating the pitfalls of 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 a qualitative research project, connecting theory, methodology and analysis into a comprehensive frame;
- can evaluate /differentiate between cohesive and non-cohesive qualitative research designs;
- knows the foundational philosophy of qualitative methodology and the ethical principles related to conducting a qualitative inquiry.
Teacher
Kairit Kall (sotsioloogidele), Nawal Shaharyar (English)
The course is a prerequisite
Study programmes containing that course