QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGY 1 - 2020/1

Module Overview

This taught unit focusses on qualitative research methods. Students will develop critical thinking of concepts and principles in inductive research inquiry. In addition, the unit will also develop students’ important applied practical research skills with regards to various qualitative methods. Students will also be expected to read, appraise and critically discuss journal articles that use qualitative methods. Class sessions will be highly interactive and students will be expected to undertake significant reading and preparation for all class contact sessions.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

DI DOMENICO MariaLaura (SBS)

Number of Credits: 0

ECTS Credits: 0

Framework: FHEQ Level 8

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content and topics include:

• Suitability of qualitative research approaches;


• Key considerations in qualitative study design/ sampling;


• Research philosophy and practical considerations;


• Ethical issues and debates in qualitative research;


• Evaluating rigour in qualitative research;


• Reflexivity and positionality in qualitative research;


• Researcher and researched relationships;


• Qualitative interviewing: types, approaches, considerations and practical applications;


• Qualitative ethnography, observation and case study research;


• Introduction to key considerations/ approaches for qualitative analysis and interpretation;


• Writing-up qualitative research;


• Regular critical evaluations and student-led reviews of specific readings to support class discussions and understanding of key topics/ issues (pre-session reading and preparation essential)

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

It is anticipated that where possible the original form of assessment would be replicated for any required reassessment. If reassessments are necessary (and where it may not be possible to re-assess in the same format as the original assessment), alternative assessment will be provided which will assess the same learning outcomes as the original assessment.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their learning and achievement of the unit’s learning outcomes. Both the formative and summative assessments enable the achievement of the learning outcomes. The regular class participation and feedback enhance students’ learning and support their preparation and delivery of the two elements of summative assessment. These are outlined below.

Formative assessment
Formative assessment will comprise an ongoing feature of this unit. Students will actively engage in taught sessions and prepare for these via guided readings, discussion topics and other preparatory work issued by the instructor. These will be important for students and will facilitate their critical thinking and applied skills development, as well as enhance their learning and preparation for the two summative assessment elements.

The summative assessment for this unit consists of:

• Assessment 1: Individual Presentation.

This will be carried out by students during a specified class session (addresses learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).

• Assessment 2: Individual Essay. 3,000 – 3,500 words

This will assess the students’ understanding of qualitative research and their ability to critically discuss, reflect upon and put across a convincing written argument pertaining to the focus of the taught unit (addresses learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).

Feedback
Regular verbal feedback via discussion, in-class interaction and verbal feedback will be provided in an iterative and ongoing fashion. Written feeback will be provided to students for assessments 1 and 2.

Module aims

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to support and achieve the learning outcomes. The learning and teaching methods include class contact sessions which are highly interactive in nature, class discussion, preparatory reading, verbal student presentations, student-led reviews of readings, practical activities, scenario discussion, and individual written assignments.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAND029

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.