Undergraduate Course: Qualitative Methods in Geography (GEGR09005)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course provides an introduction to the use of qualitative methodologies in geography. The course work is designed to give students experience in using qualitative methods to collect and analyse real world data and, thereby, to gain insights into the characteristics of the techniques and their overall value as a means of investigation.
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| Course description |
This is a core course for 3rd Year students on the Geography Degree Programmes, and the Sustainable Development Degree (Geography pathway).
The central purpose of this short course is to acquire practical skills in qualitative methods, while understanding their merits and their limitations. It establishes the value and importance of a number of methodologies, and the means by which data is generated, analysed and presented.
The course covers the process through which appropriate qualitative research methods are selected, and will introduce the use of participant-observation, interviews, ethnography, talk-in-interaction and video analysis. The course also considers rigour in research, validation and reliability of findings, and ethics.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Block 1 (Sem 1) |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 5,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 10,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
81 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Qualitative Project Work to a total of 2500 words |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- develop a broad and integrated understanding of qualitative methods, their principles and appropriate application
- demonstrate a critical awareness of the values and limitations of the techniques and to have an awareness of the need for careful collection, description and interpretation
- use the methods studied to collect and analyse real world data and therefore practise at a professional level, taking account of research ethics
- gain practical experience of the methods introduced so that students are aware of some of the principal and specialised techniques of data collection methods and analysis used in Geography
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Reading List
1. Clifford, N. and Valentine, G. (2010), Key Methods in Geography, London: Sage.
2. DeLyser, D., Herbert, S., Aitken, S. C., Crang, M., & McDowell, L. (2010). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Geography. Sage Publications Limited.
3. Silverman, D (ed) (2012 and other editions) Qualitative Research: Theory, Method and Practice, Third Edition, London: Sage.
4. Silverman, D (2011 and other editions) Interpreting Qualitative Data: 4th Edition, London: Sage
5. Silverman, D (2007 and other editions), Very short, fairly interesting and reasonably cheap book about qualitative research, London: Sage.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Students will be able to demonstrate skills in the collection, description and interpretation of qualitative data using real world examples and working at a professional level.
Students will also be able to demonstrate an ability to acquire and apply specialist knowledge.
Finally, students will be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
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| Keywords | GEGR09005,qualitative methods,data collection,ethics |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Eric Laurier
Tel: (0131 6)51 4303
Email: Eric.Laurier@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Philip Horey
Tel: (0131 6)50 9847
Email: philip.horey@ed.ac.uk |
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