Postgraduate Course: Qualitative Methodologies in Psychological Research (PSYL11072)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course provides a conceptual and practical introduction to some core qualitative methodologies used in Psychology, including Discursive Psychology and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. It presents the rationale for the various qualitative approaches and methodologies, including interviews and focus groups, provides students with the practical and analytic skills required for conducting their own qualitative research, and engages them in current debates regarding ethics, epistemology, and evaluation of qualitative research within Psychology. |
| Course description |
Lecture Topics
Lecture 1
Introduction to Qualitative Research: What and why? (CM)
In this lecture, we will discuss what is ¿qualitative research¿, what epistemological assumptions underlie qualitative methodologies, and implications that they raise for research.
Lecture 2
Designing and conducting your qualitative research project (CM)
In this lecture, we will outline how to plan a qualitative research project and what do with the data once collected.
Lecture 3
Discursive Psychology 1: Putting principles into practice (SW)
In this and subsequent two lectures, we focus on one type of qualitative methodology, Discursive Psychology (DP). This lecture will overview the key analytical principles and analytical tools (devices, sequences, actions) of DP.
Lecture 4
DP Analysis 2: Analysing Categories and Identities (CM)
We will focus in particular on how we can analyse the use of categories and construction of identities in talk and text.
Lecture 5
DP Analysis 3: Validating and Presenting Analysis (CM)
This lecture will discuss how to organise your observations into a coherent analysis, and how to ensure its quality and validity.
Lecture 6
Variations: Critical/Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (CM)
We will focus on two other discourse methodologies (CDA/FDA) and discuss both theoretical background and analysis.
Lecture 7
Thematic Analysis: Principles and analysis (CM)
The lecture will focus on Thematic Analysis (TA) and examine what it is and how it is done.
Lecture 8
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Epistemology (BL)
The lecture will introduce phenomenological philosophy and psychology and discuss its epistemological assumptions and differences from DP.
Lecture 9
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Methodology (BL)
This lecture focuses on the principles and practice of phenomenology and interpretation, including phenomenological interviewing, coding, and analysis.
Lecture 10
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Analysis (BL)
The final lecture will discuss a worked example of the method of IPA, with an illustration of coding and analysis based on an interview transcript.
Tutorial discussions
Overview
Lectures followed by tutorial discussions.
The tutorial discussions give you the opportunity to discuss theoretical and analytical issues specific to qualitative research, and practise conducting qualitative psychological projects. They will take you through each stage of research design, data collection and analysis. You will work through these stages as a group and submit group as well as individual homework. You will receive general feedback on your homework tasks which will be useful for your final course assessment.
Tutorial 1: Attitudes in Discourse
Tutorial 2: Designing a DP project
Tutorial 3: DP data analysis session
Tutorial 4: DP data analysis session on own group data
Tutorial 5: Critically discuss a DP paper
Tutorial 6: Data analysis session applying CDA/FDA
Tutorial 7: Data analysis session applying TA
Tutorial 8: Practise phenomenological interviewing
Tutorial 9: Practise phenomenological analysis
Tutorial 10: Comparing approaches: Q&A session with the course lecturers
The homework tasks and submission dates are described in the Qualitative lab booklet which is available on Learn. The homework exercises will be submitted electronically through Turnitin. General feedback on the homework tasks will be given online or in class.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
98 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% coursework (four short written assignments).
Q1 will be conceptual/comparison of approaches or appreciation of their epistemologies and differences
Q2 will be related to research design
Q3 will ask you to do some DP analysis
Q4 will be on IPA |
| Feedback |
The course is part lecture, part practical tutorials, including data sessions and design exercises, all of which will provide feedback opportunities. Comments provided on submitted assessments. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- understand the rationale underlying qualitative methodologies, and appreciate the use of various means of collecting qualitative data, and related conceptual issues
- design and conduct their own qualitative research project and demonstrate awareness of relevant ethical and other practical considerations
- write a research proposal for a qualitative research project
- have a basic practical understanding of how to do discursive psychology, conversation analysis, and discourse analysis
- understand the underlying rationale and process of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)
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Reading List
Willig, C. (2013). Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3rd edition, Buckingham: Open University Press.
Forrester, M.A. (Ed.) (2010). Doing Qualitative Research In Psychology: A Practical Guide. Sage: London, England.
Antaki, C., Billig, M. Edwards, D. & Potter, J. (2003). Discourse analysis means doing analysis: A critique of six analytical shortcomings, Discourse Analysis on-Line, 1(1).
Bowker, & Tuffin, K. (2004). Using the online medium for discursive research about people with disabilities. Social Science Computer Review, 22, 228-241.
Hutchby, I. & Wooffitt, R. (2008). Conversation Analysis, 2nd edition. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Potter, J. & Hepburn, A. (2005). Qualitative interviews in psychology: problems and possibilities, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 2, 281-307.
Willig, C. & Stainton-Rogers, W. (2008). The SAGE handbook of Qualitative Research in Psychology. London: Sage. See chapters on conversation analysis (Wilkinson & Kitzinger), discursive psychology (Wiggins & Potter), ethics (Brinkmann & Kvale), Evans, Elford, and D. Wiggins (using the internet).
Langdridge, D (2007). Phenomenological Psychology: Theory, Research and Method. Pearson: Harlow.
Smith, J. A., Flowers, P. and Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research. Sage: London. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Students will gain significant research and analytic skills as well as an appreciation of qualitative research and methodologies. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Attendance at all classes expected as participation relies on knock-on effect of engagement in practical work. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Sue Widdicombe
Tel: (0131 6)50 3411
Email: S.Widdicombe@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Toni Noble
Tel: (0131 6)51 3188
Email: Toni.noble@ed.ac.uk |
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