Undergraduate Course: The Art of Listening: Advanced Qualitative Research (GEGR10132)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The Art of Listening: Advanced Qualitative Research is a research elective that develops advanced skills in designing, planning and doing talk-based qualitative research in Human Geography from a range of theoretical and epistemological perspectives. The course combines classroom based teaching with independent group research to provide training, skills and experience in the design and execution of a qualitative research project. The research project is an opportunity for students to deepen their engagement with a substantive conceptual issue in Human Geography, develop a central research question, and design appropriate talk-based research methods to gather, analyse and present research materials. The ideas, initiative and energy for the research project must come from students, although they will receive guidance via lectures, workshops and practical sessions in weeks 1-5 of semester 1. The research elective will be of particular benefit for students doing dissertation research using talk-based research methods (that may include interviews, focus groups; and oral histories). |
| Course description |
The Art of Listening: Advanced Qualitative Research provides students with advanced training in the conception, framing and practice of qualitative research in Human Geography, with a particular focus on talk-based research methods. The course will be taught through a combination of lectures, workshops and practicals. Lectures and workshops will provide an advanced understanding of the relationship between theoretical and methodological approaches and the use of specific methods in a Human Geography research project. Practical sessions will develop craft skills in using specific research methods and analysing research materials. Students will work in small groups to design and complete an independent research project, providing experience of working with one or more research methods on an independent project. Students will develop skills in the appropriate interpretation and analysis of original research materials. Students will be assessed via an individually-written report based on the group research project. Formative and summative assessments will provide opportunities to develop skills in the oral, written and visual presentation and analysis of ideas and data.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is only avaliable to 4th year students on the Geography (MA Hons) Degree Programme. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 40 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Project Report (100%)
Students must attain an overall mark of 40% (or above) in order to pass the course. |
| Feedback |
Formative verbal feedback will be given during weekly practical classes. Verbal feedback will be given for the group presentations in Week 5. Students will also receive formative written feedback on a 20% sample of their final report for the course. Feedback will be given on summative assessment at the end of the course and all students will be invited to an examination feedback session following release of course results. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Design, plan and execute an independent research project that is appropriately framed by a critical understanding of theoretical and conceptual issues in Human Geography.
- Demonstrate advanced skills in the use of talk-based research methods and the analysis of original research materials.
- Employ a range of writing and analytical skills for the original interpretation and presentation of research.
- Evaluate and reflect critically on your research practices.
- Demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of a substantive concern at the forefront or Human Geography.
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Reading List
Back, L. (2008). The Art of Listening. Oxford: Berg. Clifford, N., French, S. and Valentine, G. (2010).
Key Methods in Geography. London: Sage; Cloke, P., Cook, I., Crang, P., Goodwin, M., Painter, J. and Philo, C. (2004).
Practising Human Geography. London: Sage; Crang, M. and Cook, I. (2007).
Doing Ethnographies. London: Sage. DeLyser, D., Herbert, S., Aitkin, S., Crang, M. and McDowell, L. (2009).
The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Geography. London: Sage. Emmison, M., Smith, P., & Mayall, M. (2012).
Flowerdew, R. and Martin, D. (2005). Methods in Human Geography: A guide for students doing a research project. Harlow: Pearson: Prentice Hall. McDowell, L. (1992)
Doing gender: feminism; feminists and research methods in human geography, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 7: pp399-416. Phillips R. and Johns, J. (2012). Fieldwork for Human Geography. London: Sage. Silverman, D. (2010). Qualitative research. London: Sage. Tuhiwai Smith, L. (2012). Decolonizing methodologies. London: Zed. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
1. Work with autonomy to plan, design and execute an independent research project.
2. Employ talk-based research methods to gather and analyse original data.
3. Present ideas and analysis through oral, written, and visual presentation.
4. Work effectively as part of a team.
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| Study Abroad |
This course is only available to 4th year students on the Geography (MA Hons) Degree Programme. |
| Keywords | Interviews,Focus Groups,Independent Research,Qualitative Research |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Marisa Wilson
Tel: (131 6)51 4634
Email: marisa.wilson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Leigh Corstorphine
Tel: (0131 6)50 9847
Email: lcorstor@ed.ac.uk |
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