HS52016: Introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods
[Page last updated: 15 August 2024]
| Academic Year: | 2024/25 |
| Owning Department/School: | Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences (units for MRes programmes) |
| Credits: | 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 200 |
| Level: | Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7) |
| Period: |
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| Assessment Summary: | CWRI 50%, EXIC 50% |
| Assessment Detail: |
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| Supplementary Assessment: |
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| Requisites: | |
| Learning Outcomes: |
Understand how issues of measurement, validity, reliability and replicability are addressed within quantitative methods;
Understand how positionality, trustworthiness, and generalisability are addressed within qualitative methods;
Know how to approach the collection of qualitative data;
Know how to approach the analysis of qualitative data;
Thorough understanding of core quantitative methods used, focusing on large-scale surveys, secondary analysis of data and experimental design;
Ability to identify, contrast and compare different levels of data;
Critical understanding of differences between descriptive and inferential statistics;
Thorough understanding of sampling error and the assumptions that underlie different statistical techniques.
Understand and communicate the complexities of defining and describing interdisciplinary research.
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| Synopsis: | Gain key knowledge of the various research practices and theories in qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. This will give you the foundation skills to progress through this course.
You¿ll develop your:
- qualitative research skills to better understand and interpret a range of phenomenological or textual data
- quantitative research skills to achieve a foundation in statistical literacy
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| Aims: | By the end of the course students are expected to:
Understand how issues of measurement, validity, reliability and replicability are addressed within quantitative methods;
Understand how positionality, trustworthiness, and generalisability are addressed within qualitative methods;
Know how to approach the collection of qualitative data;
Know how to approach the analysis of qualitative data; * Thorough understanding of core quantitative methods used, focusing on large-scale surveys, secondary analysis of data and experimental design; Ability to identify, contrast and compare different levels of data; Critical understanding of differences between descriptive and inferential statistics; Thorough understanding of sampling error and the assumptions that underlie different statistical techniques. Understand and communicate the complexities of defining and describing interdisciplinary research. |
| Skills: | You will know how to approach the analysis of qualitative data; and you will gain a thorough understanding of core quantitative methods used, focusing on large-scale surveys, secondary analysis of data and experimental design. |
| Content: | For the qualitative methods element of the unit, lectures combine traditional lecturing with workshop activities to provide theoretical understanding and practical experience of methods of qualitative research in terms of collecting and eliciting data, and observational and textual data analysis: interviewing, focus groups, ethnography, participatory research, action research, grounded theory and discourse analysis. There is also an introduction to computer aided qualitative analysis using Nvivo.
For the quantitative methods element of the unit, the unit will take a critical look at quantitative methods in general including survey methods, experimental design and official statistics. The potential links between quantitative and qualitative methods will be explored. It will discuss issues of generalisability, sampling, fieldwork methods, data collection, validity and reliability. Students will also gain a grounding in descriptive and inferential statistics and they will also be introduced to SPSS for Windows.
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| Course availability: |
HS52016 is Compulsory on the following courses:Department of Education
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Notes:
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