SO444      Half Unit
Qualitative Methods for Cultural Research

This information is for the 2015/16 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Tina Basi STC S308

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Culture and Society. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Course content

Aims and philosophy of qualitative research; contrasts with quantitative research; research strategy and research design; in-depth interviewing; relationship between substantive problems and methodological approaches; ethnographic enquiry; analysis of "classic" and contemporary studies.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures in the LT.

Reading week: week 6

Indicative reading

U Flick, An Introduction to Qualitative Research (2nd edn), Sage, 2002; M Quinn Patton, Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (3rd edn), Quinn, 2002; M Bauer & G Gaskell, Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound: A practical handbook for social research, 2000; M Burawoy, Ethnography Unbound: Power and Resistance in the Modern, 1991; R Burgess, In the Field, 1984; R Burgess, Field Research: a Sourcebook and Field Manual, 1982; M Hammersley & P Atkinson, Ethnography: Principles in Practice, 1995; D Silverman, Interpreting Qualitative Data: Methods for the Analysis of Talk, Text and Interaction, (new edn 2001).

Assessment

Essay (50%, 2500 words) and essay (50%, 2500 words) in the ST.

Two hard copies of each assessed essay, with submission sheets attached to all copies, to be handed in to the Administration Office, S116, no later than 16:30 on the third Tuesday of Summer Term. An additional copy of each essay to be uploaded to Moodle no later than 18:00 on the same day.

Attendance at all seminars and submission of all set coursework is required.

Student performance results

(2011/12 - 2013/14 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 10.7
Merit 67.9
Pass 14.3
Fail 7.1

Key facts

Department: Sociology

Total students 2014/15: 13

Average class size 2014/15: 13

Controlled access 2014/15: Yes

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Commercial awareness
  • Specialist skills

Course survey results

(2011/12 - 2013/14 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 75%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

1.9

Materials (Q2.3)

1.8

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

1.9

Lectures (Q2.5)

1.7

Integration (Q2.6)

1.8

Contact (Q2.7)

1.6

Feedback (Q2.8)

1.7

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

72.5%

Maybe

17.6%

No

9.9%