SYM4005

Qualitative research strategies

Jan van Bommel

12 points -2 hours per week -First semester -Clayton

Objectives This subject aims to introduce students to the various theoretical perspectives, critiques and ethical issues involved in qualitative social research; familiarise students with a variety of qualitative research methods used in sociology such as, participant observation, unstructured interviewing, ethnography and the use of documents and texts; provide students with the necessary research skills and techniques to undertake some kinds of qualitative social research; provide students with analytical and conceptual resources so they may write clear and competent research reports and essays on various topics.

Synopsis The aim of this subject is to introduce students to various theoretical perspectives, critiques and ethical issues involved in qualitative social research. It is designed to familiarise students with a number of qualitative research methods and strategies used in social research such as, participant observation, unstructured interviewing, ethnography and the analysis of documents and texts. We will also examine the theoretical and methdological issues involved in phenomenology, symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology.

Assessment Two pieces of written work (4500 words each): 100%

Recommended texts

May T Social research: Issues, methods and process Open University Press, 1993
Minichello V and others In-depth interviewing: Principles, techniques, analysis 2nd edn, Longman Cheshire, 1995
Reinharz S Feminist methods in social research OUP, 1992
Silverman D Interpreting qualitative data: Methods for analysing talk, text and interaction Sage, 1993
Silverman D Qualitative research: Theory, method and practice Sage, 1997

Back to the 1999 Arts Handbook