| Learning objectives |
- Account for selected qualitative methods (i.e. interviews,
participant observations and documents) in relation to a specific
research question.
- Demonstrate skills in collecting, analysing and presenting
qualitative empirical material in relation to a specific research
question.
- Critically reflect upon the consequences of applying selected
qualitative methods and to comment on their strengths and
weaknesses in relation to the analysis of a specific research
question.
- Situate the selected qualitative methods within an appropriate
methodological argumentation in relation to a specific research
question and the applied theories.
|
| Prerequisites for registering for the exam
(activities during the teaching period) |
|
Number of compulsory
activities which must be approved: 1
Compulsory home
assignments
The first assignment (5 pages) is to be handed in during the class
and is group based. The evaluation is fail/pass. Passing this first
assignment is mandatory for passing the whole
course.
|
| Examination |
|
Doing your
Master's Thesis with Qualitative Methods:
|
| Exam
ECTS |
7,5 |
| Examination form |
Home assignment - written product |
| Individual or group exam |
Individual exam |
| Size of written product |
Max. 10 pages |
|
The project must be accompanied by an appendix
containing the "raw data" collected and
analyzed. |
| Assignment type |
Project |
| Duration |
Written product to be submitted on specified date
and time. |
| Grading scale |
7-step scale |
| Examiner(s) |
One internal examiner |
| Exam period |
Winter |
| Make-up exam/re-exam |
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Make-up and re-exam are the same as
the ordinary exam. A new project must be submitted.
|
Description of the exam
procedure
The project must make use of 2 out of the three methods of
collection of data presented in class (interviews and/or
observation and/or document analysis). Depending on the methods of
collection of data chosen, a minimum of
- 2 interviews of 15mn/20mn and/or
- 3 hours of observation and/or
- 5 pages / 5 internet web pages
are requested for the project. The two methods are freely chosen
by the student.
For the two methods chosen, students must collect data, code it,
analyse it and critically reflect on the methodological process as
well as the results to which they
lead.
|
|
| Course content and structure |
|
The course offers methodological tools for students wishing to
use qualitative methods for their master thesis.
Methods need to be reflected upon but they also need to be put
in practice. The course will therefore offer a mix of theoretical
teaching as well as practice oriented teaching with exercises in
the three components of the course: exercises in collection of
data, in coding and in analysis.
Three main methods of collection of data will be taught in
theory and practice: interviews, observation and document analysis.
The course will then move on to coding techniques and then to
analysing the data collected and coded.
|
Course structure for 30h of teaching
|
|
|
intro: 2h
|
Course, exam, methodology
|
|
interviews: 6h (3 x 2h)
|
- Different interviews; semi-structured interviews, focus
interviews: 2h
- Preparing interview questions or grids: selecting and
contacting population: 2h
- Exercise in interviewing: 2h
|
|
observation: 6h (3 x 2h)
|
- Presentation of participant and non-participant observation.
(2h)
- Preparation of observation exercise (2h)
- [Homework: in situ observation exercise (outside of class: 3h
hours of continuous observation alone or by pairs of
students)]
- Feedback on observation (2h)
|
|
document analysis: 4h (2 x 2h)
|
- Presentation of document analysis: 2h
- Exercise of document analysis: 2h
|
|
Coding: 6h (1x 2h; 1x 3h)
|
Coding: why and how? 2h
Exercise: 2 x 2h
|
|
Analysis: 4h (2x 2h)
|
Explanation of analysis: 2h
Exercise: 2h
|
|
wrap up 2h (1x2h)
|
|
|
| Description of the teaching methods |
| Teacher presentation, exercises in class and “in
situ”. |
| Feedback during the teaching period |
| Throughout the course students will receive
feed-back on the exercises and assignments. |
| Student workload |
| Read suggested literature (800 pages, 4mn per page) |
53 hours |
| collect interviews (incl. finding interviewee, setting
interview, etc) |
4 hours |
| participant observation |
4 hours |
| collect 5 pages (A4 pages or internet pages) |
3 hours |
| Coding |
10 hours |
| Analysis |
30 hours |
| Writting the project |
70 hours |
| Lectures |
30 hours |
|
| Expected literature |
- Bernard, H.R. (2011), Research Methods in Anthropology, 5th,
Edition, Alta Mira Press.
- Gioia, Dennis A., Corley, Kevin G., and Hamilton, Aimee L.
(2012). ‘Seeking Qualitative Rigor in Inductive Research: Notes on
the Gioia Methodology’, Organizational Research Methods,
16(1) 15-31.
- Gioia, Dennis A., Price, Kristin N., Hamilton, Aimee L.,
Thomas, James B., 2010. ‘Forging an Identity: An Insider-outsider
Study of Processes Involved in the Formation of Organizational
Identity’, Administrative Science Quarterly, 55 (2010):
1–46.
- Gubrium, Jaber F.; Holstein, James A.; Marvasti, Amir B.;
McKinney, Karyn D. 2012. The SAGE Handbook of Interview
Research: The Complexity of the Craft, Second Edition.
- Kvale Steinar and Brinkmann, Svend (2009), Interviews,
Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing, Sage,
2nd edition.
- Marshan-Piekkari, R. and Welch, C. Eds. (2004),
Handbook of qualitative research. Methods for international
business. London: Edward Elgar.
- Saldaña Johnny, 2013. The Coding Manual for Qualitative
Researchers, Sage, 2nd ed.
- Saunders, Mark; Lewis, Philip and Thornhill, Adrian. 2012.
Research methods for business students. Harlow: Pearson.
6th ed.
- Welch, C. Piekkari, R., Plakoyiannaki, E.
Paavilainen-Mäntymäki, E. (2011) Theorising from case studies:
Towards a pluralist future for international business research,
Journal of International BusinessStudies, 42:
740-762.
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