Qualitative Methods in Social Research
| Module title | Qualitative Methods in Social Research |
|---|---|
| Module code | POLM063 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Alice Moseley (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
This module engages with core issues in conducting qualitative research in social sciences and addresses the opportunities, challenges and prospects for designing sound qualitative research design. We engage with the logics of inquiry in qualitative research and their implications for validity and generalisability; we discuss what constitutes a case and what the role of context is; we identify the main types of data and what opportunities and limitations are for mixing methods and/or data: we address the core expectations regarding ethics, transparency and reproducibility and assess the opportunities and challenges in publishing qualitative research in social sciences. This module is designed for students who are engaging with empirical research in social sciences. You are expected to have familiarity with research methods in social sciences and to engage, over the course of this module, with one or several specific method(s) for qualitative research.
This module is only open to students enrolled on the MRes programmes for which this module is compulsory and to PGRs in the Politics department-led programmes.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aims of this module are to introduce you with core issues in qualitative research in social sciences; to enable you to gain a critical understanding of the opportunities, challenges and prospects for qualitative research in social sciences; and to provide you with the tools for designing a sound research design for qualitative inquiry in social research.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate comprehensive awareness and understanding of the core issues in conducting qualitative research in social sciences;
- 2. appraise empirical application of research designs in qualitative research in social sciences
- 3. demonstrate critical awareness of the strategies for data collection and analysis when using qualitative research methods.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. demonstrate advanced skills in the core principles of research design, data collection and analysis;
- 5. recognize and critically discuss the contested and provisional nature of scientific knowledge;
- 6. assess the relevance, significance and implications of the logics of inquiry in social science research.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. discuss, evaluate and synthesise complex arguments effectively;
- 8. engage constructively in complex discussions and debates;
- 9. develop advanced autonomous learning skills, notably self-direction and time management.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Qualitative research in social sciences: opportunities, challenges and prospects
- Research design(s) for qualitative research
- Logics of inquiry in qualitative research
- Traditions and techniques in qualitative research
- What is a case in qualitative research? How to select case(s)?
- What is data in qualitative research? How to collect data? How to triangulate data?
- The role of context in qualitative research
- Mixing data, mixing methods
- Validity and generalisability
- Ethics, transparency and reproducibility
- Publishing qualitative research
This module provides critical understanding of sound methodology in qualitative research. You are expected to engage, over the course of this module, with these core issues in qualitative research methodology in regard with one or several specific method(s) for qualitative research of your choice.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 22 | 11x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided independent study | 50 | Directed readings |
| Guided independent study | 78 | Preparation of coursework |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research design outline | 500 words | 1-9 | In class |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Design | 70 | 2,000 words | 1-9 | Written feedback |
| Critical appraisal of empirical research design | 30 | 1,000 words | 1-9 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Design (2,500 words) | Research Design (2,000 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Critical appraisal of empirical research design (1250 words) | Critical appraisal of empirical research design (1000 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Blatter, J. K, M. Haverland and M. v. Hulst (eds). Qualitative Research in Political Science. Sage.
C. R. Ragin. Redesigning Social Inquiry: Fuzzy Sets and Beyond. University of Chicago Press.
Collier, D. and H. E. Brady (eds). Rethinking Social Inquiry: Diverse Tools, Shared Standards. Rowman & Littlefield
Engeli, I. and C. Rothmayr (eds). Comparative Policy Studies: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges. Palgrave.
Gerring, J. Case Study Research: Principles and Practices. Cambridge University Press.
Gerring, J. Social Science Methodology: A Unified Framework. Cambridge University Press.
Goertz, G. Social Science Concepts and Measurements. Princeton University Press.
Janet M. Box-Steffensmeier, E. Brady and D. Collier (eds).The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology. Oxford University Press.
Kapiszewski, D., L. M. MacLean and B. L. Read (2015). Field Research in Political Science; Practices and Principles. Cambridge University Press.
Maggetti, M., F. Gilardi and C. M. Radelli. Designing Research in Social Sciences. Sage.
Seawright, J. Multi-Method for Social Science: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Tools. Cambridge University Press
Yanow, D. and P. Schwartz-Shea (eds). Interpretation and method: Research methods and the interpretive turn. Sage
Yin, R. Y. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods. Sage.
*Many of these books have multiple editions. As these are basic reading, there is no expectation regarding the specific edition.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=168656/
You can find lots of advice relating to essay writing at:
http://www.services.ex.ac.uk/cas/employability/askills/essay/index.htm
You can also find other useful advice related to general study skills at: http://www.services.ex.ac.uk/edu/student-learning-skills/resources.shtml
Key words search
Methodology; qualitative methods; research design
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | This module is only open to students enrolled on the MRes programmes for which this module is compulsory and to PGRs in the Politics department-led programmes. |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/10/2009 |
| Last revision date | 17/11/2021 |
