Qualitative Methodology

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1019955ANR for all students in the 1st semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

Studenten in de bachelor politieke wetenschappen en sociologie hebben ‘Werkcollege sociologie en wetenschapsmethodologie’ gevolgd, alvorens ‘Kwalitatieve methoden’ op te nemen. Studenten in de bachelor communicatiewetenschappen hebben ‘Onderzoeksmethodologie’ (= 'Academisch onderzoek 2') gevolgd, alvorens ‘Kwalitatieve methoden’ op te nemen.

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool

Department

Communication Sciences

Educational team

Robine Horckmans
Michael Pakvis
An Jacobs (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

26 contact hours Lecture
8 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
116 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

The course consists of lecturers (HOC) and a task with seminars (WPO). The lectures are covering several topics relevant for development of the knowledge and skills to perform good qualitative research. The topics cover the epistemology and value of qualitative research. As well as the most important theoretical approaches within the Qualitative interpretative research paradigm, research preparation (for example selection), analysis of data by applying grounded theory approach, the most important methods of data collection: what people say about their attitudes, beliefs, behaviors (e.g. in-depth interview and focus group interview), do (e.g. participative observation) and feel/make (e.g. projective techniques and probes).

The students also exercise their method skills on the field in the WPO. A series of obligatory practical seminars are organized, supporting iteratively the final task of making a critical reflection on the different aspects of qualitative research (data collection, analysis, reporting). The specific content and planning of the WPO is communicated during the first lecture. A detailed task instruction will be given by way of a separate document, available via Canvas at the start of the term.

Course material

Handbook (Required) : Handboek kwalitatieve onderzoeksmethoden, Mortelmans, D., Acco, 9789463799072, 2020
Digital course material (Required) : PowerPoint-slides, Canvas

Additional info

The course is based on a Dutch handbook, more in particular:
Mortelmans, Dimitri (2013) Handboek kwalitatieve onderzoeksmethoden. Leuven: ACCO

In addition the courses are supported by PowerPoint-slides, offering the general structure of the lectures. These slides will be available via Canvas. However they need to be completed with the student’s own notes. The slides and own notes are also part of the course material to be studied.

The task will be explained in the first class, and a brochure with planning and expectations will be distributed via Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

This course contributes to the following general learning results of the bachelor in communication sciences and sociology. The students:

show insight in the position and mutual relations of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions within the discipline and in relation to other theories, methods, concepts and models in other disciplines (interdisciplinarity).
have knowledge and insight regarding applicable research methods in the discipline.
can develop their own scientifically grounded judgement and act in the spirit of free inquiry – i.e. with an open, critical-constructive and a-dogmatic attitude. Students do not seek ‘ultimate truths’, yet respond to scientific debate and the relative uncertainty of insights from an open position.
can critically and self-critically, with a long term perspective, from an interdisciplinary angle, and cautious of monocausal interpretations, gauge the impact of social, cultural, economic, ethical, technological, political, legal and other factors.
reflect upon their own position as scientists, construe assumptions and identify and explicitate critically their presuppositions.
demonstrate an honest attitude, ethical stance and engaged position, permitting a relevant contribution to current scientific and societal debates.
are able to communicate information, insights and their research findings to diverse audiences in writing, orally and by using multimedia.
develop an attitude of willingness to listen and respect to one another in order to engage in debates on the basis of scientifically and empirically grounded arguments.
can – with guidance – learn and act independently, creatively, critically and entrepreneurially.
demonstrate an interested, studious and inquisitive attitude and have an open attitude to life long and independent learning.
apply, under supervision and on a general and junior level, knowledge and insights regarding diverse research methods.
are competent to set up and accomplish communication scientific research, inspired by, in the framework of, or analogous to existing studies.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 50% of the final mark.
Practical Exam determines 50% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Oral Exam_Theory with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Evaluation Paper with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Note: Contribution in seminars and the final result of the exercises in a paper. The score of this excercise not only takes the final result, but also the shown insight/improvement after the intermediate groupfeedback after every subexercise (formative evaluation)

Additional info regarding evaluation

The assessment consists of two parts:

WPO: Participation in the seminars and quality of the task (10 of 20 points)
HOC: Oral exams with questions based on the handbook, PowerPoint slides and on the student’s own notes from the lectures, supplemented with the guest lectures (10 of 20 points). The exam will assess knowledge and insight.

Second term rules:
The division of points (HOC + WPO) stays the same.
For the students that need to take the second term based on their overall result (task + oral exam), we apply the following rules:

Irrespective of the separate result of the oral exam (10 points), the student is obliged to do the oral exam again in the second term.
If not passed for the task separately (<5/10): The task needs to be reworked and improved, in accordance with the guidelines of the supervisor. The new task will be assessed again.
If passed for the task separately (5 or more/10), but insufficient result on oral exam (<5/10): Only the oral exam needs to be done again in the second term.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context