Qualitative Research (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

The study course proceeds in four stages during which the student works on a mini-research on the chosen topic.

Objective

The purpose of the course is that you know how to interpret and evaluate qualitative studies and know how to use qualitative research and its methods in the development and research activities of working life.

Competences
- Ethical competence; You know how to implement the principles of good scientific practice and promote their application in your work community
- Learning to learn; You know how to acquire, critically evaluate and produce information taking into account the perspectives of different fields.
- Proactive development; You know how to implement research, development and innovation projects and apply different research and development methods.

After completing the course, you will be able to interpret and explain the theoretical foundations and methods of qualitative research. You can critically evaluate qualitative research and its suitability for research and development work in your own field, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. You know how to plan and implement research or development work, applying different qualitative research and development methods.

Content

Qualitative researches¿ information theoretic basis
Defining the research topic and the research problem and questions
Qualitative research process
The main data collection methods in qualitative research
Different types of literature review
The main methods of data analysis in qualitative research
The reliability and validity of qualitative research
Qualitative research ethical issues

Location and time

Scheduled online implementation

Materials

Englanniksi
Dodd, S-J. & Epstein, I. 2012. Practice-based research in social work: a guide for reluctant researchers. London; New York: Routledge.

Bryman, A. 2012. Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press cop.

Yin, R. K. 2018. Case study research and applications : design and methods. Los Angeles: Sage.

Ethical principles and ethical review in human sciences. 2020. Finnish National Board on Research Integrity. www.tenk.fi/en

Responsible conduct of research and procedures for handling allegations of misconduct in Finland. 2012. Finnish National Boa

Teaching methods

Individual learning assignments
Group working
Lectures and webinars
Online exam

Completion alternatives

You can complete the course by combining study and work, by studification. Agree on studification of the course with the lecturer in charge of the course. For more information on studification, see the degree regulations and study guide

Student workload

Englanniksi
lectures/online lectures 24 h
- learning tasks and group working 79 h
- studying the course material 20 h incl. online exam

Total 135 hours

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Sufficient 1
The student knows the theoretical basis of qualitative research as well as the strengths and weaknesses. He or she identifies different types of qualitative data and methods that are applicable to different types of research tasks solving. The student understands how to evaluate qualitative research. The student knows how qualitative research has been applied in research and development.

Satisfactory 2
The student applies the theoretical basis of qualitative research. The student is able to identify and select the various kinds of qualitative data and methods, which are applicable to different types of research tasks solving. The student can to apply qualitative research in his/her own field.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good 3
The student master the theoretical basics, strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. The student is able to analyze the suitability of different qualitative data and methods, in his/her own field research. The students can analyze the qualitative research and its suitability in his/her field of research and development.

Very good 4
The student is able to synthetize and summarize theoretical basics, strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. The student is able to create new knowledge by utilizing qualitative data and methods. The student is able to create new knowledge by utilizing qualitative research in his/her own field.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
The student is able to determine critically the reasons for the qualitative research information theoretical foundations and methods. The student evaluates strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. Student can evaluate a variety of qualitative data and methods for the purpose of different types of research tasks solving. Student evaluates critically qualitative research and its applicability in their own field of research and development.

Further information

Student can participate in the course even if the topic of the thesis is not yet clear of found.

Various evaluation methods are used in the evaluation of the study course performance. The mini-study is evaluated by using qualitative evaluation criteria and the online exam with quantitative criteria, which together consist the overall evaluation of the study course.