COURSE DESCRIPTION

THIS COURSE WILL NOT BE TAUGHT IN 2021-2022.

If requested by enough non French-speaking researchers, this course might be taught in English in 2022-2023.

Seminar contents

What is really qualitative research ? Either you plan to conduct such a research or not, the question is worth asking. For those who are not familiar to qualitative research, the seminar offers a practical introduction that will ultimately help them to be able to address accurate, precise and relevant questions to colleagues involved in qualitative investigations. For those involved in qualitative research, this seminar offers a opportunity to collectively conduct a fieldwork and to discuss highest standards of qualitative inquiry.

The seminar introduces the particularity of qualitative approaches though key notions from the Grounded Theory Method (GTM) : open, axial and selective coding, theoretical sampling and saturation, substantive and formal theory.

Practical work allows the students to test their knowledge by individually conducting an interview and collectively analyzing the transcripts.

Learning activities and teaching methods

• The seminar alternates lessons and exercises on qualitative research
• Students realize their own research (elaborating a research question, conducting and analysis of an interview, interpreting and presenting results).

Learning outcomes

The student will be able to:

• given a research question, decide whether a qualitative or a quantitative approach is relevant
• accurately define qualitative terms
• conduct an interview
• actively participate to a collective analysis of text material
• summarize results from a collective research
• create accurate slides
• speak in public

Recommended readings

There is no syllabus. Two resources are provided through the online platform of the seminar.

• An extended list of the key notions.
• A detailed road-map for the practical works.

Further readings

• Corbin, Juliet and Strauss, Anselm L., 2008, Basics of Qualitative Research. Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
  Available at the Graulich library [XXII-21 /128], at the ULB Humanities library [S.825300] and at the UMons Psychology library [303.022 STRA]
• Charmaz, Kathy, 2006, Constructing Grounded Theory. A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis, London: Sage Publications
  Available at the ULg Graulich library [XXII-235/0038] and at the ULB Humanities library [4NIV 300.72 CHAR]

These readings are supplementary resources for students wishing to deepen their understanding; they are not required.

Assessment methods and criteria

The oral presentation of the qualitative research is evaluated according to its briefness, its clarity, the quality of results and the terminology used.

Organizational remarks

Locations: Sessions are alternatively organized in Liege, Mons and Brussels.
Attendance: Active participation to every session is mandatory. Any absence would imply to be rejected from the seminar.

How to enroll ?

• Limited seats available.

• Be aware that this training is very demanding. During a whole term, participants will have to work at least 20 minutes a day (every day). Be reasonible : do not register in case of work overload.
• Attendance to every session is mandatory. Any absence would imply to be rejected from the training. Given the limit amount of available seats, resigning at mid-term is not an option.

• Register only though the online form