This course is run by the Researcher Academy

Researcher Academy courses are very popular and the majority are run in both semesters to give you the opportunity to attend at a time of the year that suits you. 

Target audience: Early stage postgraduate research students and early career researchers

This course is for you if you have had little or no previous experience of qualitative methods and want to understand the range and uses of this distinctive approach. We will help in identifying the range of perspectives available.

This course is NOT for you if you are thinking solely in terms of a quantitative research design.

Description:

The session will describe and explore:

• the philosophical basis of contrasting research paradigms
• some key qualitative traditions
• insights into interviewing
• the starting points necessary for robust analysis

There is an emphasis on helping participants to grasp the fundamental theories before practical design issues.

Aims: To provide participants with theoretical grounding in common research approaches within the qualitative research paradigm.

Objectives:

By the end of the course participants will:

• have a fundamental understanding of the qualitative research paradigm as philosophically distinct from post-positivist quantitative research.
• be able to understand some key distinguishing features of different approaches within the paradigm.
• understand a range of language and meanings commonly used by qualitative researchers.
• have identified further appropriate reading 

Process: The course builds understanding through lecture and seminar-style discussion.

Related courses:

Further Qualitative Research

Research Interview Skills

Qualitative Methods Tutor (a moderated online learning course)

Research Integrity -stand-alone online course designed to strengthen your awareness of your own responsibilities and accountability when planning and conducting research and provides guidance on what to do should things go wrong. 

Course Accessibility

The following table shows a summary of what is needed to participate in the course. 

If you feel you will experience any difficulties participating, please let us know via the ‘special requirements’ tab, providing as much information as possible. The special requirements tab can be completed when you book your place. Alternatively, you can contact us directly at ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk.

Print off pre-requisite paperwork/ resources & bring them to the course (optional)
Bring your own laptop/ PC to the course (optional)
Access seminar room on campus
Attend the course at the specified date and time
Watch and listen to the course tutor(s) and/or other attendees
Follow presentation slides during the course

Booking Conditions

Latecomer policy

Researchers should plan to arrive prior to the advertised course start time. Except for exceptional reasons, there will be no admittance to a Researcher Academy or Faculty Training Programme (FTP) course 15 minutes after the advertised course start time.

Importance of booking commitment

When booking on to a Researcher Academy short course you are entering into a commitment to attend. If you find that you are no longer available to attend you MUST cancel your place (on the system if more than three days before the course) or if at short notice by emailing ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk. This will ensure that your place can be offered to another researcher on the waiting list. Failure to cancel a place results in other researchers missing out on places through the waiting list process.

It is unacceptable for researchers to just not attend when booked onto a course. The Researcher Academy maintains records of those who repeatedly do not attend courses they have booked. This may affect future eligibility to book onto further Researcher Academy courses and will affect considerations for Researcher Academy funded opportunities.