Qualitative Research Methodology
Cod: 42122
Department: DCSG
ECTS: 6
Scientific area: Social Sciences
Total working hours: 156
Total contact time: 36

The course provides master students the theoretical and practical features of the Qualitative Methods and its processes of social research, with particular relevance to the field of intercultural relations. It explores the problems of collection, analysis and interpretation of information and the specifics of qualitative methods in social sciences.

It is intended that students achieve the following skills:
•    Identify the characteristics of the theoretical and practical qualitative methodologies;
•    Know the main techniques of data collection;
•    Identify and choose the methods of research / intervention most appropriate to their research projects;
•    Weaving comparisons between the various methodologies, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of each one;
•    Identify the concept of object of study and field of investigation.
•    .Analyze the information collected mobilizing content analysis;
•    Knowing the software available for classification and analysis of collected information, its limitations and potential.
•    Select methods and techniques appropriate to their qualitative research project.
•    Develop a critical analysis of the validity of the knowledge produced by the qualitative methodologies.



 

1. Overview - the importance, characteristics and history of qualitative research
2. Perspectives of Qualitative Research: interactionism, ethnomethodology and constructionist perspectives, grounded theory, structuralist models; participatory models; triangulation of perspectives and data.
3. The practice of research - objectivity and neutrality, the research questions, the field; selection strategies of the participants.
4. Qualitative methods and techniques, observation techniques, document analysis, interviews, ethnography, group dynamics;
5. Systematization, data processing and analysis
6. Construction and understanding of the text: the text as construction of reality.
7. From text to theory: analysis and interpretation - content analysis and reporting the research outcomes.
8.  Reflection on the validity of the results of Qualitative Research.

 

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BURGESS, R.G., A pesquisa de terreno: uma introdução, Oeiras, Celta, 1997.
CABRAL, João Pina, Notas Críticas sobre Observação Participante no contexto da Etnografia Portuguesa in Análise Social, vol XIX (76) pp. 327-339, 1983
CARIA, T. H. (org.) et al. (2002). Experiência Etnográfica em Ciências Sociais. Porto: Edições Afrontamento.
CARMO, Hermano & FERREIRA, M. Metodologia da Investigação. Guia para auto-aprendizagem. Lisboa: Universidade Aberta, 2ª ed., 2008.
LESSARD-HÉBERT, M.; GOYETTE, G. ; BOUTIN, G. Investigação qualitativa, fundamentos e práticas. Lisboa: Instituto Piaget, 1994.
GUERRA, I., Pesquisa Qualitativa e Análise de Conteúdo. Sentidos e formas de uso, São João do Estoril, Principia, 2006.
Kaufmann, J.-C. (1996). L'Entretien Compréhensif. Paris: Éditions Nathan.
MILES, M. & HUBERMAN, A. Qualitative data analysis. An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks/Londres/Nova Deli: Sage Publications,1994.
MUNOZ, J., El método biográfico: El uso de las historias de vida en ciencias sociales Madrid, CIS, 1992.
QUIVY, Raymond & CAMPENHAUDT, Luc Van.  Manual de investigação em Ciências Sociais. Lisboa: Gradiva, 1992.
SANTOS SILVA e Madureira Pinto (orgs.) Metodologia das Ciências Sociais, Porto, Afrontamento, 1987.

 

E-learning

Evaluation is made on individual basis and it involves the coexistence of two modes: continuous assessment (60%) and final evaluation (40%). Further information is detailed in the Learning Agreement of the course unit.