Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

Qualitative Research Methods

Course 2009-2010 Second term
Prof: Joan Miquel Verd
[email protected]
Office : 20.172

1. Objectives
The course explores the development and application of qualitative research designs and
methods in political analysis. The aim is to introduce students to the theory and techniques
of qualitative research through readings, discussion and practical exercises, in order to
reinforce their capacity to design and implement their own research projects. The course
therefore connects with the previous subject Techniques of Statistical Analysis I and aims
to support the Final Research Paper as two of the core courses of the Masters degree.
Moreover, through the more practical issues it provides a useful toolbox for doing qualitative
research on different compulsory courses.
The course begins with an introduction to qualitative research, focusing on the major terms
of the debates about research design and issues of inference and interpretation. It then
covers some issues around conceptualization and looks at a variety of approaches and
techniques for data collection and data analysis. By producing a brief piece of empirical
research, the students have to deal with the knowledge acquired and they can also develop
skills to present, explain and defend the research approach and results.

2. Prerequisites
As the course is based on the development of a qualitative research project, it requires
students to have initial knowledge of how to formulate hypotheses and articulate research
questions connected with the theoretical concerns of political science. Both seminars and
tutorial sessions will help the development of these capacities.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

3. Competences to be achieved in the subject

Due to its methodological nature, the course is mainly oriented towards developing general
competences such as:
Instrumental Competences
Ability to analyse and synthesise
Planning and management of time
Written and oral communication in ones own language
Information management abilities (ability to search and analyse information coming from a variety of sources)
Problem solving
Decision-making

Interpersonal Competences
Critical and self-critical ability
Team work
Interpersonal abilities
Ability to communicate with people that are not experts in the subject
Commitment to ethics

Systemic Competences
Ability to put knowledge into practice
Research abilities
Ability to learn
Ability to adapt to new situations
Ability to generate new ideas (creativity)
Leadership
Design and management of projects
Interest on quality
Result-oriented

The empirical approach of the course will also support the development of specific
competences in the field of political analysis where the research project will be located.
More specifically, the large group will be divided into sub-groups in order to develop brief
pieces of qualitative research in two different areas: public policy evaluation and political
attitudes. This academic year, the sub-fields selected are: local development policies (LDP)
and public policies on immigration (PPI), both at local government level. This means that
several specific competences will be connected with both fields, such as public policy
analysis and policy evaluation.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

4. Contents
1.

Introduction to qualitative research.

Qualitative research design. Qualitative data and methods of qualitative research
and analysis. Quantitative versus qualitative research. Comparative method.
Case-oriented research. Causal inference with qualitative methods. Sources of
bias and methods for selecting cases and subjects.

2.

An approach to collecting qualitative data: concepts, techniques and strategies.

Approaches and techniques for collecting data. The researcher-subject
relationship and ethical issues. Advantages, limitations and issues involved in
qualitative techniques as sources of evidence in social science research.
Interviewing. Focus groups. Delphi method. Participant observation and
ethnography. Documentary research.

3.

An approach to analyzing qualitative data.

Dealing with field notes, interview transcripts, and focus group reports. Discourse
analysis. Inference and interpretation of qualitative data. Clarifying findings and
connecting qualitative evidence with theoretical and conceptual research
questions.

4.

An approach to submitting a qualitative research report.

Writing a research report and communicating it effectively to the intended
audience.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

5. Assessment
The course requirements are:
Initial memo about the students interest in the course (length: 250-500 words)
Compulsory initial group assessment (10% of final grade)
This memo is due in the second week of the course. By then the composition of the
group has to be already decided. The memo should outline students substantive
research question on Local Development Policies or Public Policies on Immigration and
explain the preliminary ideas they may have about a research design involving
qualitative methods.

Research Portfolio (around 10 pages)

Compulsory mid-term group assessment (30% of final grade)
Students are required to develop and produce a research portfolio that will serve as
their personal guide for the implementation of their qualitative research projects. They
will develop it during the seminar sessions on research design and pre-field preparation.
There will be a partial presentation (in the 1st tutorial session) as on-going informal
evaluation previous to the final one. In this first tutorial session students should present:
a) A clear articulation of the research question;
b) A description of what kinds of information and data will need to be collected;
c) A research design including a description of the context in which it will be
conducted;
d) A description of the methods and techniques to be used to collect data.
The final research portolio (around 10 pages or 3500-4000 words) will include the
following parts:
a) Introduction;
b) Presentation and explanation (theoretical basis) of the topic and objectives (research
questions and/or hypothesis);
c) Research Design:
1) Description of the information and data that will be collected (indicators,
information blocks);
2) Description of the field (context and rellevant characteristics of the object of
research) and units of information (cases and/or stakeholders that have been
selected);
3) Description and justification of the methods and techniques that will be used;
d) Data collection instruments (questionnaires);
e) Explanation of the access to the field and to the units of information;

Qualitative research report (around 15-20 pages)

Compulsory final group assessment (40% of final grade)
This report must include the main results achieved in terms of arguments and empirical
evidence. It will focus on the theory and concepts and their verification through the field
work developed and the analysis of data. There will be a partial presentation (in the 3rd
tutorial session) as on-going informal evaluation and a formal group presentation on the
due date for the final assesment.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

The final research report will include the following parts:

a) Introduction;
b) Presentation and explanation of the topic and objectives (research questions
and/or hypothesis);
c) Description of the information and data that has been collected;
d) Description of the field (context and rellevant characteristics of the object of
research) and units of information (profiles of the stakeholders that have been
selected);
e) Description and justification of the methods and techniques that have been
used in the research;
f) Explanation of the access to the field and to the units of information;
g) Explanation of the kind of data analysis that has been applied (including
categorisation and codification);
h) Results of the analysis;
i) Conclusions answering (and/or developing or expanding) your hypothesis or
research questions;
j) Bibliography;
k) An annex that will include the interview questionnaire, the protocols for
observation

or

selecting

your

documentary

sources,

the

interview

summaries, the field notes (if you have used observation methods) and/or the
list of documents you have analysed (if you have used documentary methods).

Final memo about a critical evaluation of qualitative research methods (around 2-5 pages or
1000-1500 words)
Compulsory final individual assessment (20% of final grade)
The objective of this Individual Assessment is to evaluate your methodological learning
in terms of three different sources: reading, lectures and empirical work (your group
research project). The format of the assessment will be a methodological essay
reviewing the three main aspects of a qualitative inquiry: a) research design, b) data
collection techniques, and c) data analysis techniques.
Review your notes from your reading and lectures and read through your collective
research work in order to assess what you have learned from a methodological point of
view. Are there any similarities between what the literature recommends and what you
did in your research project? Was your research design good enough to produce
relevant findings? Were the results of using the different techniques and research
methods similar to those described in the methodological literature? You must critically
describe the potential and the limits of the qualitative research you have done and state
what you would do better in future.
The final memo will be assessed on the extent to which it makes good use of the course
reading material and discussions and provides clear explanations and arguments
regarding the use of qualitative methods and techniques in the research. A bibliography
should be included.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

6. Methodology
Due to its methodological character, the course is based on a balance between conceptual
and empirical approaches. The development of sessions reflects this balance and the
importance of the field research component of the course.
The beginning of the course is designed to ensure a common basis for qualitative research,
dealing with theoretical and conceptual issues. The main large group sessions (lectures)
with compulsory attendance and the more extended required readings are the
methodological basis of this initial part (two weeks). A first assessment based on an initial
memo about students interests aims to consolidate this common knowledge basis.
The following weeks will be used to introduce qualitative methods and techniques and to
initiate the research design to be done by each group (through seminars addressed to LDP
and PPI groups). In order to organize the research activities, students must select one of
the two fields into which the large group will be divided to develop their qualitative research
(local development policies LDP and public policies on immigration PPI). At the same
time, the two groups will be divided into four subgroups of four to five students each. Each
group will receive a simulated order from the local government to develop a piece of
research on the topic (this is the final report to be submitted at the end of the course).
These sessions start the applied block of the course (weeks 2 to 8), which will be
complemented with required readings (readings 2.1 and 2.2) and activities outside the
classroom such as the preparation of the research portfolio (with two partial presentations).
The final part of the course (weeks 9 and 10) will be addressed through lectures and
discussions about how to analyze qualitative data and how to draft and submit the final
research report. Finally, there will be an assessment based on the presentation of research
results, an individual rsum and an evaluation of the qualitative methods and techniques
used in the research. This final stage is designed to critically discuss the potential and the
limits of the qualitative research developed.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

7. Sources of information and didactic resources

Basic bibliography

King, Gary; Keohane, Robert and Verba, Sidney (1994): Designing Social Inquiry:
Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Mason, Jennifer (2002): Qualitative Researching. London. Sage.
Ritchie, Jane and Lewis, Jane (eds.) (2003): Qualitative Research Practice. A Guide for
Social Science Students and Researchers. London. Sage.

And Compulsory Readings 1, 2, 3 and 4 (see reading list).

Complementary bibliography

Brady, Henry and Collier, David (eds.) (2004): Rethinking Social Inquiry. Lanham,
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Bryman, Alan (1989): Research Methods and organization studies. London. Unwin
Hyman.
Corbetta, Piergiorgio (2003): Social Research Theory, Methods and Techniques.
Thousand Oaks. Sage.
Creswell, John W. (1998): Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. Choosing among
five traditions. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Denzin, Norman K. and Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds.) (2000): Handbook of Qualitative
Research. Thousand Oak, California: Sage.
Denzin, Norman K. and Lincoln, Yvonna S. (eds) (2005): The Sage Handbook of
Qualitative Research. Thousand Oak, California: Sage.
Seale, C.; Gobo, G.; Gubrium, J. F; Silverman, D. (eds.) (2004): Qualitative Research
Practice. London: Sage.
Mas, Jordi; Rami, Carles (1992): Tcniques dauditoria operativa aplicades a
lAdministraci pblica. Barcelona. Comit Director per a lestudi de lAdministraci.
Generalitat de Catalunya.
Maxwell, Joseph A. (2005): Qualitative Research Design. An Interactive Approach.
Thousand Oak, California: Sage. 2nd edition.
Miles, Matthew B. and Huberman, Michael (1984): Qualitative Data Analysis: A
Sourcebook of New Methods. Beverly Hills. Sage.
Patton, Michael (2002): Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. Thousand
Oaks. Sage.
Ragin, Charles (1989): The Comparative Method: Moving Beyond Qualitative and
Quantitative Strategies. Berkeley. University of California Press.

Teaching material for the subject

During the course, some teaching materials will be distributed to complement lectures.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Master in Political and Social Sciences

8. Programming of activities
Week

12/01/2010

19/01/2010

Classroom activity

Lecture: Introduction to
qualitative research.
Introduction to the order
Lecture: Research designs

Required readings 1 (see

Reading list). Work on
research interests

Lecture: Qualitative methods

and techniques. Interviews
Lecture: Interviews

Required readings 1 (see

Reading list)

Lecture: Focus groups

Required readings 2.1

(see Reading list).
Work on research design
Draw a first draft of the
research design
Required readings 2.1
(see Reading list). First
draft of research protocol
and questionnaire.

26/01/2010
Seminars and tutorials
Lecture: Access to the field
02/02/2010
Seminars and tutorials

09/02/2010

Lecture: Observation
methods. Overview
Lecture: Participant
observation and citizen X

16/02/2010

Lecture: Documentary
Research
Seminars and tutorials

23/02/2010

Lecture: Content and

Discourse analysis
Seminars and tutorials

02/03/2010

Lecture: Grounded Theory.

The research report
Seminars and tutorials

09/03/2010

Research results
presentations
Seminars and tutorials

16/03/2010

Activity outside the

classroom

Required readings 2.2

(see Reading list).
Research protocol and
questionnaire. Work on
the research portfolio.
Required readings 2.2
(see Reading list).
Field-work, interviews
and documentary
research

Results that are

object of
assessment

Initial memo about

interests

Research portfolio:
Research question
(LDP and PPI),
research design
and interview
questionnaires
Research portfolio:
Research question
(LDP and PPI),
research design
and interview
questionnaires

Required readings 3 and

4 (see Reading list).
Field-work, interviews
and/or focus groups.
Required readings 3 and
4 (see Reading list)
Analysis of data. Work on
thefinal research report
Required readings 4 (see
Reading list)
Work on the final
research report and
individual memo.

Research results
presentations

Final research
report and
presentation of
research results
Final research
report and
presentation of
research results

Lecture: The quality of

qualitative research.
Concluding remarks

9. Structure of the programming of activities

Week

Activity in the classroom

Learning activities
Didactic
resources
Lecture: Introduction to qualitative
research

12/01/10

Lecture: Introduction the

assignment (LDP and PPI)
Lecture: Research design
Lecture: Qualitative methods and
techniques

19/01/10

26/01/10

Teaching
materials and
Readings 1

Time
scheduled
1 hour

Activity outside the classroom

Learning
Didactic
Estimated
activities
resources
time
Research
design

Readings 1

4 hours

Research
design

Readings 1

4 hours

Initial memo
about interests

2 hours

2 hours

Initial memo
about interests

4 hours

1 hour
Teaching
materials and
Readings 1
Teaching
materials and
Readings 1

2 hours

1 hour

Research
portfolio

Readings 1

Lecture: Interviews

Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.1

3 hours

Research
protocol and
questionnaire

Readings 2.1

Lecture: Focus groups

Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.1

2 hours

Research
protocol and
questionnaire

Readings 2.1

Seminars and tutorials I: Research

design for LDP groups

Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.1

2 hours

Research
protocol and
questionnaire

Readings 2.1

Lecture: Access to the field

02/02/10
Seminars and tutorials II: Research
design for PPI groups
Lecture: Observation methods.
Overview
09/02/10
Lecture: Participant observation
and Citizen X

Assessment activities
Items for
Estimated
assessment
time

Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.1
Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.1
Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.2

2 hours

2 hours

Interviews

Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.2

2 hours

Interviews

2 hours

Research
protocol and
questionnaire
Research
protocol and
questionnaire

4 hours

4 hours

2 hours

Research portfolio
(I) and research
question
Research portfolio
(I) and research
question

6 hours

Teaching
materials and
readings 2.1
Teaching
materials and
readings 2.1
Teaching
materials and
readings 2.1

2 hours

2 hours

Interviews

6 hours

Teaching
materials and
readings 2.1

2 hours

Interviews

6 hours

2 hours

Research portfolio
(II) and interview
questionnaires
Research portfolio
(II) and Interview
questionnaires

6 hours

6 hours

6 hours

Lecture: Documentary Research

16/02/10

Tutorial for each group

of LDP and PPI

Lecture: Content and Discourse

Analysis
23/02/10

02/03/10

Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.2
Teaching
materials and
Readings 2.2
Readings 2.2

2 hours

2 hours

2 hours

Observation

Teaching
materials and
readings 2.2

4 hours

Research portfolio
(III) and participant
observation design

3 hours

Observation

Teaching
materials and
readings 2.2

4 hours

Research portfolio
(III) and participant
observation design

3 hours

Documentary
research and
research report

Readings 2.2

4 hours

Research portfolio
(III) and participant
observation design

3 hours

Documentary
research and
research report

Readings 2.2

4 hours

Research portfolio
(III) and participant
observation design

3 hours

Analysis of
qualitative data

Readings 3 and 4

2 hours

Readings 3 and 4

2 hours

Readings 3 and 4

2 hours
Research portfolio
(final), Research
report and Final
memo

3 hours

Research portfolio
(final), Research
report and Final
memo

3 hours

Tutorial for each group

of LDP and PPI

Readings 2.2

Lecture: Grounded Theory

Readings 3 and 4

1 hour

Lecture: The research report

Readings 3 and 4

1 hour

Tutorial for each group

of LDP and PPI

Readings 3 and 4

2 hours

Analysis of
qualitative data

Readings 3 and 4

2 hours

Research
portfolio and
research report

Readings 3 and 4

3 hours

Readings 3 and 4

2 hours

Research
portfolio and
research report

Readings 3 and 4

3 hours

Seminar I: Presentation of research

results for LDP groups

2 hours

Presentation of
a qualitative
research report

09/03/10
Tutorial for each group
of LDP and PPI

16/03/10

Seminar II: Presentation of

research results for PPI groups

2 hours

Lecture: Analyzing qualitative data

1 hour

Lecture: The quality of qualitative

research

1 hour

10

9. Reading list
INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH. RESEARCH DESIGN
Readings 1

1. King, Gary; Keohane, Robert and Verba, Sidney (1995): The Importance of Research
Design in Political Science, in American Political Science Review, Vol. 89, No. 2 (June
1995), pp. 475- 480.
2. Tarrow, Sidney (1995): Bridging the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide in Political
Science, in The American Political Science Review, Vol. 89, No. 2 (June, 1995), pp.
471-474.
3. Flick, Uwe (2006): An Introduction to Qualitative Research. London: Sage [Chapter 12:
How to design qualitative research: An overview]
4. Gerring, John (2004) "What Is a Case Study and What Is it Good for?", American
Political Science Review, Vol. 98, No. 2 (May 2004), pp. 341-354.
5. Flyvbjerg, Bent (2004) Five misunderstandings about case-study research, in Clive
Seale; Giampetro Gobo, Jaber F. Gubrium and David Silverman (eds.): Qualitative
Research Practice. London: Sage.
6. Yin, Robert K. (2003) Applications of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks
(California): Sage. [Chapter 1: The Role of Theory in Doing Case Studies]
7. Munck, Gerardo L. (2004) Tools for Qualitative Research, in Henry E. Brady and
David Collier (eds.): Rethinking Social Inquiry. Diverse Tools, Shared Standards.
Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
8. Flick, Uwe (2006): An Introduction to Qualitative Research. London: Sage [Chapter 11:
Sampling]
9. von Kardorff, Ernst (2004) Qualitative Evaluation Research, in Uwe Flick; Ernst von
Kardorff and Ines Steinke (eds.): A Companion to Qualitative Research. London: Sage.

AN APPROACH TO COLLECT QUALITATIVE DATA: CONCEPTS, TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES

Readings 2.1 Interviews and focus group
1. Fontana, Andrea and Frey, James (2000) The interview from structured questions
to negotiated text, in Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln (eds): Handbook of
Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks (California): Sage. pp. 361-376.
2. Mason, Jennifer (2002) Qualitative Researching. London. Sage. [Chapter 4:
Qualitative interviewing, pp. 62-83].
3. Krueger, Richard A. (1988) Focus Groups. A Practical Guide for Applied Research.
Newbury Park (California): Sage. [Chapter 2: Focus Groups, pp. 27-48]
4. Delbecq, Andr L.; van de Ven, Andrew H.; Gustafson, David H. (1975) Group
Techniques for Program Planning. Glenview (Illinois): Scott, Foresman and
Company. [Chapter 2: The Delphi Technique, pp. 83-107]

11

Readings 2.2 Participant observation and Documentary research

1.

Mason, Jennifer (2002): Qualitative Researching. London: Sage. [Chapter 5:

Observing and Participating, pp. 84-103]

2.

Patton, Michael (2002): Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. Thousand

Oaks (California): Sage. [Chapter 6: "Fieldwork Strategies and Observation
Methods", pp. 199-276].

3.

Corbetta, Piergiorgio (2003): Social Research. Theory, Methods and Techniques.

Thousand Oaks (California): Sage. [Chapter 11: The use of documents, pp. 287308].

AN APPROACH TO ANALISING QUALITATIVE DATA

Readings 3

1.

Robson, Colin (2002) Real World Research. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. [Chapter 12:
The Analysis of Qualitative Data, pp. 370-407].

2.

Ritchie, Jane; Spencer, Liz (1994) Qualitative data analysis for applied policy
research, in Alan Bryman and Robert G. Burgess (eds.): Analyzing Qualitative
Data. London: Routledge.

AN APPROACH TO PRESENTING A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH REPORT

Readings 4
1.

Morse, Janice M.; Richards, Lyn (2002) Read Me First for a Users Guide to
Qualitative Methods. Thousand Oaks (California): Sage. [Chapter 10: Writing it
up, pp. 183-194]

2.

Mason, Jennifer (2002): Qualitative Researching. London: Sage. [Chapter 9:

Making Convincing Arguments with Qualitative Data, pp. 173-204]

12