This course is part of the Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

4.6
stars
1,223 ratings

Gerben Moerman

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Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences SpecializationUniversity of Amsterdam

About this Course

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In this course you will be introduced to the basic ideas behind the qualitative research in social science. You will learn about data collection, description, analysis and interpretation in qualitative research. Qualitative research often involves an iterative process. We will focus on the ingredients required for this process: data collection and analysis.
You won't learn how to use qualitative methods by just watching video's, so we put much stress on collecting data through observation and interviewing and on analysing and interpreting the collected data in other assignments.
Obviously, the most important concepts in qualitative research will be discussed, just as we will discuss quality criteria, good practices, ethics, writing some methods of analysis, and mixing methods.
We hope to take away some prejudice, and enthuse many students for qualitative research.

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Course 2 of 5 in the

Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

Intermediate Level

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 2 of 5 in the

Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

Intermediate Level

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.74/5 (225 Ratings)

Gerben Moerman

Dr.

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

94,945 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Amsterdam

A modern university with a rich history, the University of Amsterdam

(UvA) traces its roots back to 1632, when the Golden Age school Athenaeum Illustre was established to train students in trade and philosophy. Today, with more than 39,000 students, 5,000 staff and 285 study programmes (Bachelor's and Master's), many of which are taught in English, and a budget of more than 600 million euros, it is one of the largest comprehensive universities in Europe. It is a member of the League of European Research Universities and also maintains intensive contact with other leading research universities around the world.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(20,108 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Philosophy of Qualitative Research

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 61 min), 12 readings, 1 quiz

8 videos

1.0 Introduction6m1.1 On Elephants10m1.2 Ontology for social actors6m1.3 Ontology for social researchers4m1.4 Epistemology8m1.5 Hermeneutics7m1.6 Phenomenology10m1.7 Pragmatism5m

12 readings

A very warm welcome to Qualitative Research Methods!10mCourse description10mPrerequisite knowledge needed10mCourse Structure10mStanding on shoulders of giants10mTeam10mOn Elephants10mSlides10mReferences10mHow to never emerge from the library again...10mSlides10mReferences10m

Week2

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Observation

4 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 78 min), 10 readings, 1 quiz

9 videos

2.1 Ethnography5m2.2 Participant Observation13m2.3 Views on Observation9m2.4 Observational Focus7m2.5 Cyclists in Amsterdam6m2.6 Privatizing Public Space11m2.7 Field Notes7m2.8 Fieldwork organisation6m2.9 Observation and Interpretation8m

10 readings

Background of observation as a method10mSlides10mReferences10mFocus and the assignment10mSlides10mReferences10mNote taking and Interpreting10mSlides10mReferences10mPeer Review: Assignment B: instructions10m

Week3

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Good Practices & Criteria

4 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 89 min), 9 readings, 2 quizzes

9 videos

3.1 Flexibility10m3.2 Triangulation8m3.3 Abduction25m3.4 Focus on Details and Context5m3.5 Look for Contradiction6m3.6 Reflexivity7m3.7 How Many Cases Are Enough5m3.8 Theoretical Saturation7m3.9 Criteria For Research Quality12m

9 readings

Good practices10mSlides10mReferences10mSelecting Cases10mSlides10mReferences10mCriteria for Research Quality10mSlides10mReferences10m

2 practice exercises

Practice quiz30mMidterm exam30m

Week4

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Qualitative Interviewing

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 62 min), 9 readings, 1 quiz

Week5

Week 5

4 hours to complete

Qualitative Analysis

4 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 54 min), 10 readings, 1 quiz

Week6

Week 6

4 hours to complete

Writing, mixing & ethics

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 59 min), 12 readings, 1 quiz

Week7

Week 7

10 minutes to complete

Catch up week

10 minutes to complete

1 reading

Week8

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Exam week

This is the final module, where you can apply everything you've learned up until now in the final exam. Please note that you can only take the final exam once every day, so make sure you are fully prepared to take the test. Please follow the honor code and do not communicate or confer with others taking this exam. Good luck! Once you've taken the exam, please consider doing the other courses in our specialisation track. I hope it was an enjoyable experience. If it was, please consider joining in with the Massive Open Online Research by my colleague Christian Bröer. Thanks for all your hard work, feedback and interpretations, the course team and your fellow learners really appreciate it!

1 hour to complete

Reviews

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418 reviews

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1 star
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TOP REVIEWS FROM QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

by VCOct 19, 2021

Teaching method is very good. However, the requirement to do 5 Peer Reviews - I think - is too much. It takes your mind off the things you have learned. Otherwise, the program is great!

by KFDec 20, 2018

I found this a very useful way of getting a basic introduction to qualitative research methods, without just sitting down with some text books. The content was engaging and at the right level for me.

by MJJun 4, 2017

Please provide the complete transcript of a week in pdf format like quantitative research methods?

The slides are too dark (black background) and don't look good in print.

by MHAug 13, 2018

It was awesome experience indeed. I have learned lot of things about Qualitative Research Methods. These lessons will help me a lot to do my personal research. Enjoyed that course much.

View all reviews

About the Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

Identify interesting questions, analyze data sets, and correctly interpret results to make solid, evidence-based decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
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Qualitative Research Methods

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