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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Qualitative Research Skills
Module Code NS297 (ITS) / NUR1040 (Banner)
Faculty Science & Health School Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinatorMarcia Kirwan
Module TeachersDenise Proudfoot
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
Coursework Only
Description

This module will broadly examine qualitative methods commonly used in health research. The module will provide students with fundamental skills to enable them to collect and conduct preliminary analyses on qualitative data. It will focus particularly on interview and focus group skills , thematic analysis and ethical considerations in qualitative research as well as data protection issues in research more generally. Students will learn how to identify a researchable question, develop research objectives, and how to report results.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify qualitative research questions and objectives related to health and societal concerns
2. Understand how to plan and conduct semi-structured research interviews
3. When to use focus group and the steps involved in planning and facilitation of focus groups in research
4. Demonstrate an understanding of basic qualitative data analysis techniques
5. Further explore ethical and data protection concerns for health and social researchers



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture20No Description
Workshop6Workshops for interview and focus group skills and practice
Assignment Completion50Qualitative research and write up
Independent Study49No Description
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Research methodologies and designs
Revising, and expanding upon, prior student learning to do with qualitative research

Qualitative research questions in health research
Exploring the significance of research questions and practicing the formulation of such questions.

Doing interviews
Examining the uses of interviews in health research and practicing the conduct of interviews. Interpersonal communciation skills for qualitative research

Conducting focus group discussion
Attending to the value of focus group discussions in health research and practicing focus group facilitation.

Doing qualitative analysis
Considering how to analyse interview data and other forms of qualitative data.

Ethics in health research
Exploring the ethical issues in qualitative research and data protection concerns for health and social science researchers

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
AssignmentQualitative health research project: Design a qualitative research study, develop an interview guide, carry out interviews, data analysis and report writing.100%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • Bowling, Ann: 2014, Research Methods In Health: Investigating Health And Health Services, McGraw-Hill Education (UK), 9780335262748
  • BELL, J., & WATERS, S.: 2018, Doing your research project: a guide for first time researchers, McGraw-Hill Education, London,
  • Hammersley, M & Traianou, M: 2012, Ethics in Qualitative Research: Controversies and Contexts, Sage, California,
  • Kathy Charmaz,Linda M. McMullen: 2011, Five Ways of Doing Qualitative Analysis, Guilford Press, 9781609181420
  • David E Gray: 2018, Doing Research in the Real World, SAGE Publications Limited, 147394726X
  • Tom Clark,Liam Foster,Alan Bryman,Luke Sloan: 2021, Social Research Methods 6E, Oxford University Press, 9780198796053
Other Resources

None

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