Guide in PDF format
Logo

Qualitative Methods for Research in Social Sciences

Code: 45784
Credits: 5
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability OP 1

Contact lecturer

Name :
Alaitz Zabala Torres
Email :
alaitz.zabala@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Aimada Sole Figueras

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

None

Objectives

This module develops the knowledge and skills required to design and conduct qualitative research in the social sciences. The course guides students through all stages of the research process and provides them with the conceptual, methodological and analytical tools needed to design, conduct, analyse and communicate rigorous qualitative research.

Throughout the course, students examine the epistemological foundations of qualitative research, research design, ethical considerations, fieldwork, qualitative data collection and analysis techniques, and the communication of research findings.

Teaching is organized as a research seminar combining readings, class discussions, practical exercises, fieldwork and student presentations. Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and activities before each session and to participate actively in seminar discussions and exercises.

Learning outcomes

  • CA27 (Formulate research questions that integrate the interactions between ecological, economic, and social systems to address sustainability challenges, considering their ethical and social implications.) Formulate research questions that integrate the interactions between ecological, economic, and social systems to address sustainability challenges, considering their ethical and social implications.
  • CA28 (Design social science research, selecting and applying appropriate qualitative methods and techniques to address complex environmental problems.) Design social science research, selecting and applying appropriate qualitative methods and techniques to address complex environmental problems.
  • CA29 (Critically evaluate the ethical and social implications in the design of research in the field of social sciences.) Critically evaluate the ethical and social implications in the design of research in the field of social sciences.
  • KA28 (Describe the epistemological concepts and design logic of qualitative and quantitative research in the social sciences.) Describe the epistemological concepts and design logic of qualitative and quantitative research in the social sciences.
  • KA29 (Define the different sources of information and data collection, processing and analysis techniques used in social science research (including the necessary software), recognising their usefulness.) Define the different sources of information and data collection, processing and analysis techniques used in social science research (including the necessary software), recognising their usefulness.
  • SA28 (Prepare exhaustive bibliographic reviews (systematic and narrative) on topics of interest in the field of Environmental Science and Technology.) Prepare exhaustive bibliographic reviews (systematic and narrative) on topics of interest in the field of Environmental Science and Technology.
  • SA29 (Apply self-directed learning to acquire, further explore and update research and data analysis methodologies (interviews, focus groups, participant observation, etc.) in the field of social sciences.) Apply self-directed learning to acquire, further explore and update research and data analysis methodologies (interviews, focus groups, participant observation, etc.) in the field of social sciences.
  • SA30 (Determine the most appropriate methodological approach based on the research questions posed in the field of social sciences.) Determine the most appropriate methodological approach based on the research questions posed in the field of social sciences.

Contents

Block 1. Foundations of Qualitative Research

Introduction to Social Science Research and Research Design.

Research Topics and Research Questions.

Research Design.

Block 2. Qualitative Data Collection Methods

Data Collection I: Interviews.

Data Collection II: Focus Groups.

Data Collection III: Observation and Case Studies.

Data Collection IV: Other Qualitative Methods.

Block 3. Data Analysis and Advanced Approaches

Qualitative Data Analysis: CAQDAS (Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software).

Mixed Methods and Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR).

Block 4. Final Stages of the Research Process

Managing Ethical Issues in Research.

Writing and Publishing Qualitative Research.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Preparation of a final project (individual and group) 40 1.6 CA27, CA28, CA29, SA28, SA30
Small-group work 10 0.4 CA27, CA28, SA30
Fieldwork 4 0.16 CA28, SA29, SA30
Lectures 16 0.64 KA28, KA29
Completion of short independent assignments 17 0.68 SA30
Practical exercises guided by the instructor 7 0.28 KA29, SA30
Preparation for fieldwork 4 0.16 CA28, SA29
Tutorials 6 0.24 CA29, SA29, SA30
Reading Academic Literature 16 0.64 KA28, SA28

The course combines individual work, group work and practical workshops aimed at applying theoretical concepts and developing competencies in qualitative research.

Group Work (in class)

  1. Critical discussion of the readings and documents assigned for each session.

Individual Student Work

  1. Preparation of weekly readings and assigned work.
  2. Preparation and conduct of observations.
  3. Preparation, conduct and transcription of interviews.
  4. Writing field notes based on interviews and observations.
  5. Writing analytical memos, research reports and academic papers based on fieldwork.
  6. Completion of in-class exercises.

Small-Group Practical Workshops

  1. Qualitative Data Analysis Workshop.
  2. Fieldwork Workshop: Participant Observation.
Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Discussion of Readings 10 2 0.08 CA29, SA28, SA29
Individual and Group Assignment 50 1 0.04 CA27, CA28, KA28, KA29, SA28, SA29, SA30
Final Examination 40 2 0.08 CA27, CA28, CA29, KA28, KA29, SA28, SA29, SA30

Assessment in this course is based on continuous evaluation and consists of practical classroom exercises, participation in the critical discussion of the required readings, and a final examination. Assessment will take into account the quality of students' contributions, their critical thinking skills, their active participation in class discussions, and their overall engagement with the learning process. Only the final examination is eligible for resit.


To be eligible for the resit examination, students must have previously completed assessment activities accounting for at least two-thirds of the final course grade. Students will be required to take the resit examination if they obtain a mark below 4.0 in the final examination or if their overall course grade is below 5.0.


Students will receive the grade "Not Assessable" if they have submitted no assessment activities or if the submitted work accounts for no more than one-third of the final course grade. Once this threshold has been exceeded, the final grade can no longer be recorded as "Not Assessable" and will be calculated on the basis of the assessment evidence submitted.


Any academic misconduct that may significantly affect the outcome of an assessment activity will result in a grade of 0 for that activity, without prejudice to any disciplinary procedures that may be initiated. If multiple cases of academic misconduct are detected within the same course, the final course grade will be 0. Academic misconduct committed during the final examination will not be eligible for resit.


This course does not offer a single-assessment option.


The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is permitted exclusively as support for learning and research activities, such as literature and information searches, text summarisation, language editing or translation. Students must explicitly declare the use of AI tools, specify which tools have been used, and explain how they contributed to the development of the assessed work. Failure to disclose the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total reduction of the grade for the assessment, as well as the application of any disciplinary measures established by the University's academic regulations.

Bibliography

Abbott, Andrew. Methods of Discovery: Heuristics for the Social Sciences, W. W. Norton, 2004.

Alasuutari, Pertti. Researching Culture: Qualitative Methods and Cultural Studies. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.

Alderson, Pricilla. “Confidentiality and Consent in Qualitative Research”. Network: Newsletter of the British Sociological Association 69: 6-7, 1998.

Alvesson, Mats. Postmoderism and Social Research. Buckingham: Open University Press, 2002.

Banks, Marcus. Visual Methods in Social Research. London: Sage Publications, 2001.

Barbour, Rosaline. Doing Focus Groups. London: Sage Publications, 2007.

Barrett, Christopher B. and Jeffrey W. Cason. “The Logistics of Fieldwork” and “The Challenges of the Field,” in Overseas Research: A Practical Guide. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.

Barter, Christine and Emma Renold. The use of Vignettes in Qualitative Research. Social Research Update 25, 1999.

Becker, Howard S. “Problems and Inference and Proof in Participant Observation”. American Sociological Review 23: 652-60, 1958.

Becker, Howard S. Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article. University of Chicago Press, 1986.

Becker, Howard S. Tricks of the Trade, University of Chicago Press, 1998.

Becker, Howard S. “The Epistemology of Qualitative Research.” Pp. 53-71 in R. Jessor, A. Colby, and R Schweder (eds.), Ethnography and Human Development: Context and Meaning in Social Inquiry. Chicago: University of ChicagoPress, 1996.

Becker Howard S. and Geer Blanche. “Participant Observation and Interviewing: A Comparison”. Human Organization 16: 28-32, 1957.

Belson William A. The Design and Understanding of Survey Questions. Aldershot: Gower, 1981.

Bennett, Andrew and Colin Elman. “Qualitative Research: Recent Developments in Case Study Methods,” Annual Review of Political Science, pp. 455-476, 2006.

Berg, Bruce L. Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998.

Blumer, Herbert. “What is wrong with Social Theory?”. American Sociological Review 19: 3-10,1954.

Bogdan, Robert and Steven Taylor. Introduction to Qualitative Methods.

Bryman, Alan. Social research methods. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Bryman, Alan. “Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Research: How is it Done?”. Qualitative Research 6: 97-113, 2006.

Burawoy, Michael "Extended Case Method," in Sociological Theory, 16:1, 1998, pp. 4-33.

Charmaz, Kathy. “Grounded Theory: Objectivist and Constructivist Methods”, in N.K. Denzin and Y.S. Lincoln (eds). Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. 2000.

Charmaz, Kathy. Constructing Grounded Theory, Sage Publications, 2006.

Collier, David, James Mahoney, and Jason Seawright. “Claiming Too Much: Warnings about Selection Bias,” pp. 85-102 in Henry Brady and David Collier (eds), Rethinking Social Inquiry: Diverse Tools, Shared Standards. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004.

Collier, David and James Mahoney. “Insights and Pitfalls: Selection Bias in Qualitative Research.” World Politics 49(1): 56-91, 1996.

Cook, Ian. “Participant Observation” Pp. 127-150 in R. Flowerdew, D. Martin (eds) Methods in Human Geography - a guide for students doing a research project. Longman: Essex, 1997.

Cloke, Paul. et al. Practicing human geography. London: Sage Publications, 2004.

Creswell, John W. Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1994.

Creswell, John W. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2003.

Creswell, John W and Tashakkori Abbas. “Developing Publishable Mixed Methods Manuscripts”. Journal of Mixed Methods Research 1: 107-111, 2007.

Crouch, Mira and McKenzie Heather. “The Logic of Small Samples in Interview-Based Qualitative Research”. Social Science Information 45: 483-499, 2006.

Dale, Angela, Arber, Sara and Michael Procter. Doing Secondary Analysis. London: Uniwin Hyman, 1988.

Denzin, Norman K. The Research Act. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1989.

Denzin, Norman K., and Yvonna S. Lincoln (eds). Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1994.

Dewalt, Kathleen M. and Billie R. Dewalt. “Writing Fieldnotes” and “Sample Fieldnotes.” In Participant Observation: A Guide for Fieldworkers. Alta Mira, 2002.

Diener, Edward, and Rick Crandall. Ethics in Social and Behavioral Research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978.

Dingwall, Robert. “Ethics and Ethnography”. Sociological Review 28: 871-891, 1978.

Emerson, Robert. Contemporary Field Research. Waveland Press, 2001.

Emerson, Robert, Rachel Fretz, and Linda Shaw. Writing Ethnographic Field Notes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.

Fetterman, David. Ethnography Step by Step.

Feak, Christine B. and John M. Swales. Telling a Research Story. Writing a Literature Review. The Michigan Series in English for Academic & Professional Purposes. The University of Michigan,2009.

Fielding, Nigel and Raymond M Lee (eds). Using Computers in Qualitative Research.

Fielding, Nigel and Raymond M Lee (eds). Computer Analysis and Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications, 1998.

Fleetwood, Steve. “Ontology in Organization and Management Studies: A critical Realist Perspective”. Organization 12:197-222, 2005.

Flick, U. An Introduction to Qualitative Research. 6th ed. Sage, 2023.

Flowerdew, Robin. Methods in Human Geography. A guide for students doing a research project, Harlow: Prentice Hall, 1997

Forster Nick. “The Analysis of Company Documentation”, in C. Cassell and G. Symon (eds). Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. London: Sage Publications, 1994.

Geddes, Barbara. “How the Cases You Choose Affect the Answers You Get: Selection Bias and Related Issues.” Paradigms and Sandcastles: Theory Building and Research Design in Comparative Politics. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. Skim pages 89-129, 2003.

Geertz, Clifford. “Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture.” Chapter 1 in The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books, pp. 3-54, 1973

George, Alexander L., and Andrew Bennett. Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Science. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. Read pages 3-36, skim pages 73-108, 2005.

Gerring, John. “The Case Study: What it is and What it Does.” In Charles Boix and Susan Stokes (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics, pp 90-122, 2007.

Glaser, Barney. Theoretical Sensitivity (also Basics of Grounded Theory Analysis).

Glaser, Barney G. and Anseslm L. Strauss. The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. New York: Aldine, 1967.

Glaser and Strauss, "Discovery of Substantive Theory: A Basic Strategy Underlying Qualitative Research." The American Behavioral Scientist 8, 1965.*

Glasman-Deal Hilary. Science Research Writing. For Non-NativeSpeakers of English. Imperial College Press. 2010.

Glense, Corrine and Alan Peshkin. Becoming Qualitative Researchers.

Gluck, Sherna Berger and Daphne Patai. Women’s Words: The Practice of Feminist Oral History. London: Routledge, 1991

Guest, Greg, Bunce, Arwen and Laura Johnson. “How many Interviews are Enough? An Experiment with Data Saturation and Variability”. Field Methods 18: 59-82, 2006.

Hammersley, Martyn and Paul Atkinson. Ethnography: Principles in Practice. London: Tavistock Publications, 1983.

Hammlersley, Martyn and Paul Atkinson. Etnography: Principles in Practice. London: Routledge, 1995.

Harper, Douglas. "Talking about pictures: a case for photo elicitation". Visual Studies 17(1): 13-26, 2002.

Hay, Iain.Qualitativeresearch methods in Human Geography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Hertz, Rosanna, and Jonathan B. Imber. Studying Elites Using Qualitative Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.

Holliday, Adrian. Doing & Writing Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2016.

Hughes, John A. The Philosophy of Social Research. Harlow: Longman, 1990.

Hycner, Richard H. “Some Guidelines for the Phenomenological Analysis of Interview Data”. Human Studies 8: 279-303, 1985.

Jones, Charles O. “Doing Before Knowing: Concept Development in Political Research.” American Journal of Political Science 18(1): 215-228, 1974.

Johnson, John. Doing Field Research.

Junker, Buford. Fieldwork.

Jesson Jill K., Matheson Lydia and Fiona M. Lacey. Doing your literatura Review. Traditional and Systematic Techniques. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2011.

Kelle, Udo, ed. Computer-Aided Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.

King, Gary, Robert O. Keohane, and Sidney Verba. Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Page 35-49 and 76-91. 1994

Kirk, Jerome and Mark L. Miller. Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research. Newbury Park: Sage Publications, 1986.

Kitching, Rob and Nicholas J. Tate. Conducting research into Human Geography. Theory, methodology and practice, Harlow: Prentice Hall, 2000.

Leech, Beth. “Asking Questions: Techniques for Semistructured Interviews.” Political Science & Politics 35(4):665-668, 2002.

Little, Daniel. “Evidence and Objectivity in the Social Sciences.” Social Research 60: 363-96, 1993

Lincoln, Yvonna and Egon Guba. Naturalistic Inquiry.

Lincoln, Yvonna S and William G Tierney. “Qualitative Research and Institutional Review Boards”. Qualitative Inquiry 10: 219-234, 2004.

Lofland, John and Lyn Lofland, Analyzing Social Settings. Belmont CA. 1995.

Lofland, John. Doing Social Life.

Lundberg Craig and Cheri Young. Foundations for Inquiry: Choices and Trade-Offs in the Organizational Sciences. Stanford University Press. 2005.

Marini, Margaret and Burton Singer. “Causality in the Social Sciences.” Sociological Methodology 18: 347-409, 1988

Marshall, Catherine. Designing Qualitative Research, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1994.

Mason, Mark. Sample Size and Saturation in PhD Studies Using Qualitative Interviews, [63 paragraphs], Forum Qualitative : Qualitative Social Research , 11/3, art. 8, http:/nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs100387 (accessed 1 October 2010).

Maxwell, Joseph Alex. Qualitative Research Design: an Interactive Approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Maxwell JA. 2002. "Understanding and Validity in Qualitative Research," Harvard Educational Review, 62:3, 1992, pp. 279-300. reprinted in In Huberman and Miles(eds) The Qualitative Researcher’s Companion. Beverly Hills: Sage

Publications, 37-64.*

McCracken, Grant. The Long Interview. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1988.

Miles, Matthew B., and A. Michael Huberman. Qualitative Data Analysis. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1994.

Mishler, Elliott. Research Interviewing. Harvard University Press, 1986.

Morgan, Gareth and Linda Smircich. “The Case for Qualitative Research.” The Academy of Management Review 5: 491-500, 1980

Morse, Janice M. Critical Issues in Qualitative Research Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1993.

Morse, Janice M., and Peggy Anne Field. Qualitative Research Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.

Nielsen, Joyce McCarl. Feminist ResearchMethods. Boulder: Westview Press, 1990.

Noy, Chaim. “Sampling Knowledge: The Hermeneutics of Snowball Sampling in Qualitative Research”. International Journal of Social Research Methodology 11: 327-344, 2008.

Pfaffenberg, Bryan. Microcomputer Applications in Qualitative Research.

Punch, Maurice. The Politics and Ethics of Fieldwork. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1986.

Ragin, Charles C. and Howard Becker. What is a Case? Exploring the Foundations of Social Inquiry. New York: Cambridge University Press,1992.

Read, B., MacLean, L.M. and Cammett, M. “Symposium: Field Research: How

Rich? How Thick? How Participatory?” Qualitative Methods. 4(2) 9-18, 2006

Reason, Peter, ed. Participation in Human Inquiry: Research with People. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.

Reinharz, Shulamit, with Lynn Davidman. Feminist methods in social research. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Rose, Gillian. “Using photographs as illustrations in Human Geography”. Journal of Geography in Higher Education 32 (1):151-160, 2008

Roulston Kathryn, deMarrais Kathleen and Jamie B Lewis. “Learning to Interview in the Social Sciences”. Qualitative Inquiry 9: 643-668, 2003.

Rubin, Irene B., and Herbert J Rubin. Hearing Data: The Art of Qualitative Interviewing. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995 (August).

Saldaña, J. The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. 4th ed. Sage, 2021.

Sandberg, Jorgen, and Mats Alvesson. “Ways of Constructing Research Questions: Gap-Spotting or Problematization?”. Organization 18: 23-44, 2011.

Schaeffer, Nora Cate and Stanley Presser. “The Science of Asking Questions.” Annual Review of Sociology 29: 65-88. 2003

Schwab, Donald P. “Construct Validity in Organizational Behavior.” Research in Organizational Behavior 2: 3-43, 1980.

Schatzman, Leonard and Anselm Strauss. Field Research.

Scott Greg and Roberta Garner. Doing Qualitative Research: Designs, Methods, and Techniques. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2013.

Seawright, Jason and John Gerring. “Case Selection Techniques in Case Study Research: A Menu of Qualitative and Quantitative Options.” Political Research Quarterly 61: 294-308. 2008.

Siccama Carolyn and Stacy Penna. Enhancing Validity of Qualitative Dissertation Research Study by Using NVIVO. Qualitative Research Journal. Vol. 8 (2), 2008.

Singleton, Royce A. and Bruce C. Straits. Chapter 1 in Approaches to Social Research, Fifth Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Silverman, David. Qualitative Methodology and Sociology. Aldershot: Gower Publishing, 1985.

Silverman, David. Interpreting Qualitative Data. London: Sage Publications, 1993.

Silverman, David. Qualitative research: Theory, method and practice. London: Sage Publications, 1997

Spradley, James. Participant Observation.

Stefani Lorraine and Jude Carroll. “A Briefing on Plagiarism” (Assessment Series No. 10)., Learning and Teaching Support Network Generic Guidance, 2001.

Strauss, Anslem. Qualitative Analysis for Social Scientists.

Strauss and Corbin, 1998. Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procesures for Developoing Grounded Theory.

Swales JM and CB. Feak. “Academic Writing for Graduate Students”. Michigan Series in English for Academic & Professional Purposes. The University of Michigan. 2012.

Tracy, Sarah J. “Qualitative Quality: Eight “Big Tent” Criteria for Excellent Qualitative Research”. Qualitative Inquiry 16: 837-851, 2010.

Van Maanen, John. Tales Of the Field. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

Van Maanen, John. Representation in Ethnography. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.

Waller, Vivienne,Farquharson Karen and Deborah Dempsey. Qualitative Social Research. Contemporary Methods for the Digital Age. Thosand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2016.

Warren, Carol A.B. Gender Issues in Field Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1988.

Warren, Carol A. B. and Tracy X. Karner. “Analyzing Qualitative Data.” Pp. 187-218 in Discovering Qualitative Methods: Field Research, Interviews, and Analysis. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Publishing Company, 2005.

Weiss, Robert S. Learning from Strangers: The Art & Method of Qualitative Interviewing. New York: Free Press. 1994.

Weitzman, Eben A., and Matthew B. Miles. Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.

Yin, Robert. Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 4th Edition. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 2008.

Zimdars, Anna. “Challenges to Meritocracy? A Study of the Social Mechanisms in Social Selection and Attainment at the University of Oxford”. D.Phil.thesis, Sociology, University of Oxford, 2007.


La col.lecció de l'editorialSage "Qualitative Research Methods" inclou guies excel.lents, com per exemple:

Erickson and Stull, Doing Group Ethnography (#42)

Schwartzman, Ethnography in Organizations (#27)

Feldman, Strategies for Interpreting Qualitative Data (#33)

Gladwin, Ethnographic Decision Tree Modeling (#19)

Holstein and Gubrium, The Active Interview (#37)

Riessman, Narrative Analysis (#30)

Software

Microsoft Office o similar.

Nvivo/Atlas.ti

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 English first semester morning-mixed