Qualitative Research in Psychology

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 6
• Convenor: Dr Joanna Farr
• Assessment: a 1500-word critical review of a published paper (50%) and a poster (50%)

In this module you will expand your understanding of qualitative research in psychology and its place within the discipline.

We will introduce you to key qualitative methods in psychology and you will take part in a practical component. There will be an emphasis on evaluating interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), but we will also explore other core qualitative methods.

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

• understand the qualitative paradigm, its core characteristics and contribution
• appreciate the relationship between research question, methodology and epistemological position
• identify the key methodological differences between the main qualitative research methods
• learn skills in conducting qualitative research, including interviewing and analysis
• appreciate how to devise different designs using qualitative methods
• assess and evaluate interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) articles using IPA quality criteria
• review IPA research articles comprehensively and critically.