Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
Now available as an online or face-to-face course
This highly-regarded 5 day course will provide you with a good introduction to qualitative research methods using a combination of lectures, workshops and small group work, group discussions, and expert tutor feedback.
Delivered by qualitative experts, this training course will introduce you to a broad range of skills in qualitative research methods.
Designed to follow the research process, this course offers delegates a blend of expert lectures and interactive practical sessions on how to prepare to begin collecting qualitative data, and exploring underpinning philosophy and the use of social theory. Course participants will gain hands-on practical experience of different data collection methods. Participants are actively supported to develop their skills in qualitative data analysis, with a strong focus on thematic analysis. Throughout the course we consider core features of the research process such as reflexivity, and ethics and how to recognise and conduct ‘good quality’ qualitative research.
We think the best way to learn new skills is for you to be well supported by expert teachers and have a good opportunity to practice. Therefore, this course provides virtual practical sessions for participants to practise their interviewing skills, and analyse data. Participants have good opportunity to ask questions and receive individual feedback from tutors and will regularly work in smaller breakout groups with a dedicated expert tutor.
This course is particularly suited for people who are starting work on a project with a qualitative component, doctoral students at the beginning of their projects, and those who are thinking about using qualitative research methods for the first time. The course also provides a useful introduction or refresher for researchers, academics, or managers who are supervising students or those doing qualitative research projects. While this course is aimed at health and care professionals, and researchers, academics and postgraduate students working in health and care research, the skills developed on our course can be useful in many settings - so please ask us if you are unsure whether QRM is the course for you.
Teaching team
This course is led by a highly experienced and research-active teaching team. Our team have a range of specialities and skills spanning the breadth of qualitative research methods, ensuring that each session is led by a knowledgeable expert in the field. As well as being accomplished researchers, our team are skilled at communicating qualitative research methods in an accessible and clear way. Our tutors are friendly and approachable and will be available to offer delegates tailored feedback. Our participants regularly emphasise our teaching team as a highlight of this course.
Content
This course will include:
- Practical sessions focussing on data collection methods, including qualitative interviewing and focus groups
- Expert-led lectures on research ethics, underpinning philosophy, using theory in qualitative research and on sampling, recruitment, designing topic guides and data analysis (including an introduction to the OSOP technique) and on quality in qualitative research
- Small group sessions to practise coding and using thematic analysis
- Access to a range of additional resources including pre-recorded videos and reading lists
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will:
- Have an understanding of different approaches to, and the underpinning philosophy of, qualitative research
- Understand the key issues around recruitment and sampling in qualitative research
- Have developed skills to draft an interview topic guide/schedule
- Have practical experience of conducting in-depth interviews
- Have developed skills to begin to analyse qualitative data using a thematic approach
- Be able to discuss ethical issues associated with conducting qualitative research
- Be able to appraise the quality of qualitative research
We provide
- Access to the online learning platform (CANVAS)
- Online access to slides and materials
- De-identified data for you to work on whilst developing your skills
- Experienced, approachable tutors who are research-active
- An optional social programme throughout the week, including a guest speaker.
Booking:
ONLINE COURSE SPRING 23 - FULLY BOOKED
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IN PERSON COURSE SPRING 23 - FULLY BOOKED
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“This has been the most enjoyable course / conference I have ever done…the clarity, structure, notes, examples, practical sessions were brilliant. I came away inspired and happy”
“This has been a fantastic week, an excellent combination of theory and practice. I feel much more confident to go back to work on my project. This should be an example to others of how to run a course.”
“There have been several Eureka moments this week – it has brought clarity to many areas I had previously found opaque and scary. Similarly, it has injected a huge, massive amount of enthusiasm into my attitude to my PhD and career. Also, the social element was brilliantly handled; felt very much that this group gelled well. Looking forward to working with and seeing many people here again. A brilliant course.”
Course Leaders
and expert tutors from the Medical Sociology & Health Experiences Research Group team
Oxford Qualitative Courses
This highly-regarded programme is delivered in online and face to face formats to suit a range of learners. We use a mixture of lectures and small group work, delivered by our team of qualitative researchers from the University of Oxford’s Medical Sociology and Health Experiences Research Group. Our group has run these successful courses for over ten years alongside active involvement in qualitative research on a variety of different topics, ranging from studies of personal experiences of health conditions and of healthcare practice, to evaluations of organisational change. Our group also includes qualitative methodologists at the forefront of developing qualitative methods including conversation analysis and evidence synthesis.
Findings from our group’s research on patient experiences, together with supported video, audio and text extracts, have been compiled to form the multi-award winning heathtalk.org website. Our portfolio of research and expertise informs current local, national and international healthcare policy and research.
The syllabuses of our qualitative courses draw on a wide range of expertise from within our research group, including the disciplinary areas of medical sociology, anthropology, and public policy.
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