Qualitative Research Methodology Course

Traditional training – (3 days, R9,800.00 excl. VAT)
Online training – (2 weeks, R5,500.00 excl. VAT)

About This Course

Qualitative research provides richness, contextual understanding and depth to any research question. Researchers tend to veer away from qualitative research as a research methodology because it is a seemingly complicated research approach. But it doesn’t have to be.

Qualitative research is important because it seeks to describe, understand and explain human behaviour. Qualitative research is used to answer many research questions that quantitative research cannot answer. When paired with quantitative research, it is especially powerful for understanding behaviour, experiences, motivation and complex socio-political concepts such as power, gender or race in a more nuanced way. Qualitative research can be used to understand the research setting, improve design and tools, as well for triangulation: better understanding, insight and interpretation of quantitative research findings. Therefore researchers, including quantitative researchers, should become skilled at qualitative methods.

Course Content

This course has a significant amount of group exercises, including classroom and take-home exercises, which culminate in each team of participants working together and presenting a final report. The course structure is summarised below. However, we can make specific changes to the contents if the client has special interest that they want covered.

Traditional Course Content

Online Course Content

Traditional Course Content

i

Day 1 – Fundamentals of qualitative research methodology

An Introduction to qualitative research
When to use qualitative research
Understanding of triangulation

i

Day 2 - Qualitative data collection methods

In-depth interviews
Life history interviews
Focus group discussions
Most significant change methodology
Participant observation

i

Day 3 - Qualitative data analysis

Qualitative data analysis
Data synthesis
Ensuring data quality
Writing up results

Online Course Content

i

Week 1 – Fundamentals of qualitative research methodology

An Introduction to qualitative research
When to use qualitative research
Understanding of triangulation

i

Week 2 - Qualitative data collection methods

In-depth interviews
Life history interviews
Focus group discussions
Most significant change methodology
Participant observation

i

Week 3 - Qualitative data analysis

Qualitative data analysis
Data synthesis
Ensuring data quality
Writing up results

Course outcomes

The course objectives include helping participants achieve the overall understanding of qualitative research methodology, when to use qualitative research, key data-gathering methods in qualitative research, drafting of data tools, ensuring data quality in qualitative research, data synthesis and analysis.