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%)

This module is especially suitable for those students wishing to expand their understanding of qualitative research in psychology and its place within the discipline.

The module includes an introduction to the key qualitative methods in psychology, accompanied by a practical component. There will be an emphasis on evaluating interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), but it 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.