METO0005-1 : Seminar on qualitative methodology

Study Programmes 2015-2016

METO0005-1

Seminar on qualitative methodology

Duration :

30h Th

Number of credits :

Bachelor in information and communication		3
Bachelor in information and communication		3

Lecturer :

Jean-François Orianne

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the second semester

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Course contents :

General objective: offer students practical training on qualitative research methods in social sciences.

Learning outcomes of the course :

The seminar is only intended for students in the bachelor in Information and Communication. Its goal is to teach students how to follow qualitative research methods in social sciences, and to offer support throughout a research project: defining a problem, collecting information (observations and interviews), processing the data (encoding, analysis, interpretation), writing a research report, and givng an oral presentation of the conclusions.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

General sociology Social and cultural anthropology Anthropology of communication

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

At the end of the programme, students will be able to:

understand methodological principles and research orientations
apply these principles to the analysis of empirical cases: defining a problem, gather information, process the data (encoding, analysis, interpretation)
establish links between various theoretical, methodological and empirical elements
produce a strong argument on a case analysis
write a report
make an oral presentation of research results

In order to achieve these objectives, the course follows two teaching strategies: getting students involved in collaborative work during seminar classes, and giving reading assignments.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Depending on the topics studied, the course will be offered either as lecture seminars or as discussion classes.

Recommended or required readings :

In terms of teaching aids, students will mainly draw upon a collection of working documents they have built in class. They can also use the reference manual by R. Quivy and L. Van Campenhoudt, Manuel de recherche en sciences sociales (Dunod, 2006), which teachers strongly recommend students read.

Assessment methods and criteria :

The student's work will be evaluated based on their oral presentation of a research problem and on their written project. The method of evaluation will be specified during the year, and it will include a written report on a specific problem. The written report shall not exceed 15 pages (excluding appendices; 12-point font; single line spacing), and will be turned in to the teacher by May 15. For the written research project, the evaluation will take into account: 1) the quality of the description of activities' framework (regulatory provisions, legal and/or administrative information, organisation chart, etc.); 2) the quality of the description of the project or activities observed; 3) the quality of the methodological approach; 4) the quality of the theoretical perspective offered (defining a problem, formulating questions and working hypotheses, etc.); 5) the relevance, consistency and originality of the analysis presented. In the second exam session, the evaluation will focus on the written project (deadline: August 15).

Work placement(s) :

Organizational remarks :

Contacts :

Jean-François Orianne
Sociologie de l'action publique et des problèmes du travail
Place des orateurs 3, BAT B31 (Quartier Agora)
4000 Liège
Office : 1.99
Phone : 04/366.30.49
jforianne@ulg.ac.be