Metodologie qualitative: costruzione e analisi dei dati

Course Objective
The aim of this course is to provide students with the scientific knowledge and practical skills necessary for the design and implementation of a qualitative study. Students are expected to engage closely with different methodological approaches by reviewing scholarly studies but also developing an independent research project.
Course Outline
The course is divided in five sections: (1) Introduction to the logic and application of qualitative research, (2) Research preparation, notably how to design a research study, (3) Data collection, including different techniques for gathering data, (4) Data analysis, comprising positivist and interpretive approaches, (5) Ways of presenting research results.
The course will be primarily structured in a lecture format, familiarizing students with the key literature and methodological approaches. Some session will include critical presentations by students in which they discuss the research design of selected studies featuring specific methodological approaches. These presentations will be prepared in pairs. Throughout the course, students will also be expected to design an individual research project, which needs to be presented and justified in a written format.

Evaluation
The final grade will consist of the evaluation of periodical quiz (online or in class) on the main features of qualitative research (20%), the evaluation of group presentations on selected studies (30%) and the evaluation of students’ individual research projects and their justification (50%).
Background Literature

The following references are available in the USI library and can be consulted for deepening thematic areas or for developing individual research projects:

• Corbetta, P. Metodologia e tecniche della ricerca sociale. 2a ed. Bologna: Il Mulino, 2014.
• Denzin, Norman K et al. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. 4th ed., 2nd printing. Thousand Oaks (Calif.): Sage, 2011.
• Silverman, D. Qualitative Research: Theory, Method and Practice. [2nd ed., repr.]. London: SAGE, 2004. Print.
• Hennink, M. et al. Qualitative Research Methods. London: SAGE Publications, 2011.
• Schwartz-Shea, Peregrine, and Dvora Yanow. Interpretive Research Design : Concepts and Processes. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print.