Module POLM063 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
POLM063: Qualitative Methods in Social Research
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Qualitative research in social sciences: opportunities, challenges and prospects
- Research design(s) for qualitative research
- Logics of inquiry in qualitative research
- Traditions and techniques in qualitative research
- What is a case in qualitative research? How to select case(s)?
- What is data in qualitative research? How to collect data? How to triangulate data?
- The role of context in qualitative research
- Mixing data, mixing methods
- Validity and generalisability
- Ethics, transparency and reproducibility
- Publishing qualitative research
This module provides critical understanding of sound methodology in qualitative research. You are expected to engage, over the course of this module, with these core issues in qualitative research methodology in regard with one or several specific method(s) for qualitative research of your choice.
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 22 | 11x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided independent study | 50 | Directed readings |
| Guided independent study | 78 | Preparation of coursework |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
Other Learning Resources
http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=168656/
You can find lots of advice relating to essay writing at:
http://www.services.ex.ac.uk/cas/employability/askills/essay/index.htm
You can also find other useful advice related to general study skills at: http://www.services.ex.ac.uk/edu/student-learning-skills/resources.shtml
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research design outline | 500 words | 1-9 | In class |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Design | 70 | 2,500 words | 1-9 | Written feedback |
| Critical appraisal of empirical research design | 30 | 1,250 words | 1-9 | Written feedback |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Design (2,500 words) | Research Design (2,500 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Critical appraisal of empirical research design (1250 words) | Critical appraisal of empirical research design (1250 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
