Foundations in Qualitative Methods

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

144 hours per semester, including self-directed study and research

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject is aimed at students undertaking graduate research programs. The overall aim is to introduce students to core qualitative methods and techniques commonly used in management and marketing research. It provides students with a working knowledge of the spectrum of alternative approaches of collecting data (including case studies, interviews, ethnography, archival and documentary evidence, and physical and visual artefacts), and alternative techniques for analysing and interpreting qualitative data. Whilst this subject will not provide the depth required of a specialist in any particular technique, by the end of this subject, students will be able to read, unpack and critique a research paper using a particular qualitative method.

In this subject students will be able to:

• understand the range of qualitative research methods deployed in social and organisational research;
• articulate a qualitative research design appropriate to research questions examined by management and marketing researchers;
• interpret and critically analyse qualitative research papers deploying different qualitative research approaches; and
• present the results of qualitative analyses.

• Brief individual writing practice assignments totalling 1,000 words (2 x 500 words), due in the first half of the semester (20%)
• 3 hour (in class) test [mid semester] (40%)
• Class participation, throughout the semester (10%)
• Individual 3000 word research proposal, due at the end of semester (30%)

TBC

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Problem solving skills, which should be enhanced through the study of research design and research methods;
• Writing skills appropriate for the preparation of academic articles and research reports in Management and Marketing, including the doctoral thesis; and
• Analytical skills, which should be developed through the evaluation of quantitative and qualitative empirical research literature.