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LU0091

The Process of Research: Qualitative Methods, Data Analysis and Academic Writing

The skills required to outline a convincing research design are some of the most crucial parts of the research that you will conduct. This is since research design forms the frame on which different other skills are assembled and connected to one another. This course is oriented towards helping you design, conduct and write up your research with a specific focus on the master thesis. In class we will discuss different approaches to research as well as problems, experiences and challenges which tend to surface during the research process. The aim is to equip you with methods, skills and tools that will help you make informed decisions during your own research and help you analyse and write academic texts. The course attempts to situate theory and methods across a wide variety of empirical settings from both the Global North and South and across contexts with examples from both rural development and environmental communication. The focus of this course is on qualitative research skills although we will discuss other approaches as well. We look forward to interesting discussions in class that will enable you to conduct and present your research in the best possible way.

Information from the course leader

Hi!

We look forward to seeing you later this autumn in the qualitative methods course LU0091. We are trying to figure out the new system of uploading literature lists to Ladok instead of Slunik, but meanwhile we post the mandatory literature here in case you want to prepare. In particular we will work closely witt the two books by Creswell& Creswell and by Robson (see full references in the list below)

Klara, Linus and Alejandra

Mandatory readings:

Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell (2018). 5th edition. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. The following chapters are mandatory: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. The rest of the book is optional. Other editions are also fine, but please note that chapter numbers refer to the fifth edition.

Bowen, Glenn A. (2006). Grounded theory and sensitizing concepts. International journal of qualitative methods 5(3), 12-23.

Jacobson, K. (2013). From Betterment to Bt maize: Agricultural Development and the Introduction of Genetically Modified Maize to South African Smallholders (PhD Doctoral thesis). Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala. Found here: https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/10406/1/Jacobson_k_130507.pdf (Section 2.2 as an example of a short literature review that points out a research gap)

Fischer, K et al. (2015). Social Impacts of GM Crops in Agriculture: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, vol. 7, no. 7, s. 8598-8620, 2015.

Robson, Colin. (2002). Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers. Wiley-Blackwell. The following chapters are mandatory: Chapter 2 on Approaches to social research, Chapter 3 on Developing your ideas, Chapter 4 on General design issues, and Chapter 10 on Ethical and political considerations, Chapter 18 on The Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative data. The rest of the book is optional. Other editions are fine, but please note that chapter numbers refer to the fourth edition.

Long, J. W., Ballard, H. L., Fisher, L. A., & Belsky, J. M. (2016). Questions that won't go away in participatory research. Society & Natural Resources, 29(2), 250-263.

Moon, Katie, and Deborah Blackman. (2014). A guide to understanding social science research for natural scientists. Conservation Biology 28(5), 1167-1177.

Prowse, M. (2010). Integrating reflexivity into livelihoods research. Progress in Development Studies, 10(3), 211-231.

Swedberg, Richard. (2014). The Art of Social Theory. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press. (pages 1 to 97 are mandatory, the rest of the book is optional).

Course evaluation

The course evaluation is now closed

LU0091-20214 - Course evaluation report

Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.

Additional course evaluations for LU0091

Academic year 2022/2023

The Process of Research: Qualitative Methods, Data Analysis and Academic Writing (LU0091-20064)

2022-11-01 - 2023-01-15

Academic year 2021/2022

The Process of Research: Qualitative Methods, Data Analysis and Academic Writing (LU0091-20131)

2021-11-02 - 2022-01-16

Academic year 2020/2021

The Process of Research: Qualitative Methods, Data Analysis and Academic Writing (LU0091-20131)

2020-11-02 - 2021-01-17

Academic year 2019/2020

The Process of Research: Qualitative Methods, Data Analysis and Academic Writing (LU0091-20040)

2019-11-01 - 2020-01-19

Academic year 2018/2019

The Process of Research: Qualitative Methods, Data Analysis and Academic Writing (LU0091-20106)

2018-11-05 - 2019-01-20

Academic year 2017/2018

The Process of Research: Qualitative Methods, Data Analysis and Academic Writing (LU0091-20029)

2017-10-30 - 2018-01-14

Syllabus and other information

Litterature list

Mandatory readings:

Below you will find the mandatory readings for the course. Please review **the assignments list document **for further reading instructions. The most important reading is found in the two course books (Creswell and Creswell; and Robson).

Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell (2018). 5th edition. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. **The following chapters are mandatory: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. **The rest of the book is optional. Other editions are also fine, but please note that chapter numbers refer to the fifth edition.

Bowen, Glenn A. (2006). Grounded theory and sensitizing concepts. International journal of qualitative methods 5(3), 12-23.

Jacobson, K. (2013). *From Betterment to Bt maize: Agricultural Development and the Introduction of Genetically Modified Maize to South African Smallholders *(PhD Doctoral thesis). Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala. Found here: https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/10406/1/Jacobson_k_130507.pdf (Section 2.2 as an example of a short literature review that points out a research gap)

Fischer, K et al. (2015). Social Impacts of GM Crops in Agriculture: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, vol. 7, no. 7, s. 8598-8620, 2015.

Robson, Colin. (2002). Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers. Wiley-Blackwell. The following chapters are mandatory: Chapter 2 on Approaches to social research, Chapter 3 on Developing your ideas, Chapter 4 on General design issues, and Chapter 10 on Ethical and political considerations, Chapter 18 on The Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative data. The rest of the book is optional. Other editions are fine, but please note that chapter numbers refer to the fourth edition.

Long, J. W., Ballard, H. L., Fisher, L. A., & Belsky, J. M. (2016). Questions that won't go away in participatory research. Society & Natural Resources, 29(2), 250-263.

Moon, Katie, and Deborah Blackman. (2014). A guide to understanding social science research for natural scientists. Conservation Biology 28(5), 1167-1177.

Prowse, M. (2010). Integrating reflexivity into livelihoods research. Progress in Development Studies, 10(3), 211-231.

Swedberg, Richard. (2014). The Art of Social Theory. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press. (pages 1 to 97 are mandatory, the rest of the book is optional).

Suggested readings

Most important are the readings for each of the mandatory assignments, see the assignments list document.

Below you will find the suggested literature in relation to some of the lectures. In addition to what is suggested, it is always relevant to read what the two main course books have to say on each lecture topic.

Week 1

Nov 1: Course Introduction

All readings for Assignment 1 are relevant here.

Nov 3: Why do we need theory and how is it connected to methods? ÖB

Suggested readings

Alvesson, M. and Sköldberg, K. (2017). 3rd edition. Reflexive Methodology: New Vistas for Qualitative Research. SAGE Publications. Chapters 1 and 2, p. 1-51.

Swedberg, Richard. (2014). The Art of Social Theory. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press. Chapter 1

Week 2

Nov 7: Methods for data collection an: overview, KF

Suggested readings

All readings for Assignment 3 are relevant here.

Nov 10: Power and participation, KF

Suggested readings

Long, J. W., Ballard, H. L., Fisher, L. A., & Belsky, J. M. (2016). Questions that won't go away in participatory research. Society & Natural Resources, 29(2), 250-263.

Fischer, K., Schulz, K., & Chenais, E. (2020). Can we agree on that? Plurality, power and language in participatory research. *Preventive veterinary medicine, 180 *(July 2020), 104991.

Chambers, R. (1994). The Origins and Practice of Participatory Rural Appraisal. World Development, 22(7), 953-969. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(94)90141-4

Week 3

Nov 14: Interviewing, LR

Suggested readings

Robson, Colin. (2002). Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers. Wiley-Blackwell. Read the section on Interviews and focus groups (in the fourth edition this is Chapter 12)

Nov 14: Observational methods and taking field notes Part 1, LR

Suggested readings

Madden, Raymond (2017). Being ethnographic: a guide to the theory and practice of ethnography. Los Angeles: SAGE (Read chapter 1 & 2)

Swedberg, Richard. (2014). The Art of Social Theory. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press. Chapter 2.

Robson, Colin. (2002). Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers. Wiley-Blackwell. Read the section on Observational methods (in the fourth edition this is Chapter 14)

Dec 14: How to write, AG

Suggested readings

Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell. (2018). 5th edition. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. Pages 80-88 on writing ideas

Week 4

Nov 20: Understanding others: crossing interpersonal, cultural and language and barriers in research, FH

Suggested readings

Flora Hajdu, David Neves and Stefan Granlund (2020). Changing Livelihoods in Rural Eastern Cape, South Africa (2002–2016): Diminishing Employment and Expanding Social Protection. Journal of Southern African Studies. 46 (4).

Nov 21: How can we understand smallholder landscapes better? Working with contrasts-, patches- and life trajectories approaches, KM

Suggested readings

Kristina Marquardt, Adam Pain, and Dil Bahadur Khatri (2020). "Re-reading Nepalese landscapes: labour, water, farming patches and trees." Forests, Trees and Livelihoods 29(4): 238-259

Nov 21: Ethics and reflexivity, KF

Suggested readings

All readings for Assignment 4 are relevant here

Nov 22: Interviewing and Observational methods Part 2, LR

Refer to suggested readings for the lectures on Interviewing and Observational methods Part 1.

Nov 23: Researching in the cyberspace: social media, search engines, blogs, and websites as research environment and/or data, MR

Suggested readings

Mayr, P., & Weller, K. (2017). Think before you collect: Setting up a data collection approach for social media studies. The SAGE handbook of social media research methods, 108-124. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781473983847.n8

Venturini, T., Bounegru, L., Gray, J., & Rogers, R. (2018). A reality check(list) for digital methods. New Media & Society, 20(11), 4195–4217. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818769236

Nov 24: Online data collection, MR

Suggested readings

Mayr, P., & Weller, K. (2017). Think before you collect: Setting up a data collection approach for social media studies. The SAGE handbook of social media research methods, 108-124. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781473983847.n8

Venturini, T., Bounegru, L., Gray, J., & Rogers, R. (2018). A reality check(list) for digital methods. _New Media & Society_, 20(11), 4195–4217. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818769236

Week 5

Nov 27: Using empirical data to theorise (or from theory to data and back again), PC

Suggested readings

Alvesson, Mats, and Dan Kärreman. (2007). Constructing mystery: Empirical matters in theory development." Academy of management review 32(4), 1265-1281.

Swedberg, Richard. (2014). The Art of Social Theory. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press. Chapter 4 and 5

Nov 27: Analyzing data – an introduction, KF

Suggested readings

All readings for Assignment 5 are relevant here.

Nov 28: Discourse analysis, KF

Suggested readings

Jørgensen, Marianne W., and Louise J. Phillips. (2002). Discourse analysis as theory and method. Sage, chapter 1 introduction

Suggested films

Aberystwyth University (2016). Discourse Analysis Video Tutorial. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYKuTHdFMPw.

Weaver-Hightower, Marcus (2015).* What is Discourse Analysis?* Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUeA0PEF_g4

Dec 1: Text documents, spreadsheets, QDA software: what to do with data? MR

Suggested readings

Jacobs, T., & Tschötschel, R. (2019). Topic models meet discourse analysis: a quantitative tool for a qualitative approach. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 22(5), 469-485. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2019.1576317

Hagman, J. (2021) Free Tools for Qualitative Data Analysis. ANSS Currents, 36(2), 10-23. Available on: https://acrl.ala.org/anss/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021-fall-anss-currents.pdf

Week 6

Dec 5:** **Representing dissenting views, KL

Suggested readings

Bourdieu, P. et al. (1999). "The Weight of the World: Social Suffering in Contemporary Society." Stanford, CA. Stanford University Press, pp. 1-13.

Landström, K. (2023). The Specter of Community: An Ethnographic Exploration of the Local Support for the Kaunisvaara Mine. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Chapter 11 on Ambiguity. https://doi.org/10.54612/a.3v36h1t9rk

 Week 7

Dec 11: How to design a literature review, KF

Suggested readings

Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell. (2018). 5th edition. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. Chapter 2 on review of literature.

Jacobson, K. (2013). From Betterment to Bt maize: Agricultural Development and the Introduction of Genetically Modified Maize to South African Smallholders Department of Urban and Rural Development. Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Read section 2.2, pages 28-32, found online here: https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/10406/1/Jacobson_k_130507.pdf

Fischer, K., et al. (2015). "Social Impacts of GM Crops in Agriculture: A Systematic Literature Review." Sustainability 7(7): 8598-8620.

Dec 13: Interpretive failures and empirical mysteries – to write about qualitative data, LH

Suggested readings

Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell. (2018). 5th edition. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications chapter 9, specifically parts on reflexivity and interpretation

Alvesson, M. (1999). Beyond Neo-Positivists, Romantics and Localists- A reflexive Approach to Interviews in Organisation Research. Institute of Economic Research Working Paper Series.

Course facts

The course is offered as an independent course: No The course is offered as a programme course: Rural Development and Natural Resource Management - Master's Programme EnvEuro - European Master in Environmental Science Environmental Communication and Management - Master's Programme The Master's Programme Sustainable Food Systems Agriculture Programme - Rural Development Tuition fee: Tuition fee only for non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens: 27500 SEK Cycle: Master’s level (A1N)
Subject: Environmental Science Rural Development Rural Development Environmental science
Course code: LU0091 Application code: SLU-20214 Location: Uppsala Distance course: No Language: English Responsible department: Department of Urban and Rural Development Pace: 100%