Overview
A practical introduction to qualitative methods in psychology; focused on thematic analysis of interviews or focus groups; including considerations for kaupapa Māori or Pasifika qualitative research in psychology.
About this paper
| Paper title | Qualitative Methods in Psychology |
|---|---|
| Subject | Psychology |
| EFTS | 0.0833 |
| Points | 10 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $723.96 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Eligibility
Entry into Psychology 400-level normally requires a major in Psychology, a B+ average or higher in Psychology 300-level papers, and a pass in PSYC 311 Quantitative Methods. We highly recommend that students have completed PSYC 310. Students from other universities must show evidence of an equivalent level of competence.
- Contact
- More information link
View more information on the Department of Psychology's website
- Teaching staff
Lecturer: Professor Gareth Treharne
- Paper Structure
Example topics:
- Ethical considerations for qualitative research in psychology.
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi and ensuring cultural safety in qualitative research in psychology.
- Preparing data collection tools for qualitative research.
- Running one-on-one interviews and uiuinga.
- Running focus groups, wānanga, and Pasifika qualitative methods.
- Becoming familiar with data and developing codes from qualitative data.
- Refining and finalising codes.
- Developing themes from coded qualitative data.
- Refining and finalising themes.
- Presenting findings from qualitative research.
- Understanding sample size and what is essential to ensure high quality qualitative research.
Assessment:
- This paper is internally assessed and there is no final examination.
- The three internal assessments are:
- A written reflection on mock research activities: 15%
- A written summary of coding of self-selected publicly available data: 25%
- A results section based on self-selected publicly available data: 60%
- Textbooks
Required:
- Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE.
- Smith, L. T. (2021). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples. Zed Books.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Communication; Critical thinking; Cultural understanding; Ethics; Information literacy; Research; Self-motivation; Scholarship.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes- Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this paper will be able to:
- Have the foundational skills required to go on to conduct a supervised research project in psychology involving qualitative methods.
- Understand the nature of qualitative data and common methods of collecting qualitative data in psychology as well as the main components of qualitative analysis.
- Be aware of core principles of research ethics that apply to qualitative research in psychology, including cultural sensitivity in psychological research.
- Be aware of synergies between qualitative methods in psychology and culturally-grounded research practices in Aotearoa New Zealand whilst also understanding the boundaries to application of culturally-grounded practices by outsiders.
- Be able to plan and conduct core tasks within qualitative research, including preparing questions for interviews or focus groups, facilitating semi-structured interviews and focus groups, systematically coding qualitative data, developing themes from coded qualitative data, and presenting qualitative findings with appropriate evidence.