IN5000 ¨C Qualitative Research Methods

Course content

In this course, you learn about different qualitative research paradigms and methodologies emphasising interpretive and critical traditions. You practice and mature your skills in qualitative research methods, preparing for your Master and PhD thesis work as well as for participation in systems development projects.

You learn to understand and apply the different philosophical assumptions underlying qualitative research, and to consider the strengths and the weaknesses of various qualitative research methodologies. Through different practical assignments, you gain experience from the different phases of qualitative research, including data collection, analysis, writing, and making a research proposal.

Learning outcome

After you have completed this course, you can

• explain and compare different qualitative research paradigms including the interpretive, critical, and positivist paradigms
• explain and compare different qualitative methodologies including case studies, action research, and ethnography
• explain and compare different methods used in qualitative empirical research in informatics including interviews and observations
• explain and illustrate the relationships between research questions, paradigms, methodologies and methods
• position and discuss your own and others¡¯ research with respect to the qualitative research paradigms
• make qualified and well-motivated choices of research methodology for your own research and assess others¡¯ choices of methodology
• perform interviews and observations and analyze the resulting empirical data

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

The course number is limited to 40 students (IN5000 and IN9000 together).

If the number of enrolled students is higher than 40, they will be ranked as follwed:

1. Phd students who has the course as mandatory
2. Master students in Informatics: Design, Use, Interaction master who has the course approved in their study plan
3. Master students in Informatics: Programming and System Architecture master with supervisor/master thesis in the IS research group and who has the course approved in their study plan
4. Master students at the Department of Informatics who has the course approved in their study plan
5. Others

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with IN9000 ¨C Qualitative Research Methods.
• 10 credits overlap with INF5220 ¨C Qualitative research methods (continued).
• 10 credits overlap with INF9220 ¨C Qualitative research methods (continued).
• 5 credits overlap with IN5250 ¨C Action Research Workshop.
• 5 credits overlap with INF9571 ¨C Action Research Workshop (discontinued).
• 5 credits overlap with IN4340 ¨C Engaged qualitative research methods.

Teaching

2 hours of lectures per week. The first lecture is mandatory. Discussion and group work. An oral presentation in class and seven group assignments must be submitted. Rules for mandatory assignments.

Examination

Oral exam. The oral presentation in class and the group assignments must be approved in order to take the exam.

It will also be counted as one of?your three?attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:?INF5220 - Qualitative research methods (continued),?INF9220 - Qualitative research methods (continued)?or?IN9000 - Qualitative Research Methods.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester. Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.