Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Social Sciences - YBLS007
Title: Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Social Sciences
Guaranteed by: Programme Liberal Arts and Humanities (24-SHVAJ)
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
Actual: from 2024
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 4
Examination process: summer s.:
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:0/2, MC [HT]
Capacity: unknown / unlimited (40)
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
Key competences:  
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Teaching methods: full-time
Level:  
Old code: YBAJ244
Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan
enabled for web enrollment
Guarantor: doc. PhDr. Marta Kolářová, Ph.D.
Teacher(s): doc. PhDr. Marta Kolářová, Ph.D.
Class: Courses unavailable to incoming students
Incompatibility : YBAJ244
Pre-requisite : YBAJ001
Examination dates   SS schedule   Noticeboard   
Annotation -
Do you want to try out qualitative research methods in the real world? Understand the differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods in Social Sciences? Learn how to conduct an interview, observation or a focus group? Understand and analyse the perception of other people? This introductory course is designed for students from 2nd to 4th semester, and it has three primary aims: 1. It aims to give students a grounding in the theoretical and practical application of qualitative research methods in the social sciences. 2. The course will prepare students for the methodological part of the Comprehensive Exam in Social Sciences (CESS). 3. Completing this course offers a first step towards the skills students need to design and conduct their own research.
Last update: Horáčková Karolína, Bc. (23.12.2024)
Course completion requirements -

Students are expected to attend at least 75% of sessions and actively participate in class.
Students will work individually and in small groups. The course work is designed as continuous; students practice specific techniques (sampling, interviewing, focus groups) and submit partial assignments (research questions, field notes, data analysis etc.) during the semester.

Evaluation of tasks:

100-90 % = 1

89-75 % = 2

74-60 % = 3

less than 60 % = not pass

Last update: Kolářová Marta, doc. PhDr., Ph.D. (28.03.2025)
Syllabus -

(1) Introduction: What is meant by ‘social research’? Why do social research? Differences between qualitative and quantitative research, inductive and deductive reasoning
(2) Qualitative research in the social sciences: background, designs, approaches, techniques. The research process in qualitative research: relationship between data and theory, triangulation
(3) Formulating the research question in qualitative research. Sampling
(4) Observation: ethnography, participant observation, role of the observer, field notes, netnography
(5) Types of interviews. Conducting an in-depth, semistructured interview for qualitative research: types of questions and interview guide
(6) Group interviews: focus groups, preparation, moderating discussion, analysis
(7) Analysing documents: media research, online research and qualitative content analysis
(8) Data analysis in qualitative research: brief introduction and practical examples. Data coding
(9) Using software in qualitative analysis (CAQDAS)
(10) Research ethics
(11) Writing the final research report. Presentation of qualitative research

Last update: Horáčková Karolína, Bc. (23.12.2024)
Learning resources -

Bryman, A. 2012. Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Denzin, N. K.; Y. S. Lincoln (eds) 2018. The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. London: Sage.
Schreier, M. 2014. “Qualitative Content Analysis”. In Flick U (ed.), The SAGE Handbook on Qualitative Data Analysis. London: Sage, 170-183.

Presentations, assignments and detailed information is in Moodle.

https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=16402

Last update: Kolářová Marta, doc. PhDr., Ph.D. (26.02.2025)