Lectures Advanced Research Methods
Blok 1: qualitative research methods
Blok 2: quantitative research methods (Dr. Paul Lighthart & Dr. Vera Blazevic)
Lecture 1: Introduction to qualitative research methods
Coordinator: Dr. Berber Pas ()
- Prepares you for your master’s thesis
What’s scientific knowledge nowadays?
What is knowledge that we all agree on and belief is the truth?
There are a lot of questions if scientists are able to give the truth → especially with Covid19
, The exam will be on campus in Nijmegen → dat betekent dat we een MC examen krijgen!
Self enroll groups for assignment part A, groups will remain the same for block 1 and 2
Literature: 11 chapters in the book! → see course schedule
Assignment qualitative method, block 1
Topic A: identity work
Topic B: routine dynamics
See assignment on
brightspace!!
You can send your research
question to the lecturer in
order for them to check if it
is okay or not.
Main part of the assignment
is coding the data →
handing in on the 2nd of
October.
Build a code book and
explain model in own wording, max 1 A4. Report must be max. 7 pages.
Final step: build theory/models based on the data, how do you come to certain conclusions. Write a
report and prepare a situation → present at Friday 16th of October in Nijmegen.
,Hand in report Sunday 18/10 before 23:59. Specific instructions regarding what should be in the
presentation on 16th of October will follow.
Report must be in English!
Introduction to philosophy of science (chapter 2 Symon and Cassell)
‘’It is better to choose a philosophy of science than to inherit one by default’’.
→ example: she showed a color and everyone has a
different truth about what color it is. This is an easy
example, in most cases it is harder to say if
something is true or not.
Is it real or is it only there because we talk about it?
‘’If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear
it, does it make a sound?’’
‘’Does the moon exist if no one was looking for it?’’
‘’If we don’t socially construct work stress and don’t
talk about it, is there then still such a thing as work
stress?’’
, The reality is nevery fully objective.
You can better see yourself as a
participant and see how you
played a role about how data was
analyzed etc. Or you don’t and you
use god’s eye frame of reference.
You stay as far away as you can.
God’s eye frame → you don’t use I
in the report.
If we can see something and touch it, it is more objective.
Positivism: the truth is what it is.
Relativism: there is no such thing as an objective
truth. What we define as truth is always something
that we socially destruct together.
Qualitative research mostly takes a relativism
perspective. Quantitative research takes the
positivism perspective.
The qualitative neo-positivism is in between.
Example: you conduct interviews, you count how ma
many times people say work stress is high. You draw a particular line and set up a norm, you say if it
has been said by 80%, you say yes there is work stress.
Blok 1: qualitative research methods
Blok 2: quantitative research methods (Dr. Paul Lighthart & Dr. Vera Blazevic)
Lecture 1: Introduction to qualitative research methods
Coordinator: Dr. Berber Pas ()
- Prepares you for your master’s thesis
What’s scientific knowledge nowadays?
What is knowledge that we all agree on and belief is the truth?
There are a lot of questions if scientists are able to give the truth → especially with Covid19
, The exam will be on campus in Nijmegen → dat betekent dat we een MC examen krijgen!
Self enroll groups for assignment part A, groups will remain the same for block 1 and 2
Literature: 11 chapters in the book! → see course schedule
Assignment qualitative method, block 1
Topic A: identity work
Topic B: routine dynamics
See assignment on
brightspace!!
You can send your research
question to the lecturer in
order for them to check if it
is okay or not.
Main part of the assignment
is coding the data →
handing in on the 2nd of
October.
Build a code book and
explain model in own wording, max 1 A4. Report must be max. 7 pages.
Final step: build theory/models based on the data, how do you come to certain conclusions. Write a
report and prepare a situation → present at Friday 16th of October in Nijmegen.
,Hand in report Sunday 18/10 before 23:59. Specific instructions regarding what should be in the
presentation on 16th of October will follow.
Report must be in English!
Introduction to philosophy of science (chapter 2 Symon and Cassell)
‘’It is better to choose a philosophy of science than to inherit one by default’’.
→ example: she showed a color and everyone has a
different truth about what color it is. This is an easy
example, in most cases it is harder to say if
something is true or not.
Is it real or is it only there because we talk about it?
‘’If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear
it, does it make a sound?’’
‘’Does the moon exist if no one was looking for it?’’
‘’If we don’t socially construct work stress and don’t
talk about it, is there then still such a thing as work
stress?’’
, The reality is nevery fully objective.
You can better see yourself as a
participant and see how you
played a role about how data was
analyzed etc. Or you don’t and you
use god’s eye frame of reference.
You stay as far away as you can.
God’s eye frame → you don’t use I
in the report.
If we can see something and touch it, it is more objective.
Positivism: the truth is what it is.
Relativism: there is no such thing as an objective
truth. What we define as truth is always something
that we socially destruct together.
Qualitative research mostly takes a relativism
perspective. Quantitative research takes the
positivism perspective.
The qualitative neo-positivism is in between.
Example: you conduct interviews, you count how ma
many times people say work stress is high. You draw a particular line and set up a norm, you say if it
has been said by 80%, you say yes there is work stress.
