This course is part of the Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

4.6
stars
1,180 ratings

Gerben Moerman

91,062 already enrolled

Offered By

Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences SpecializationUniversity of Amsterdam

About this Course

55,723 recent views

In this course you will be introduced to the basic ideas behind the qualitative research in social science. You will learn about data collection, description, analysis and interpretation in qualitative research. Qualitative research often involves an iterative process. We will focus on the ingredients required for this process: data collection and analysis.
You won't learn how to use qualitative methods by just watching video's, so we put much stress on collecting data through observation and interviewing and on analysing and interpreting the collected data in other assignments.
Obviously, the most important concepts in qualitative research will be discussed, just as we will discuss quality criteria, good practices, ethics, writing some methods of analysis, and mixing methods.
We hope to take away some prejudice, and enthuse many students for qualitative research.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 5 in the

Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

Intermediate Level

Approx. 24 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 5 in the

Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

Intermediate Level

Approx. 24 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.78/5 (215 Ratings)

Gerben Moerman

Dr.

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

91,062 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Amsterdam

A modern university with a rich history, the University of Amsterdam

(UvA) traces its roots back to 1632, when the Golden Age school Athenaeum Illustre was established to train students in trade and philosophy. Today, with more than 39,000 students, 5,000 staff and 285 study programmes (Bachelor's and Master's), many of which are taught in English, and a budget of more than 600 million euros, it is one of the largest comprehensive universities in Europe. It is a member of the League of European Research Universities and also maintains intensive contact with other leading research universities around the world.

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(19,396 ratings)

Week

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Philosophy of Qualitative Research

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 61 min), 12 readings, 1 quiz

8 videos

1.0 Introduction6m

1.1 On Elephants10m

1.2 Ontology for social actors6m

1.3 Ontology for social researchers4m

1.4 Epistemology8m

1.5 Hermeneutics7m

1.6 Phenomenology10m

1.7 Pragmatism5m

12 readings

A very warm welcome to Qualitative Research Methods!10m

Course description10m

Prerequisite knowledge needed10m

Course Structure10m

Standing on shoulders of giants10m

Team10m

On Elephants10m

Slides10m

References10m

How to never emerge from the library again...10m

Slides10m

References10m

Week

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Observation

4 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 78 min), 10 readings, 1 quiz

9 videos

2.1 Ethnography5m

2.2 Participant Observation13m

2.3 Views on Observation9m

2.4 Observational Focus7m

2.5 Cyclists in Amsterdam6m

2.6 Privatizing Public Space11m

2.7 Field Notes7m

2.8 Fieldwork organisation6m

2.9 Observation and Interpretation8m

10 readings

Background of observation as a method10m

Slides10m

References10m

Focus and the assignment10m

Slides10m

References10m

Note taking and Interpreting10m

Slides10m

References10m

Peer Review: Assignment B: instructions10m

Week

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Good Practices & Criteria

4 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 89 min), 9 readings, 2 quizzes

9 videos

3.1 Flexibility10m

3.2 Triangulation8m

3.3 Abduction25m

3.4 Focus on Details and Context5m

3.5 Look for Contradiction6m

3.6 Reflexivity7m

3.7 How Many Cases Are Enough5m

3.8 Theoretical Saturation7m

3.9 Criteria For Research Quality12m

9 readings

Good practices10m

Slides10m

References10m

Selecting Cases10m

Slides10m

References10m

Criteria for Research Quality10m

Slides10m

References10m

2 practice exercises

Practice quiz30m

Midterm exam30m

Week

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Qualitative Interviewing

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 62 min), 9 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 5

4 hours to complete

Qualitative Analysis

4 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 54 min), 10 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 6

4 hours to complete

Writing, mixing & ethics

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 59 min), 12 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 7

10 minutes to complete

Catch up week

10 minutes to complete

1 reading

Week

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Exam week

This is the final module, where you can apply everything you've learned up until now in the final exam. Please note that you can only take the final exam once every day, so make sure you are fully prepared to take the test. Please follow the honor code and do not communicate or confer with others taking this exam. Good luck! Once you've taken the exam, please consider doing the other courses in our specialisation track. I hope it was an enjoyable experience. If it was, please consider joining in with the Massive Open Online Research by my colleague Christian Bröer. Thanks for all your hard work, feedback and interpretations, the course team and your fellow learners really appreciate it!

1 hour to complete

Reviews

4.6

407 reviews

5 stars
73.01%
4 stars
18.79%
3 stars
4.17%
2 stars
2.25%
1 star
1.75%

TOP REVIEWS FROM QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

by KOMay 28, 2017

Great course with a solid introduction to qualitative research methods. Loved the enthusiasm in the videos and the assignments were practical and great practice to use the methods taught.

by VKNov 10, 2020

An interesting take on qualitative methodology. The exams are some-what tough, compared to many other coursera courses. The teacher is very enthusiastic and has a clear idea about his topic.

by MCMay 4, 2020

A special shout-out to the professor, Gerben Moerman, to his passion, his enthusiasm and his teaching methodology. It made the course ever more enjoyable and the topics easily learnable!

by ASJan 21, 2022

It was a quite long journey, but I could learn a lot. Thanks to sir Gerben Moerman for your enthusiastic class. Right through the sessions you kept us awake not to fall into sleep.

View all reviews

About the Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization

Identify interesting questions, analyze data sets, and correctly interpret results to make solid, evidence-based decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Build employee skills, drive business results

Discover Coursera for Business

Qualitative Research Methods

About this Course