SOCY 619 - Qualitative Methods in Social Research

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This course will focus on the styles of research, analysis and epistemologies associated with qualitative research in the applied social and policy sciences. As an increasingly important mode of inquiry, qualitative, multi-method approaches are particularly relevant to the study of social interaction and behavior in natural settings. Qualitative approaches involve collecting and analyzing empirical information from multiple sources, such as first-person accounts, life histories, visual/printed records, semi-structured and open-ended interviews, informal and formal observations, and biographical and autobiographical materials. Students in the course will learn how to design, collect and analyze qualitative information by conducting a small, semester-long study. Sections of the research project will be prepared, presented and evaluated throughout the course.