Introduction/Overview

The course introduces you to various techniques and strategies for the writing up of your qualitative data.

After collecting and analysing our qualitative data we can be faced with vast swathes of data and excerpts which we need to make sense of and order appropriately in order to communicate a clear and engaging story to our audiences. Writing is also a vital means through which qualitative researchers make sense of and think about their data. Therefore, it is both process and product.

This introductory course is mainly suitable for researchers who have completed data collection or at the least are currently in the midst of data collection and/or analysis. It provides participants with the skills needed to write up and present their qualitative data and findings. In addition to presentations, this training includes practical elements such as workshop discussions, examples of qualitative data, and application of various strategies for writing up.

By the end of the course participants will have knowledge of various ways of writing up and presenting qualitative data and how this differs from the presentation of quantitative data. They will be able to align their writing to the principles of qualitative research in order to effectively communicate their insights.

Learning outcomes

• Understand the principles of qualitative writing;
• Have knowledge of the ways in which qualitative writing differs from the presentation of quantitative data;
• A practical exercise will enable participants to familiarise themselves with examples of qualitative writing;
• Be able to structure and organise a qualitative report;
• Have an awareness of the importance of reflexivity and ethics in writing up qualitative data.

Topics

During the course we will cover:

• Dealing with different forms of qualitative data;
• The challenges faced when writing up qualitative data;
• Explanation in qualitative research;
• Themes, categories, concepts and typologies;
• How to clearly display qualitative evidence in various outputs;
• Structuring and organising a qualitative report or article;
• The presentation of data - i.e. dealing with quotes and excerpts.

Who will benefit

This introductory course will be of value to researchers who already have a basic understanding of qualitative research but who wish to delve into the writing up of qualitative data in more depth. It provides a basic overview of the principles of qualitative writing and also more in-depth knowledge of various strategies for effectively communicating qualitative findings.

Course tutor

Karen Lumsden, PhD, is a qualitative trainer, consultant, and ICF qualified professional coach and mentor. She has over 20 years’ experience delivering qualitative methods courses and training to academics, PhD students, social researchers, and practitioners. She regularly delivers training courses for the Social Research Association, the European Consortium for Political Research, government departments, NHS Trusts, charities, police constabularies, and social and market research companies.

She also has extensive experience of the design and delivery of social research methods education and training for universities in the UK and internationally including, for example, the University of Auckland, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, King’s College London, Loughborough University, the University of Aberdeen, the University of Glasgow, Cardiff University, and University of Essex. She has held a number of academic posts including Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Aberdeen and Loughborough University, and Associate Professor in Criminology at the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham.

Over the years, Karen has been involved in a number of funded research projects and evaluations in social sciences, policing and health, for a range of partners and clients. She regularly undertakes research, training, consultancy, and coaching/mentoring on qualitative research for PhD students, social researchers, and research teams. In particular, she has an established reputation for her work in policing studies and online harm. She has published on qualitative methods including the books Crafting Autoethnography (Routledge, 2023) and Reflexivity: Theory, Method, Practice (Routledge, 2019). She is on the Editorial Board of the journal Qualitative Research. For more info see www.qualitativetraining.com

  This course contributes 6 hours to the MRS CPD programme

Looking to book for six or more people from your organisation? Contact [email protected] to ask about our in-house courses.