ASSESSMENT BRIEF
Subject Code and Title PUBH6013 Qualitative Research Methods
Assessment Assessment 2: Individual Research Proposal
Individual/Group Individual
Length 1, 500 words (+/-10%)
Learning Outcomes This assessment addresses the following learning outcomes:
a) Understand epistemologies as they relate to qualitative research and when to use qualitative methodology
b) Critically evaluate different theoretical and methodological approaches to qualitative research
d) Appreciate cultural and ethical considerations for qualitative research in Public Health
e) Understand sampling techniques, bias and rigour as they apply to qualitative research
Submission By 11:55pm AEST/AEDT Sunday of Week 7
Weighting 40%
Total Marks 100 marks
Context:
This assessment is prescribed to advance literature searching, critical analysis, research question development, research planning skills, and reflexivity as a researcher.
This assessment involves developing a research question, preparing interview and probe questions, identifying four people that you can interview on this topic (for example, your family or friends, colleagues), and reflecting on your motivation and justification of your research proposal.
It assesses the key understanding necessary for conceptualising and developing a qualitative research proposal, which will prepare you for the use of qualitative methods in research and evaluation as a public health practitioner.
There are three steps to completing this assignment.
Instructions:
Step 1:
Develop a research question (similar to the ones you have explored throughout this subject) that supports qualitative exploration of a topic of your choice. Review the materials from Module 1 to familiarise yourself with the scope and purpose of qualitative research.
Warning: Topics must be low risk. This means that the topic should not be likely to cause distress or humiliation, and should not focus on vulnerable groups (such as children or people with a disability). You should discuss with your learning facilitator if you are unsure whether your topic is suitable.
Step 2:
Write 6-8 interview questions that:
• Focus on obtaining information that will help you to answer your research question
• Are qualitative (focusing on experience, opinion, values, perceptions etc) in nature
• Comply with best practice principles for interview question design (Module 4)
Obtain feedback from 2 (two) people to refine and improve your questions, and keep records of this feedback for submission with the project proposal.
Step 3:
Write a research proposal for your qualitative project. You must include:
• A brief literature review to summarise the existing knowledge in this space, and justify your proposed project.
• Your research question and the knowledge gap that it will address.
• A summary of the key elements of the methodology that you think would be the most appropriate methodology to use to explore your research question (ie grounded theory, phenomenology etc), and why it is appropriate for exploring your research question.
• Your methods, including how you will select your participants (in this case, four people whom you already know) and your interview process.
• Your interview questions.
• A personal reflection on your motivation for exploring this research question, any ethical or cultural considerations for your project, and anything that could create a risk of bias in your data (ie interviewing friends).
• An appendix containing records of the feedback received on your interview questions (such as a copy of the interview questions with tracked changes).
• Your assessment submission must address all of these points
Assessment Criteria:
• Justification of your research project (30%)
• Summary of methodology and methods (40%)
• Reflective writing on motivation and potential for bias (10%)
• Use of academic conventions (20%)