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COURSE DESCRIPTION Prereq: consent of advisor; doctoral student. Introduces students to the principles, methods, and analytical techniques utilized when conducting qualitative research in social work and social welfare. (Y) COURSE COMPETENCIES AND PRACTICE BEHAVIORS FOR THIS COURSE 1. Have a beginning understanding of the philosophical issues and debates associated with qualitative research. 2. Identify the strengths and appropriate uses of qualitative research. 3. Compare and contrast the five major qualitative traditions (e.g., narrative, case study, ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology) and appreciate how qualitative research design and procedures vary by the research tradition or approach employed. 4. Understand the prominent ethical issues and concerns in qualitative research. 5. Identify issues of academic rigor and understand how to critically evaluate and enhance the “quality ” of qualitative research. 6. Identify and use the basic methods of data collection (e.g., in-depth interviews, focus groups, content analysis, and field observations). 2 7. Have a beginning understanding of how to prepare qualitative data for analysis and how to generate analysis units (e.g., codes, categories, memos) and procedures. 8. Understand how to summarize, compile and report qualitative research. 9. Be able to provide as well as to accept constructive critiques on qualitative researc