Assessment 1: Qualitative Data Analysis Report:
Students’ experiences of work during the Covid-19 crisis.
Due: XXXXX
Length: 1,500 words, plus appendices and references (not included in the wordcount)
Outline of the task
Your task is to write a research design & data analysis report for a qualitative project. This
assessment mirrors the type of information that is presented in the ‘methods’ section of academic
journal papers, government reports, management & business consultancy reports, and other
documents which are based on research.
The qualitative research that you will report on is on one of two topics, either: students’ experiences
of negotiating work and study’ or ‘Students’ career aspirations post-study’. Your report will
outline the research design, and present key findings.
This assessment is designed to meet the module learning outcomes. Your assessment should include
the following 5 components:
1. Describe the qualitative methodological paradigm, and its underpinning philosophical
assumptions, its strengths and limitations.
2. Describe the research sample.
3. Design research instruments (i.e. interview schedule).
4. Conduct basic qualitative analyses.
5. Generate evidence-based conclusions, decisions and recommendations.
Guidance – taking it step-by-step.
In order to meet these 5 components, you will be guided, week-by-week in each the workshops,
through each of the research stages.
• Workshop 1 & 2 outline the philosophy of research, and the principals of qualitative research.
By participating in these workshops you will be able to complete component 1 of the
assessment.
• Workshop 3 outlines research design, focusing on research samples. By participating in this
workshop, you will be able to describe component 2 of the assessment.
• Workshop 4 focused on developing an interview schedule (the questions you will ask your
interview participant). You will develop questions on students’ experiences of work during the
Covid-19 crisis. This task will be completed in the workshop, and you should include it as an
appendix to evidence component 3.
• Workshop 5 requires you to use the schedule you developed in the last session to interview
a classmate about their experiences of work during the Covid-19 crisis. This workshop will
create some of the data you will analyse in the following week.
• Workshop 6 looks at transcription (writing out what was said by the interviewee). This will be
combined with another transcript (from ‘Jay’ – which is on Moodle). This workshop will help
you complete component 4.
• Workshop 7: In this session we describe now to present qualitative evidence from the two
transcripts, and draw evidence-based conclusions. This workshop will allow you to complete
component 5.
Some helpful pointers:
• This assessment is a mini research project. It is going to be extremely difficult to complete this
in a single day. Do not leave this assessment to the last day before starting to work on it.
• After each workshop you will be given clear instructions on what you can do to help boost
your grades. You may be given specific tasks to complete or chapters to read. Please ensure
that you do this to maximise your grades.
• You should least 5 academic references to support your assessment submission, which can
include the core textbook. Do not reference random websites. Use quality references.
• There is a template on Moodle which provides an outline of how your assessment should be
structured. Please consider using this template to help structure your writing so that you are
including all the 5 components requires for this submission.
Formative assessment
• Between weeks 4-6 you will design an interview schedule, use that schedule to interview a
classmate, transcribe and code the interview. It is important that you complete these tasks
(see Moodle for each of these tasks in their respective weeks), and take onboard any
guidance and advice provided by your tutor.
• In week 6 you will be invited to a feedback workshop with you tutor. You should come
prepared with your interview material (the schedule and a coded transcript) as well a 1 page
outline of the key points of your assessment.