Module ANTH4098: Professional and Qualitative Skills in Anthropology

Department: Anthropology

ANTH4098: Professional and Qualitative Skills in Anthropology

Prerequisites

• ANTH 2021 - Biology Culture and Society 2015/16 ONLY HUSS 2111 - METHODS & ANALYSIS II

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• Cannot be taken with: ANTH4018 Professional and Quantitative Skills in Anthropology, ANTH4048 Methods in Anthropology

Aims

• The aim of this module is to provide students with generic skills needed by all anthropologists for research, to give students a comprehensive view of qualitative field methods used by social sciences, including the collection, management and interpretation of qualitative data (transferable to specialist employment in all sectors), and to help students translate their anthropology training into skills for employment.

Content

• Advanced information and retrieval management skills.
• Searching and applying for academic funding.
• Public involvement in research.
• Academic conferences, presentations, and posters.
• Public communication of anthropology.
• Academic publishing.
• Statistical analysis in anthropology.
• Selling anthropology and skills: interviews and cvs.
• Relation of explanatory theories to methods of research.
• Ethnography and participant observation.
• Interviewing (semi-structured interviews, guided conversations, life history interviews).
• Focus groups and other group-based research techniques.
• Participatory methods (e.g. participatory mapping, ranking, etc.).
• Power relations and reflexivity in qualitative research.
• Management and analysis of qualitative data.
• Ethical issues in qualitative research.

Learning Outcomes

• Students should have received sufficient practical and theoretical training to enable them to continue to PhD level research or carry out applied anthropological employment in a variety of contexts.
• A comprehensive overview of qualitative field methods used by social scientists.
• A thorough understanding of the ways in which social scientists interpret ethnographic and other qualitative data.

• Students should be able to synthesise critically evaluate and present complex material, including data, models and theoretical arguments to academic audiences.
• To be able to use effectively a range of qualitative social research techniques, including ethnography and participant observation, individual and group-based interviews, and participatory research methods.
• To be able to analyse and interpret qualitative data.
• To understand the relationships between method and theory.
• To appreciate some of the ethical issues inherent in qualitative social research.

• Communication: Students should be able to express themselves clearly and concisely on technical topics, and explain why particular issues are important and/or controversial.
• Written communication skills: students should be able to produce a clear and well-argued research report.
• Students should be able to engage with applied issues and communicate anthropological issues to a public audience.
• Students should be able to engage critically with literature.
• Students should show reflexivity: reflecting on own research practice.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures, seminars and project work per nature of topics.
• Summative professional portfolio (5 assignments from 8) and research project.
• Students will be provided with formative feedback prior to submitting their summative assignments.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Written feedback on weekly professional skills assignments, 1000 word qualitative research project proposal.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University