Skip to main content
Unit outline_

FMHU3002: Qualitative Research Methods in Health

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit of study has three aims: First, to build on core units of study offered in Year One and Year Two to provide critical appraisal skills in reading and utilising qualitative research related to health behaviour and health care. Second, to understand the theoretical orientation of contemporary qualitative health research methods. Third, to develop skills in undertaking qualitative research methods. With a focus on applying critical and theoretical knowledge, the unit has a practical orientation and students will gain experience in techniques of observation, document analysis, in-depth interviewing and focus group interviews

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Health Sciences
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
HSBH1007 or HSBH2007 or FMHU2000
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
SCLG2602 or BACH4056 or HSBH3019
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Justin McNab, justin.mcnab@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Justin McNab, justin.mcnab@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation Online Tutorial Participation
Online Tutorial Participation
5% Ongoing Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO7 LO8
Assignment Assignment 1
Research Report
30% Week 07
Due date: 15 Sep 2023 at 23:59
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO8
Assignment Assignment 2
Project Report
30% Week 11
Due date: 20 Oct 2023 at 23:59
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO8
Assignment Assignment 3
End Semester Take Home Assignment
35% Week 13
Due date: 03 Nov 2023 at 23:59
1000-1200 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO8

Assessment summary

Participartion – engage in online discussion about the content of the unit with other students on the canvas site.

Assignment 1 – create a research journal, which reflects on your experience in carrying out two individual interviews.

Assignment 2 – create a research journal, which reflects on your experience in carrying out either an observation in one setting or visual data collection methods with one person. 

Assigment 3 – carry out a qualitative research method taught in the unit and report on the method, analysis and findings.

Assessment criteria

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Unless an application for special consideration or special arrangement has been approved, students must submit all assessment for a unit of study on the due date specified in the unit of study outline. If the assessment is completed or submitted within an approved period of extension by way of an approved special consideration application, academic plan adjustment or informal simple extension (approved in writing), no academic penalty will be applied to that piece of assessment. If an assessment is submitted after the due date (or extended due date as described above), the late submission of assessment will result in an academic penalty as follows: Written work submitted electronically after 11.59 pm on the due date will be considered to have been submitted late. For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to FMHU3002, Introduction to qualitative health research, Introduction to each other, Assessing qualitative research – an introduction Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO7 LO8
Introduction to Qualitative Research Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO7 LO8
Week 02 Research design 1, Introduction, Mixed methods, Self-reflexivity Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO7 LO8
Ethics Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5 LO7 LO8
Week 03 Interviews, Sampling Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Assessing Quality Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO7 LO8
Week 04 Research design 2: Narrative inquiry, Case study design Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Conducting Interviews Tutorial (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Week 05 Focus Groups, Validity Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Historical Studies Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Week 06 Observational research, Phenomenology Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Focus Groups Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Week 07 Ethnography Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO7 LO8
Observation Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 08 Visual methods Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Visual methods Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 09 Survey design, Grounded theory Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO7 LO8
Survey Questions Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 10 Analysis 1 - Documents Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO6 LO7 LO8
Text Based Studies Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 11 Analysis 2 – transcripts and notes Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO6 LO7 LO8
Qualitative Methodology Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 12 Knowledge transfer and presenting data Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8
Review Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Week 13 Review Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Wrap Up of Unit Content Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8

Attendance and class requirements

Two-hour lectures are given in a workshop format (Weeks 1-13), lectures will also be available online. Lectures will be recorded and the recordings placed on the canvas site.

Online tutorial participation will be in the form of online Canvas discussions.

Students are expected to participate in one online tutorial each week that they are offered (see lecture timetable below for details). Look at each week's module for the link to the discussion board subject, or go straight to the Discussions tab on the home page.

Due: Weekly, total of 12, 10 of 12 must be completed.

Value: 5% (0.5% for each of 10 online tutorial /discussion completed).

Online tutorials are not a ‘light’ option and you should make sure that you put aside around 50 minutes each week to complete your online tutorial activities, as you would for tutorials that are conducted in person.

An attempt at all assessments is compulsory in order to pass the unit. Failure to submit an attempt will result in an automatic Absent Fail (AF) grade for the unit.

The use of artificial intelligence content generators and tools (like ChatGPT) to create or modify assessable work is not permitted in this unit. Use of AI tools in the completion of any FMHU3002 assignment will be considered a breach of academic integrity, as per the latest Academic Integrity policy.

 

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand basic theoretical concepts in relation to qualitative research
  • LO2. critically appraise qualitative research literature
  • LO3. understand the principles of qualitative research design and implementation
  • LO4. understand and apply within practical settings a range of qualitative methods including interviewing, focus groups, observation, text and visual methods
  • LO5. demonstrate an understanding of the application of human ethics in relation to qualitative research methods
  • LO6. understand the principles of qualitative data analysis
  • LO7. interact with other students to determine appropriate uses of qualitative methods
  • LO8. engage in critical self-reflection about your actions with regard to understanding and using qualitative methods.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Updated lecture and online tutorial content

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.