Research Skills Article

Extracts from a lecture by Graham R Gibbs about the issues surrounding transcribing qualitative data such as interviews and a discussion of different ways to transcribe.

A series of lectures given to postgraduate (graduate) students at the University of Huddersfield about social research methods and research design. Topics covered include issues of the quality of both qualitative and quantitative research including reliability, validity, generalizability, trustworthiness credibility and consistency. The key designs of surveys, experiments and case studies are examined and then a range of forms of data collection, including, questionnaires, interviews, documents, ethnography, repertory grids, and diaries are discussed.

This guide was developed to support individuals and organisations collecting and using, or planning to collect and use, personal outcomes data. Personal outcomes data refers to information gathered from people supported by health and social services and their unpaid carers about what’s important to them in their lives and the ways in which they would like to be supported. An outcomes-focused approach
represents a shift in the way services are designed and delivered by putting the person at the centre of the support they receive. The approach calls for a focus on gathering, using and integrating qualitative (eg narrative, personal stories) as well as quantitative (eg numbers, statistics) data which can be challenging.