Reporting Qualitative Data

The course focuses on the techniques needed to explore qualitative data, how to plan your reporting, and display qualitative evidence in informative, interesting, and credible ways. It focuses on stand-alone and integrated mixed method reports. It is also intended to give you an appreciation of what qualitative research can be used for and how its findings can be understood and presented to a wider audience.

The course will be delivered through a mixture of taught sessions and practical exercises.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Understand the differences between qualitative and quantitative reporting.
• Plan and structure reports that include qualitative data or mixed-methods data.
• Report qualitative data as an individual or part of a team.
• Understand forms, styles, and conventions for qualitative reporting.
• Show that your qualitative evidence is credible, including by avoiding inappropriate quantitative language.
• Understand different ways of displaying and summarising qualitative data in written reports and presentations.
• Understand how to identify quality in qualitative reports.

Topics

• Principles underlying qualitative reporting.
• The relationship between qualitative analysis and reporting.
• Structure, narrative, and style,
• Techniques to help you plan and write more clearly.
• Why quantitative language should be avoided when reporting qualitative evidence.
• Different ways to report and display qualitative evidence.
• Different types of summaries, discussions, and conclusions.
• Markers of quality and credibility in qualitative research.

Who will benefit?

This course will be useful to you, if you:

• Are new to qualitative research, or about to embark on your first project.
• Have struggled to write clearly and succinctly when reporting qualitative findings, and would welcome tips on how to do so.
• Commission or manage qualitative research in central or local government, applied policy, or health sectors.
• Work in a different research discipline (e.g., quantitative research) and are about to collaborate with qualitative researchers, or use qualitative research findings.

NatCen Learning courses are led by experienced trainers and subject matter experts who work within the National Centre for Social Research. Every course is specially designed to encourage the effective transfer of theory to practice through encouraging participatory contribution.