PhD Courses in Denmark

Dates of the course: Week 25 (Monday June 15th, Tuesday June 16th, Wednesday June 17th)

Time: Monday 9 - 16, Wednesday 9 – 15. Self-study Tuesday.

Course description:

There are many books and articles that explain how to plan and conduct qualitative studies. Similarly, there is plenty of material that explains how to code, analyze and validate qualitative data. However, less attention has been devoted to how scholars can present their qualitative data in research publications and Ph.D. theses. This is a pity, because good visual presentations of qualitative data serve several purposes. First, they make papers more enjoyable and easier to understand. Tables, figures, drawings, and conceptual maps can liven up material, and break up long passages (walls) of text. Second, visualizations can add richness and convey information that may be difficult to express in words alone. Third, they can also maintain the anonymity of research participants in case of sensitive material. Finally, creating visual presentations can also be part of the analytical process itself and help scholars identify key concepts and relationships in their data.

In short, understanding and having practical experience with visual presentations can help researchers analyse their data, get published, and disseminate their results to a wider audience.

The course covers visual presentations from theoretical and practical perspectives. We will explore different ways of presenting qualitative data visually and discuss the purpose and consequences of these different forms of representation. Participants will gain insight into the purpose of qualitative studies and the role of theory and concepts in the research process. Through class lessons, examples, and discussions, participants will be introduced to various forms of visual presentations such as tables and displays, conceptual maps, process models, illustrated narratives and other types of drawings. Participants will gain practical experience with different forms of representation by applying them to their own data. Finally, participants will gain experiences on presenting their work and receiving feedback, as well as assessing and providing feedback on the work of others.

The course takes place over three days. Day one consists of lessons, group discussions and short exercises. The second day of the course is reserved for self-study. Here, the participants will apply the presented techniques on their own qualitative data. On the third day, the participants will present their visualizations and receive constructive criticism.

Exam and learning goals:

Through the presentations and discussions, the participants must demonstrate the ability to:

• Explain the purpose of qualitative studies, and the role theory and concepts play therein.
• Develop and present a visual presentation of qualitative data and argue for the selected representational form.
• Assess and evaluate visual presentations of qualitative data and offer constructive criticism to the work of others.

The students will receive a pass or fail grade based on active participation throughout the course as well as their presentations and feedback to each other.

Prerequisites:

The course is intended for PhD Students and others, especially Postdocs, from ITU, and other universities in Denmark and abroad.

Credits:

2.5 ECTS

How to sign up:

Students who wish to participate in the course must send an e-mail to Christian Madsen (chrm@itu.dk). The e-mail must include a brief cover letter (1 page) which presents their Ph.D. project, the research field the Ph.D. project is positioned towards, and what the data they wish to present. During the first day of the course the students will present their co-students’ projects to each other using these descriptions. During the third day, the students will present their visualizations and receive feedback from each other and the lecturer.

The deadline for signing up is: Friday May 22th (week 21)