Writing a Qualitative Paper
This course will run in our next programme of short courses.
We are updating this page. Currently the information relates to the last run of the course.
This course provides the practical tools and knowledge needed to write up qualitative research studies for publication. The focus will be on writing for publication in clinical journals, but many of the topics discussed will apply equally to writing qualitative research for any type of journal. The course will be a mixture of interactive lecture and workshop formats.
| Dates | Due to demand this course runs twice: 13 December 2023 7 June 2024 |
|---|---|
| Fee | £220 |
| Format | In person |
| Audience | Internal University of Bristol only (prerequisites apply) |
This internal course is open to UoB staff and students only. If you are unsure whether you are eligible to attend please contact us.
Course profile
Please click on the sections below for more information.
Structure
This 1-day course will take place in person for internal staff and students of the University of Bristol only.
[Note: This course is not recorded].
Intended Learning Objectives
By the end of the course participants should be able to:
- understand the structure of a qualitative article;
- identify your key message/s and target journals;
- identify elements that are needed to construct the sections of a well-structured manuscript (your abstract, introduction, methods, findings/results and discussion);
- have a better understanding of how to present qualitative findings (results) clearly and within a tight word count; and
- have identified some strategies to help you write.
Target audience
The course is suitable for people who have already completed or are well underway with their qualitative data collection and analysis. If you are not yet at that stage please consider booking onto a later course.
Outline
The course will cover:
- understanding the structure of a qualitative article;
- identifying key messages and target journals;
- key elements of writing a Methods section;
- presenting qualitative research findings within a tight word count limit;
- writing an engaging Introduction;
- writing a good Discussion;
- some things to consider when writing an abstract;
- writing with clarity for a chosen audience;
- submitting to a journal; and
- going through the peer review process.
Teaching staff
This course is taught by Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill.
Prerequisites
To make sure the course is suitable for you and you will benefit from attending, please ensure you meet the following prerequisites before booking:
| Knowledge | This course is only suitable for researchers who have already completed or are well underway with their qualitative data collection and analysis. If you are not yet at that stage please consider booking onto a later course. |
|---|---|
| Preparation | In advance of the course please identify one or two published articles that you think are good examples of the kinds of qualitative writing that you aspire to. |
Bookings
Before booking this course, please make sure you read the information provided above about the target audience and prerequisites. It is important that you have already completed or are well underway with their qualitative data collection and analysis. If you are not yet at that stage please consider booking onto a later course.
Bookings are taken via our online booking system, for which you must register an account. To check if you are eligible for free or discounted courses please see our fees and voucher packs page. All bookings are subject to our terms & conditions, which can be read in full here.
For help and support with booking a course refer to our booking information page, FAQs or feel free to contact us directly. For available payment options please see: How to pay your short course fees.
Course materials
A course handbook is provided. Please note that there are no recordings for this course and it is not available as a Materials & Recordings (UoB only) option.
Testimonials
100% of attendees recommend this course*.
*Attendee feedback from 2024.
Here is a sample of feedback from the course:
"Course was interesting and tailored towards our needs, small group felt easy to engage and share" - course feedback, June 2024
"The whole course was absolutely excellent and delivered in a very 'student focused' way while also meeting the learning objectives. Lots of opportunities to ask questions or discuss concerns" - course feedback, June 2024
"The course was really tailored to the individuals who attended and their goals" - course feedback, December 2023
"The whole day was really helpful, interactive and constructive" - course feedback, December 2023
"Teacher was excellent, made everyone feel heard and responses valid. Tailored the course to our goals really well. Lots of breaks made the course easy to digest and maintain focus" - course feedback, December 2023
"Rachel was amazing, so knowledgeable but also approachable and friendly. I loved the way she tailored the session to our individual objectives which she collected in the morning" - course feedback, December 2023
"I really enjoyed the focus on the course attendees research and the practical consideration embedded within the programme" - course feedback, December 2023
"The instructor Prof Rachel was very engaging and made her class a safe space for all of us present. I learned a lot on how to put together a quali paper" - course feedback, December 2023
"Brilliant course with so many practical takeaways for my writing!" - course feedback, December 2023
"All my expectations were exceeded and the instructor was exceptionally excellent in her delivery" - course feedback, December 2023
"Delivery style was brilliant and so engaging. It has given me the tools I needed to write for clinical journals. It was also really useful to discuss how to tackle reviewers feedback" - course feedback, December 2023
"It was all really useful but I think I have improved my confidence so feel able to consider writing and publishing now. Deconstructing the papers was really helpful, and tips about writing style were also invaluable" - course feedback, December 2023
"I found the exercise around titles particularly useful, as well as hearing about the nuances of trying to publish qualitative research" - course feedback, December 2023
"She did justice to the intricacies of qualitative writing and what to look out for when submitting to journals. The breakdown of qualitative articles we did in class was very helpful. It opened my eyes to the missing link in my own writing" - course feedback, December 2023
Bookings are currently closed.
You will be able to register with our booking system from midday 17 September 2024. Bookings will be accepted from midday 8 October 2024.
Alternative training
This short course is very popular and is often oversubscribed.
You may also be interested in the Medical Education Research online workshops on Writing for Publication & Conferences.
Writing for Publication Workshop Poster 2324 (PDF, 844kB)
PGR students may also benefit from the following:
The whole course was absolutely excellent and delivered in a very 'student focused' way while also meeting the learning objectives. Lots of opportunities to ask questions or discuss concerns.
Refreshments
For in-person courses we provide morning and afternoon refreshment breaks, including tea and coffee, biscuits and fresh fruit.
Lunch is not included, however there are a range of local cafes and supermarkets nearby.
If you have specific dietary needs we ask that you let us know in advance by completing the accessibility form in your short course booking account.