Qualitative undergraduate project supervision in psychology: current practices and support needs of supervisors across North East England and Scotland

ABSTRACT

The dissertation is a core component of a psychology undergraduate degree, though very little research has been conducted into supervision processes at undergraduate level. This study examined the accounts of supervisors of qualitative dissertations in order to identify current practices of supervision and possible resources that might support supervision. Seventeen supervisors from psychology departments in North East England and Scotland were interviewed, and three main themes were identified using thematic analysis: the quantitative culture in psychology teaching, supervisors’ expertise, and the supervision process. Supervisors noted that students were typically constrained in their choice of methodology due to limited qualitative methods teaching, lack of training and guidance for supervisors, and concerns about the risks of demanding qualitative projects. Supervisors therefore often reported staying within their comfort zone, electing where possible to supervise only the methods that they themselves use. Recommendations for practical resources are provided to help support students and supervisors in the process of undertaking qualitative psychology dissertations.

KEYWORDS:

• Empirical project
• qualitative research
• research methods teaching
• supervision
• undergraduate dissertation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Gillian Hendry, Ryan Kelly, Robert McQuade, and Kim Singh for their research assistance at various stages of the research project. We are also grateful for financial support for this project, which was received from the University of Strathclyde’s Education Excellence Fund and Teesside University’s Teaching Fund. We would also like to acknowledge the support of members of the BPS QMiP Section’s Teaching Qualitative Psychology Group, formerly the Teaching Qualitative Psychology (TQP)/Teaching Qualitative Research Methods at Undergraduate Level (TQRMUL) Special Interest Group of the Higher Education Academy.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sally Wiggins

Sally Wiggins is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. Her research focuses on eating practices and processes—such as food preferences, satiety and disgust—and how these are managed discursively in everyday interaction. She is also interested in qualitative methods teaching and problem-based learning.

Alasdair Gordon-Finlayson

Alasdair Gordon-Finlayson is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Northampton, UK. His research interests include identity change in religious contexts, mindfulness, and the teaching of qualitative research methods in psychology, and he is interested in constructivist applications of grounded theory methodology.

Sue Becker

Sue Becker is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Teesside University. She teaches qualitative research methods and has particular interests in visual methodologies and semiotic analysis. Her research interests focus on humour in health-care interactions and joke-telling in stand-up comedy.

Cath Sullivan

Cath Sullivan is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK. She teaches qualitative research methods to undergraduate and postgraduate students and, along with her co-authors, has been developing resources and training to support lecturers teaching qualitative methods to psychology students for over 10 years. Cath’s research interests are mainly focused on social psychology, gender and mindfulness.