Welcome
I’m Dr Karen Lumsden – a social scientist with over 20 years’ experience using qualitative research methods to lead projects in academic and non-academic settings.
Whether through training, coaching, mentoring, or consultancy, when we work together you will learn how to implement qualitative research methods in an engaging, interactive, and supportive environment.
More than anything, I am passionate about making qualitative research methods accessible, to support individuals and organisations to apply them in real-world settings to inspire change.
Qualitative Research Services
Training
Small group training courses, delivered online or face-to-face, to help you improve your skills across various aspects of the qualitative research process.
Coaching & Mentoring
For PhD students, academics and social researchers feeling overwhelmed or stuck, I offer bespoke coaching and mentoring to help you move forward and achieve your version of career and/or research success.
Consultancy
From project design to data collection and analysis, I can help your organisation run a research project from beginning to end.
My Story
As a long-time social scientist working in academic roles, I have built up almost 20 years’ experience of delivering training and support on qualitative research and evaluation projects both within academia and through my work with various research organisations and stakeholders.
From the first day, I was hooked! I loved watching people look beyond the theory and gain confidence and understanding in the qualitative methods, so they could apply them in the context of their own research.
After several years of balancing training with my academic posts, I decided to go all in on offering qualitative training, coaching, and consultancy services to academics, organisations, and individuals.
My training is always insightful and encouraging, so people have the time and space to ask questions, share their challenges, and walk away with the answers they need to progress their research.
My work has been published as various outputs including: books, chapters, journal articles, reports, newsletters and blog posts, and I have extensive research experience in topics including policing, communities, victim experiences, social media, and cybercrime.
I have also written and published on qualitative research including the books: Reflexivity in Criminological Research, Reflexivity, and Crafting Autoethnography.
Previous Clients
Over the years, I have led research projects and trained thousands of individuals in qualitative research methods across academic institutions, corporations, and large-scale public sector organisations.
What My Clients Say
"Introduction to Autoethnography is a 6-hour workshop packed with valuable information, a comprehensive reading list, and engaging discussions. I highly encourage anyone considering writing autoethnographic research to attend Karen's workshop before diving into any form of autoethnographic writing. Karen's deep knowledge and passion for autoethnography are evident in every aspect of the workshop. The group discussions were dynamic and inclusive, allowing everyone to share their thoughts. I want to extend a BIG thank you to Karen and everyone in the group. I hope our paths cross again in the future."
PhD student, UK
“As an international doctoral student in the UK, I felt lost in my research at some point. Luckily, I found Karen and had a chance to have coaching sessions with her. We worked together on qualitative research skills, academic life, networking, and publishing opportunities. After the sessions, I felt more confident and knew what I wanted to do as the next step for my research."
Researcher, Lecturer and Consultant, UK/France/International
“A worthwhile and enjoyable investment! My coaching experience with Karen was timely, constructive, and concrete. Timely, because Karen was able to help me understand the particular academic context I was in and why. She walked me through approaches to refocus my attention and work on specific activities. She also helped me to reframe my different work streams and see the larger picture of how they fit together and collectively balance out. By raising key questions, she guided me in identifying evidence of my accomplishments. In the end, I now see opportunities instead of barriers, and can map out the next steps in my professional life.”
Get In Touch
To learn more about how Qualitative Training can help you or your organisation, please fill in the contact form here and I will get in touch.
You can also book a complimentary virtual consultation call using my Calendly.
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