Jonathan A Smith is Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck University of London where he leads the interpretative phenomenological analysis research group (IPARG) and teaches qualitative methods at all levels. Jonathan developed IPA as a specific qualitative methodology to provide detailed examination of personal lived experience. He has applied it to address a wide range of research questions in health, for example in pain, clinical genetics, therapeutic interventions. IPA is now one of the best known qualitative methods in the World and has been used by many researchers concerned with tackling issues involving personal lived experience.

In the class Jonathan will introduce IPA and describe its theoretical origins. He will give an example of IPA in practice from his own work and then take attendees through the steps in conducting an IPA research project: design, data collection, analysis, writing up. The class will include some practical exercises where possible.