Yogyakarta, November 28, 2025 – The Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, held a Guest Lecture for the Research Methodology Course, featuring Shahrin Shahab, M.A., PhD Candidate and Graduate Teaching Assistant at the School of Public Policy, Oregon State University, USA, as the guest speaker. This activity was carried out to strengthen students’ understanding of various research approaches, particularly qualitative research methodology, which is increasingly relevant to agricultural socioeconomic studies.
In the material titled “Qualitative Research Methodology,” Shahrin Shahab explained the basics of qualitative research, which focuses on understanding the meanings, experiences, and perspectives of individuals and groups in social settings. He emphasized that qualitative research is interpretive, naturalistic, and flexible, with the researcher serving as the primary instrument. Students were introduced to the fundamental differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches in terms of philosophy, research flow, and analysis objectives.
The material then reviewed various data collection methods, such as interviews, focus group discussions, and observations, followed by an in-depth session on coding, theme development, and techniques for building narrative data-based arguments. The speakers also emphasized the importance of research ethics, including informed consent, reflexivity, and the researcher’s responsibility to maintain authentic and trustworthy interpretations.
This guest lecture supports several SDGs, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), by increasing students’ research capacity to produce relevant, high-quality scientific work. In addition, understanding qualitative methodology is crucial for advancing research on food security (SDG 2), social inequality (SDG 10), and sustainable community development (SDG 11), which require a deep understanding of communities’ behavior, decisions, and experiences in the agricultural sector.
Author : Aprilia Dwi Hastuti
Admin of the Website for the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, UGM