The “Joan Eakin Award for Methodological Excellence in a Qualitative Doctoral Dissertation” promotes and acknowledges the achievements of doctoral graduates who have completed exemplary critical qualitative health research at University of Toronto. The award was created in 2011 and renamed in 2014 to celebrate Dr. Eakin’s contributions to excellence in qualitative health research education over 20 years at U of T. In the fall term of each year, CQ posts on this website a Call for Applications.
The award recipient is announced in the winter term and is invited to present their theoretically-informed methodological contribution at the opening session of the ‘At the Centre’ Speaker Series early in the subsequent fall term. An Award Certificate and monetary prize are conferred at that time. In addition, an announcement about the award recipient(s) is circulated through CQ mailing list and posted on the website.
To be considered, the graduate should:
- be a former University of Toronto PhD student who successfully defended their doctoral thesis within the last academic year either in a paper-based or traditional (monograph) thesis style;
- have conducted a qualitative research study for their doctoral work on a health-related topic (broadly defined); and
- have included in their dissertation dedicated papers/chapters that discuss, in-depth, the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of the research.
The award will be given to the graduate who best demonstrates in their work:
- Strong congruence between theory and critical qualitative methodology
- Strong congruence between critical qualitative methodology and research question
- Methodological innovation
- Depth and breadth of critical qualitative knowledge and understanding
- Creative, sophisticated and coherent deployment of critical qualitative methodological strategies and techniques
- Logical, clear and well-written and well-presented description of the critical qualitative methodology
- Critical and reflexive insight into the research process, including ethical considerations
- Critical consideration of rigour/trustworthiness as it relates to critical qualitative methodology
- Currency of references, especially in relation to substantive knowledge
Applications:
For traditional (monograph) theses, please submit the following:
- Completed application form (see below) including a brief paragraph (max 200 words) explaining the merits of the work submitted and its contribution to critical qualitative health research
- Abstract
- Table of contents
- Theory chapter (or section where theory is discussed)
- Methodology chapter
- Reference list from the applicant’s successfully defended doctoral thesis
For paper-based theses, please submit the following:
- Completed application form (see below) including a brief paragraph (max 200 words) explaining the merits of the work submitted and its contribution to critical qualitative health research
- Abstract
- Table of contents
- Stand-alone chapter(s) or section(s) that describe the overarching theoretical and methodological underpinnings of the research and how these were linked across the various papers
- Reference list from the applicant’s successfully defended doctoral thesis
The deadline for submissions is December 10th each year. The recipient of the award will be announced in April each year.
Please email submissions and/or any questions to ccqhr@utoronto.ca.
