Transcript Chapter 14 Analysing Qualitative Data

Chapter 14
Analysing Qualitative Data
Zina O’Leary
QDA
Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA)
creates new understandings by
exploring and interpreting
complex data from:
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interviews
group discussions
observation
journals
archival documents, etc.
without the aid of quantification.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
QDA
In QDA, there is a reliance on
words and images to draw
out rich meaning.
Analysis should be
approached as a critical,
reflexive, and iterative
process that cycles between
data and an overarching
research framework.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
Data Management
Managing qualitative data
involves:
• familiarizing yourself with
appropriate software
• developing a data management
system
• systematically organizing your
data
• making overarching notes
• preparing transcriptions
• and finally (if using QDA
software) entering the data.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
Logic and Methods
The methods and logic of
QDA involve:
• balancing creativity and
focus while uncovering
and discovering themes
that run through the raw
data.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
Logic and Methods
QDA involves:
• identifying biases and noting
impressions
• reducing
• organizing and coding
• searching for patterns and
interconnections
• mapping and building themes
• building and verifying theories
and drawing conclusions.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
Funnelling Towards Meaning
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
Cycles of Reasoning
Qualitative data analysis
often involves:
• moving through cycles of
inductive and deductive
reasoning
• thematic exploration (based
on word, concepts, literary
devises, and nonverbal cues)
• and exploration of the
interconnections among
themes.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
QDA
There are a number of
paradigm/ discipline based
strategies for QDA including:
• overarching methodologies
• content, discourse, narrative, and
conversation analysis
• semiotics
• hermeneutics
• and grounded theory.
Visual analysis intersects with all
of these and reminds
researchers of the importance
of images.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage
QDA Presentation
Effective presentation of
qualitative data can be a
real challenge.
You will need to have a
clear storyline, and
selectively use words and/or
images to give weight to
your story.
Zina O’Leary (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. London: Sage