Transcript Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative Data
Analysis
Neuman and Robson Ch. 15
Analyzing Qualitative Data
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1. Read through your data and identify
themes.
2. Identify important sub-themes.
3. Ensure consistency in the themes.
4. Confirm depth of themes.
5. Assign codes.
Coding
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3 stages of analysis in coding
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1. Open coding: Find conceptual categories in the
data
2. Axial coding: Look at relationship between the
categories
3. Selective coding: To account for relationships,
find core categories.
Overview of the Process
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An acknowledgment of the researchers’ bias
Selection of a data collection site
Data collection process, concurrent with….
Coding and analysis:
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Open and axial coding, employing constant comparison
and memoing, resulting in themes, sub-categories, and
core categories
Selective coding, also using constant comparison and
memoing, resulting in dense, saturated core categories.
Theoretical coding: core categories are sorted
theoretically and cross-referenced with literature.
The result is a basic social process and a
theoretical model.
Continued on next slide
Continued on next slide
(Source: Jones and Alony, 2011)
Analytic Memo Writing
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Essential aspect of coding process
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Made up of reflections and ideas about
coding
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Creates the link between raw data or
evidence and formal theorizing and
hypothesis creation
Analytic Strategies
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Narrative approach: detailed narrative of field
experience
Ideal types: (Weber) compare ideal forms
(i.e. suggested by theory) to empirical
observations
Successive Approximation: move back and
forth between theory and data until theory (or
generalization) is perfected
Illustrative Method: find empirical examples in
the data to support the theory
Other Strategies:
Method of Constant Comparison
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Look for indicators of categories in events and
behavior - name them and code them on
document(s)
Compare codes to find consistencies and differences
Consistencies between codes (similar meanings or
pointing to a basic idea) reveals categories. So need
to categorize specific events
Create memos on the comparisons and emerging
categories
Eventually category saturates when no new codes
related to it are formed
Certain categories become more central focus - axial
categories and perhaps even core category.
Other (cont.):
Analytic Induction
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Look at event and develop a hypothetical
statement of what happened.
Look at another similar event and see if it fits
the hypothesis. If it doesn't, revise
hypothesis.
Look for exceptions to hypothesis, when find
it, revise hypothesis to fit all examples
encountered.
Eventually will develop a hypotheses that
accounts for all observed cases.
Computer Software
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Note that there are free demos of NVivo
and XSight at:
http://www.qsrinternational.com/products_freetrial-software.aspx