Qualitative Data Analysis Flashcards
T/F? Qualitative analysis is systematic and logically rigorous.
True
In general, what does qualitative analysis entail?
- Based in detailed data (may use grounded theory)
- Sensitive to context
- Capable of showing complexities of social life
What are the similarities to quantitative analysis?
- Use data reduction techniques in order to make statements about social life
- Data reduction: analytic process of going from a large collection of data to a more generalizable statements about social life - Make inferences from patterns in empirical observations to social life
- Use of reasoning to reach a conclusion based on evidence - Analysis is based on comparisons
- Locate processes and causal linkages in the data
- Strive to avoid errors, false conclusions, and misleading inferences
- Reveal their study design to the public
What are the differences from quantitative analysis?
- Epistemology/ontology (positivist for quantitative VS interpretivist for qualitative)
- Data form (numbers VS words/symbols)
- Analytic techniques (specialized/standardized statistical techniques VS unstandardized)
- Timing of data analysis (after data collection VS during data collection)
- Test hypotheses VS using evidence to demonstrate a particular interpretation is plausible
- Approach to theorizing (deduction VS induction)
- Sampling (probability VS nonprobability)
- Assessments of research (reliability/validity VS trustworthiness)
- Concepts (operationalized with quantitive measurements VS abstract)
What is conceptualization?
How a qualitative organizes and makes sense of the data to form concepts
What is the general qualitative coding process, and how does it differ from quantitative coding?
- Raw data is organized into codes (main idea of paragraph/sentence), then conceptual categories, which are used to create themes/concepts (main meanings)
- Requires higher-level thinking of data and moves researcher towards theoretical generalizations
QUANTITATIVE ⟶ data is coded after arranging measures of variables (#s) into machine-readable form for statistical analysis
What are the 2 objectives of coding?
- Mechanical data reduction ⟶ making large data sets manageable
- Analytical data categorization ⟶ imposes order on data
What are the 3 steps of coding for grounded theory?
- Open coding
- Researcher examines data to condense them into preliminary analytical categories/codes for analyzing - Axial
- Researcher organizes codes, develops linkages between them, and discovers key analytical categories - Selective coding
- Researcher examines previous codes to identify a core theme around which the remaining codes will fit
- Occurs once they have identified major themes of research project
What is an analytical memo?
- Special type of note about the coding process that a researcher writes to themselves
- Each coded theme forms the basis of a separate memo, which contains a discussion of that concept/theme
- OPERATIONALIZATION; link between raw data and theoretical thinking
What is data analysis?
General term that refers to a search for patterns in data
What is discourse analysis?
Analysis of text in relation to social context (how they said it)
What is critical discourse analysis?
Analysis of text looking at cultural context (why they said it)
What is content analysis?
Describing themes that are evident in content (what they said)
What is thematic analysis?
Analyzing patterns of meaning in content (how and what they said)
What is epistemiology and how does it come into play in data analysis?
How we pursue knowledge based on our ontology
POSITIVISM:
- I will find out exactly what my participants mean
- Themes will emerge [naturally inherent] from the data
INTERPRETIVISM:
- Collaboration between participants and my understanding of their experiences creates a new meaning
- Themes are developed from data; reliability is not relevant
- Do member checking to check trustworthiness
