Understanding the Analysis of Qualitative Data Flashcards
What are the rules for analyzing qualitative data?
There is no universal rules - no one way to do an analysis
What is qualitative analysis like
it is very labor intensive
requires creativity
arguably harder than quantitative analysis but easier to understand
oftentimes in teams to work
What is the most important thing to do at the start of qualitative analysis to allow for data management and organization
develop a coding scheme for coding your qualitative data
It involves looking at data for underlying concepts
You can do this via manual methods of organization like conceptual files and coding or computerized methods like CAQDAS and ATLUSTI
What are some common coding schemes to choose from
Descriptive Coding
Process Coding
Concept Coding
In Vivo Coding
Holistic Coding
Descriptive Coding
Uses mainly nouns as codes and is often used by beginnin qualitative researchers
takes the big piece of data and compresses it into a small code
ex: “The other day we ran out of everything and we had to go to a church and get food” –> Code: Food pantry use
Does descriptive coding give insight into the meaning of data
no it does not give much insight into meaning
Process Coding
Often involves using gerunds (verbs ending in -ing researchers use as nouns) as codes to connote action and observable activity in the data
ex: “The other day we ran out of everything and we had to go to a church and get food” –> Code: Dealing with food shortages
Concept Coding
involves using a word or phrase to represent symbolically a broad meaning beyond observable facts or bheaviors
the codes are usually nouns or gerunds
ex: The other day we ran out of everything and we had to go to a church and get food –> Code: Coping with the risk of hunger
In Vivo Coding
involves using participant generated words and phrases
Ex: The other day we ran out of everything and we had to go to a church and get food –> Code: Ran out of everything; had to go to a churhc for food
Direct quotation coding
What coding type is often the initial coding used in many grounded theory studies
In Vivo Coding
Holistic Coding
involves using codes to grasp broad ideas in large “chunks” of data rather than coding smaller segments
Ex: “I but on deals. I learned how to, you know, what to buy and what not to buy. Where to shop where to look for sales/ Ill go to all the sotres and I clip coupons from the paper and stuff but sometimes that is not enough the other day we ran out of everything and we had to go to a church and get food” –> Code: Food management strategies
Involves reducing a large chunk into a small code of theme
Once a coding scheme is developed what happens?
the data are read in their entirety and coded for correspondence to the categories
one paragraph may even have 3-4 codes
the researchs may modify the initial coding scheme with new ideas for new codes as well - it can take a long time
Are analytic procedures of qualitative studies universally used?
No the procedures used are unique to each study, but the qualitative analysis puts segments together into meaningful conceptual patterns
What is the basic, non universal way, to start qualitative analysis?
- ID broad categories
- cluster codes that are connected conceptually - ID themes
- pattern them into smaller more manageable bits of data - Final analysis - Weave the thematic pieces into an integrated whole to provide overall structure to the data
Theme
an abstract entity that brings meaning and identity to a current experience and its variant manifestations
Themes are never ____
universal
Some researchers use ____ as an analytic strategy, which are symbolic comparisons, using figurative language to envoke visual analogies
metaphors
Qualitative Content Analysis
analyzing the content of narrative data to ID prominent themes and patterns across them
Involves breaking down data into smaller (meaning) units
May involve taking the manifest content and analyzing the latent content
Meaning Units
the smallest segment of a text that contains a recognizable piece of information
Manifest Content
Content of what the text ACTUALLY SAYS
so if the person is saying they went to church for food that is the exact content
Latent Content
content that is an interpretation of meaning
ex: If they say they went to church for food it may be understood as poverty, famine, etc
What is always needed fr latent content to occur
manifest content
you cant have the latent without the manifest
Thematic Analysis
Braun and Clarke
This is an accessible and theoretically flexible approach to analyzing qualitative data seen as a foundational method for qualitative analysis
involves 6 phases
6 Phases of Thematic Analysis
- Familiarize oneself with the data
- Generate initial codes
- Search for themes
- Reviewing the themes
- Defining and naming the themes
- Producing the report
Ethnographic Analysis
Ethnographers continually look for patterns in the behavior and thoughts of participants, comparing pattern against another
The ethnographer analyzes data for deeper undertanding of the culture being looked at
Uses maps, flowcharts, organizational charts, matrices to help highlight a comparison graphically and discover emerging patterns
What is the main method of ethnographic analysis
Spradley’s Method
Spradley’s Method
ethnographic analysis
involves 4 levels of data analysis that leads to discovery of cultural meaning
What are the 4 levels of Spradley’s Method
- Domain Analysis
- Taxonomic Analysis
- Componential Analysis
- Theme Analysis
Domain Analysis
Broadest level of Spradley’s method (#1)
Involves lookling at domains - broad categories representing units of cultural knowledge - and ethnographers ID relational patterns among the domain terms that are used by members of the culture
So, the ethnographer will focus on cultural meaning of terms and symbols (Objects and events) used in a culture and their interrelationships
TERMS AND SYMBOLS USED IN THAT CULTURE AND HOW THEY RELATE TO EACH OTHER
Taxonomic Analysis
2/Second level of Spradleys Method
Ethnographers decide how many domains the analysis will encompass and after making a decision, a TAXONOMY is developed to illustrate the internal organization of a larger domain
Domain
broad categories that represent units of cultural knowledge
Taxonomy
a system of classifying and organizing terms
Componential Analysis
3/ Third level of Spradleys Method
Multiple relationships among terms in the domains are examined - the ethnographer analyzes data for similarities and differences among cultural terms in a domain
Theme Analysis
4/Fourth level of Spradleys Method
Cultural themes are uncovered - domains are connected in cultural themes, which help to provide a holistic view of the culture being studied
What is the final outcome of Spradley’s Method
the discovery of cultural meaning
What are the 3 broad schools of phenomenological analysis
- Duquesne School (Descriptive Phenomenology)
- Utrecht School (Descriptive and Interpretive Phenomenology)
- Heideggerian Hermeneutics (Interpretive)
What 3 ideas and researchers came from the Duquesne School of Phenomenological Analysis
- Colaizzi - Validation of results by the participants
- Giorgi - It is inappropriate to return to study participants to validate findings or to use external judges looking at the content
- Van Kaam - phen. analysis needs intersubjective agreement that is reached with other judges (those outside the study)
What is the Utrecht School of Phenomenological Analysis
Van Manen
Combines descriptive and interpretive phenomenology and provides 3 methods of approach: Holistic, Details, and Selective
Holistic Method of Phenomenological Analysis
Ultrecht School
View texts from the study as a whole and interpreting meaning from the entire text (Captures meaning from the entire paragraph as a whole)
Details Method of Phenomenological Analysis
Ultrecht School
Go line by line and analyze every single sentence
Selective Method of Phenomenological Research
Picking and choosing what you think is essential to the experience of the study
Benner’s Hermeneutic Analysis
Allows studying experimental traditions and cultures that shape normal everyday practices
Involves searching for paradigm cases, performing thematic analysis and then analyzing exemplars
When is Benner’s Hermeneutic Analysis usually used
early in the qualitative process in order to gain understanding
Paradigm Cases
strong instances of concerns or ways of being in the world
They undergo thematic analysis to compare and contrast similarities among them in Hermeneutic Analysis
Grounded Theory Analysis is purely…
social; how people behave in relation to one another
Grounded Theory requires…
condesning information into a very small code from a massive text to make sure we do not have to keep re-reading
Comparisons of ___ is involved in grounded theory
people
What are the 3 main approaches to coding in grounded theory
- Glaserian Approach
- Strauss and Corbin’s Method of Grounded Theory
- Constructivist Grounded Theory Approach
Glaserian Approach to Grounded Theory Coding
Breaking down and conceptualizing data, with comparisons so that patterns emerge
Involves using Substantive codes like Open, Core, and Selective as well as Theoretical Codes
In the glaserian approachl, coding helps researchers…
ID similar information and sort information into patterns
Open Codes
3 types/levels of substantive codes
Open Code end when the core category is identified
What is the difference between the 3 levels of Open Codes
Level 1 - In Vivo Codes - Derived directly from the language used
Level 2- More broad, typically words researchers have come up with
Level 3 - Most abstract codes
Core Category
Main theme / overarching code in grounded theory qualitative analysis
One such type of core category is a Basic Social Process (BSP)
Basic Social Processes are always ____ ____ but not all ____ ___ are basic social processes
Core categories/core categories
Selective Codes
Codes relating back to the core category only
these integrate the codes to form a theory
so its taking and choosing the core category and relating all the other codes to that main category
Theoretical Codes
Codes in grounded theory glaserian approach that provide insight into how codes relate back to each other
it helps researchers take broken pieces of data and weave them back together to look at the bigger picture
What are some examples of Theoretical Code Families
Process - stages, phases, passages, transitions
Strategy - tactics, techniques, maneuvering
Cutting point - boundaries, turning points
What is coding using the 6 Cs
A Glaserian Approach to looking at families of theoretical codes
It allows you to look at some data or excerpt and code it easily and group themes
What are the 6 Cs
Causes Contexts Conditions Contingencies (Alternatives) Consequences Covariances
What is Strauss and Corbin’s Method of Grounded Theory Qualitative Analysis
Breaking down and conceptualizing data which includes taking apart a single sentence observation of incidence
Involves Open, Axial, and Selective Coding
Open Coding in Strauss and Corbin’s Method
data is broken down into parts and concepts and are ID’ed or meaning is interpreted from the broad data
Axial Coding
Analysis will code for the context
Selective Coding
Deciding on the central (or core) category
Outcome for the Strauss and Corbin Model
A full conceptual description
Constructivist Grounded Theory Approach
Creating a link between collecting data and developing emergent theory - defining what is occurring in data and beginning to analyze what it means
Uses Initial Coding and Focused Coding
Involves participant involvement in analysis
Initial Coding v Focused Coding
Initial: Data are studied to learn what participants view as problematic
Focused: ID most significant initial code and then theoretically code it
What is the general idea behind all coding
Start very broad with large chunks of data and get smallers as you go along - you want to get meaning from the transcript, and it is why the qualitative researcher uses teams since it is so intensive
