Analyzing Qualitative Data   Based on the book Educational Research by Johnson and Christensen (2013).

Basic Definitions Interim Analysis Memoing Coding Enumeration

Interim Analysis Cyclical process of collecting and analyzing data Often need for more data felt when available data analyzed The cycle continues until no significant insights gained

Memoing Reflectives notes about what you are learning from your data analysis Diary or post-it-notes Very useful as memory lapse is certain to happen over the course of time

Coding Qualitative Data Read transcribed data and divide into meaningful analytic units This unit can be a sentence, a paragraph etc. These units are marked with symbols, signs, descriptive words, or category names

Saturateapp is one example of free/cheap online resources that helps you organize this process

Hierarchical Categorization

Typologies (Categorization on two axis)

Enumeration Process of quantifying data Example: how many times the word ”inflation” occured in the speech of the prime minister How a certain word or phrase (inflation) likely to co-occur with certain other word (unemployment)

Reliability of qualitative data analysis Training for coding Intracoder (same coder, coding same text at different times) Inercoder Reported as % agreements Differences resolved by discussion

Validity of qualitative data analysis Verbatim are low inference descriptors Traingulation Sources: Corss check information with other sources, Methods: interview versus observation Data: from other studies Theory: multiple theories for interpretation Participant feedback – ask: ”does this sound right”? Peer review Negative case sampling Show what you did for increasing your own self awareness, reflexivity e