Maps, tables, flow charts and diagrams in Qualitative Data Analysis

Use for… Clarification in elicitation process (share with respondents) Develop ideas about a model, processes etc. Illustrate examples and your argument Lay out data so that patterns can be discovered Data reduction

Domain analysis Examination of what some term or concept means for a culture or subgroup Can be expressed as a taxonomy Captures relationships. Hierarchical system of types. Each type has ‘children’ subtypes that are mutually exclusive and do not have different parents.

Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative data analysis: a sourcebook of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. p. 133

Componetial analysis What attributes does an individual or thing have?

Componential analysis of services for the unemployed For young For older Training Advice Adult Training - + Youth Training Training Access Points Work Link BCEATA Start-up Business Units Business Access Scheme Workers Co-operatives CEASA Careers Service Redundancy Counseling

Matrices Simple, like crosstabs. Exclusive values in each cell Or Non-exclusive values in each cell See: Ritchie, J. and Lewis, J. (eds) (2003) Qualitative Research Practice: A Guide for Social Science Students and Researchers. London: Sage.

Example qualitative table. Descriptions of people with degrees

Character of company departments

Summary responses by codes Cells contain typical or summaries of text from respondents E.g. Job search strategies by gender

Job search strategies by gender

Case by codes with exemplars Example of a comparison between cases These are good for investigating differences by code or by case

Time ordered matrix Example of a comparison within a single case. e.g. influence of time on code type.

Example of a comparison within a single case

Tables or matrices cont. Tables can include counts, e.g. Size of coded text (number of words) or no. of coded chunks of text This may indicate importance or salience (or not?)

Quasi-quantitative. Recode or categorize the concept/variable. E.g. into high or low, good or bad etc. Cf. Grounded theory idea of properties and dimensions.

Summed indices A way of creating a new variable and ordering cases. N.B. use cut and paste in word processor to order the lines. These can be used to produce…

Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative data analysis: a sourcebook of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. p. 194

Scatter plot with movement over time Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative data analysis: a sourcebook of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. p. 199

Cluster plot of cases Job searching

Maps Use different shapes to represent different ideas Use different lines to represent different relationships Arrows for direction, + or - for positive or negative influence.

Event state network Events States Quit job Redundancy End of short-term contract Leave School or college Interview Careers advice Training Job offer Unemployed Routine searching Entrepreneurial searching Looking for work Half looking for work New social relations In work

Venn Diagrams To show set of objects, cases etc and their relationships.

Flow charts Input, output, decisions, processing of inputs to produce outputs. E.g. entry to University, exams and final degree. Admission to day centre for persons with learning difficulties. Can show flow of people through system, or flow or one person/case through system of decision making. Can use to compare cases.

Flow of people through job finding services

Example decision flowchart

Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative data analysis: a sourcebook of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. p. 186.

Causal diagram Special case of the map, where the connecting line shows causation…

Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative data analysis: a sourcebook of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. p. 225.

Organizational charts. Shows units in an organization and the relationship between them. Relation can be, reports to, is boss of, sends papers to, receives good from etc. (e.g. School diagram).