© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Chapter 16 Analyzing Qualitative Data Analysis –Process of labeling and break down raw data –Brings order, structure, interpretation –Messy, ambiguous, time consuming Begins after first data collection Reflexive – back and forth Inductive

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 Analyzing Qualitative Data The process of identifying themes –Read all data to get overall sense –Start broad list of themes –Read data again looking for relationships among themes –Read data again looking for instances that don’t’ fit themes –Use the literature to guide your analysis

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Choosing Analytic Method Sorting through a great deal of data is difficult Multiple plausible interpretations will be present The research question may have changed Still must remain true to participants’ meanings

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Analytical Memos Captures first impression and reflections Researcher writes memos to him or herself Not part of the data First attempt at analyzing –Suggests avenues for additional collection or analytical schemes Researcher’s not participants’ evaluation

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 Dealing with Data Place data into tables, diagrams, or graphs –Helps see relationships Computer-assisted data analysis –Data management –Data analysis –The intellectual hard work of analyzing remains

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 Coding and Categorizing Data Reduces the data into a manageable size Category = set of similar excerpts, examples, or themes –Existing or emergent Label categories with a few words or short phrase Look for opposite or negative cases

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 Thematic Analysis Theme = conceptualization of interaction, relationship, event Three criteria –Recurrence –Repetition –Forcefulness

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 Process of Interpretation Making sense or giving meaning to patterns, themes, concepts, and propositions Translating categories into meaningful whole –Metaphoric frame –Dramatistic frame –Theoretical frame

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 Evaluating Interpretation Do participant quotes illuminate the analysis? –At least 3 examples Credibility –Are findings believable? –Are findings agreeable to participants? Triangulation