1. Walking through the coding process

2. Qualitative data can take many forms
Transcripts of discussions or focus groups
Transcripts from school lessons or any real life setting
Field notes
Observation records
Video data/audio data
Photographs
Children’s drawings
Children’s written texts
Interview transcripts – this walkthrough is a step by step guide to coding an interview

3. Coding Read the extract from interview 1 creating codes as you go
If you think a theme is important either
underline it in a particular colour – a different colour for each new theme
or use the comments box in word to label codes
If you have some thoughts about what the data might mean make a note to yourself (a memo)
Some codes might be linked for example
A code on teacher beliefs might have several different codes linked to it
Beliefs about behavilour management
Beliefs about classroom culture
Beliefs about the role of parents
Once you have completed the interview write a summary of the key characteristics of this participants perspective

4. Coding After coding interview 1 you should have
A list of codes – write definitions for what each code captures
Some groups clustered together because they have a linking theme
A few memos capturing your thoughts about what the data might mean
A summary of the interview
You might want to look at the example of the coded interview and consider similarities and differences with your own codes

5. The next step
Read interview 2 and repeat the process as for interview 1
How well do existing codes capture interview 2?
You may have to: redefine codes, create new codes, merge codes or split codes to account for new ideas in the second interview
In the light of these changes revisit interview 1
Check codes and coding structure are faithful to both interviews
Repeat process for subsequent interviews – redefining, creating, changing and altering as you go
Keep revisiting previously analysed interviews to check the codes and the emerging coding frame still captures their meanings

6. The coding process
A point is reached where every new interview is captured within the existing codes and coding frame (saturation)
Themes reflected across the interviews (horizontal coding)
Summaries that account for individual perspectives (vertical coding)
Definitions for every code and every cluster of codes
Identify and describe links and relationships between codes
Finally consider all of this in the light of existing literature
Remember - coding frames emerge from hours of analysis.
In the early stages of analysis these codes are fluid, changing and emerging

7. Writing up your analysis
Determine the key codes or clusters
Describe them using the definitions
Be faithful to the spread of opinion: the untypical as well as the typical
Talk about the differences between interviewees using the vertical analysis
Explain how you understand or have theorised the relationship between codes or clusters
Discuss in the light of existing theory and literature
Use models and tables to represent relationships between codes
Use quotes from your data to illustrate your arguments

8. An example of writing up findings
A finding: There is a perception that schools don’t suit boys Evidence from the analysis: The language relating to girls’ behaviour is passive and concerned with compliance, they are ‘wanting to please’ and ‘willing’. The language relating to boys’ behaviour is active: they are ‘outgoing’, ‘can’t sit still’ or are ‘disruptive’. Girls are pictured as fitting into the classroom environment; girls choose to ‘play the classroom game’, while boys are pictured as constrained by the classroom environment. Teacher M comments looking at little boys in school, you feel as though they're in prison, they should be out there’. Teacher L, remarks that even amongst younger boys there is a boy culture that Is anti school. ’I guess it’s this sort of sub-culture isn’t it, that there is this thing That boys don’t like writing .....it’s like I’ll just write this down, get it finished but I won’t take on the whole ethos of the school! (Codes highlighted and quotes in italics)