1. Qualitative Data Analysis
Community Evaluation School
Rebecca Cheff
May 12, 2016

2. Qualitative Data is… Usually words, not numbers
Peoples’ perceptions, understandings, and experiences of an issue
Not how big or small a problem is

3. We Can Gather Qualitative Data Through:
Focus groups
Interviews
Participant observation
Arts-based methods
Document reviews
Case studies

4. Qualitative Data Analysis: Steps
Assemble the data
Read your data
Start making notes on possible themes
Think of as many themes as possible that you see in your data
Start moving similar quotes together under each theme
Reread and refine the themes

5. Practice!
Question: Tell me about the programs your family uses at Regent Park Aquatic Centre
Answer:
“My daughter is in Penguin lessons for girls. Her swimming is getting better and she has lots of friends. We like that it is just girls. My oldest son is on the SPLASH swim team and wants to get his Bronze Star. My husband uses the lane swim. I can’t swim well. I was thinking of trying an adult class but I haven’t yet.”

6. How can we improve reliability and validity of qualitative data analysis?
Use two researchers to analyze the data
Reaching a saturation point

7. How can we improve reliability and validity of qualitative data analysis?
Negative cases
Look for data that are different from the main themes that emerge
Clarifying evaluator bias
Keep a journal while you do analysis and use it to think about your assumptions and biases
Describe your role as the evaluator in the evaluation report

8. How can we improve reliability and validity of qualitative data analysis?
Member checks
Check with participants about the accuracy of your evaluation conclusions
Rival explanations
Consider alternative explanations

9. How can we improve reliability and validity of qualitative data analysis?
Triangulation
Use more than one data source (example: talk to seniors who use the pool, seniors who do not use the pool, pool managers, receptionists)
Use more than one data source (example: interviews, a survey, and an arts-based method)

10. More Practice As a group, let’s read the responses on the handout
With a partner:
Make notes of all the possible themes you see on the handout
Underline words and sentences that go with each theme
Combine similar themes or rename themes that are not clear
As a group, report back