ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING QUALITATIVE DATA

Steps in Analyzing and Processing Qualitative Data

Reading Through the Data to Understand the General Sense

Coding the Data by Assigning Text Segments Into Code Labels

Preparing Data for Analysis (e.g. transcribing field-notes

Coding the Data for Themes That Are Going to be Used in the Research

Collecting Data

Coding the Data for Description

Using Codes to Build Descriptions and Themes

Preparing and Organizing Data

Advancing Validation for the Accuracy of the Findings

Making an Interpretation of Qualitative Findings

Exploring and Coding the Data

Constructing a Representation and Reporting Qualitative Findings

Analyze Data by Hand or Computer

Transcribe Data: converting audiotapes or field-notes into text data

Organize data into folders or computer files

Hand analysis: reading, marking, and dividing the data into parts

Computer analysis: using a qualitative data analysis program to help storing, analyzing, sorting, and representing or visualizing data

Explore the general sense of the data: reading the data several times and immersing one's self in the details to get the sense of the interview as a whole before breaking it into parts

Code the data: segmenting and labeling the text to form descriptions and broad themes in the data

Descriptions: a detailed rendering of people, places, or events in a setting in
qualitative research

Themes: a major idea in the database that form a core element in qualitative data analysis which have
labels that typically consist of no more than two to four words

Reporting findings: authors summarize, in detail, the findings from their data analysis through a narrative discussion

Representing findings

Develop a hierarchical tree diagram

Create a comparison table

Present figures

Draw a map

Develop a demographic table

Convey personal reflections

Make comparisons to the literature

Summarize findings

State limitations of the study and offer suggestions for future research

Member checking: the researcher asks one or more participants in the study to check the accuracy of the account

External audit: a researcher hires or obtains the services of an individual outside the study to review different aspects of the research

Triangulation: corroborating evidence from different individuals (e.g., a principal and a student), types of data (e.g., observational fieldnotes and interviews), or methods of data collection (e.g., documents and interviews) in descriptions and themes in qualitative research