Chapter 13 Qualitative Analysis

Chapter 13 Qualitative Analysis

1. Grounded Theory

   • Coding
     • Open
       • While coding, it is important to identify the recognizable characteristics of each concept, such as its size, color, or level (e.g., high or low), so that similar concepts can be grouped together later. This coding technique is called “open” because the researcher is open to and actively seeking new concepts relevant to the phenomenon of interest.
     • Axial
       • The second phase of grounded theory is axial coding, where the categories and subcategories are assembled into causal relationships or hypotheses that can tentatively explain the phenomenon of interest. Although distinct from open coding, axial coding can be performed simultaneously with open coding. The relationships between categories may be clearly evident in the data or may be more subtle and implicit. In the latter instance, researchers may use a coding scheme (often called a “coding paradigm”, but different from the paradigms discussed in Chapter 3) to understand which categories represent conditions (the circumstances in which the phenomenon is embedded), actions/interactions (the responses of individuals to events under these conditions), and consequences (the outcomes of actions/ interactions).
     • Selective
       • selective coding, which involves identifying a central category or a core variable and systematically and logically relating this central category to other categories. The central category can evolve from existing categories or can be a higher order category that subsumes previously coded categories. New data isselectively sampled to validate the central category and its relationships to other categories (i.e., the tentative theory). Selective coding limits the range of analysis, and makes it move fast. At the same time, the coder must watch out for other categories that may emerge from the new data that may be related to the phenomenon of interest (open coding), which may lead to further refinement of the initial theory
     • Coding Unit: specific portions of the tesx.
     • four stages of activities: (1) comparing incidents/texts assigned to each category (to validate the category), (2) integrating categories and their properties, (3) delimiting the theory (focusing on the core concepts and ignoring less relevant concepts), and (4) writing theory (using techniques like memoing, storylining, and diagramming that are discussed in the next chapter). In order to identify key categories that are conditions, action/interactions, and consequences of the core category, Strauss and Corbin (1990) recommend several integration techniques, such as storylining, memoing, or concept mappin

2. Content Analysis

   • Content analysis is the systematic analysis of the content of a text (e.g., who says what, to whom, why, and to what extent and with what effect) in a quantitative or qualitative manner. Content analysis typically conducted as follows. First, the researcher begins by sampling a selected set of texts from the population of texts for analysis. Second, the researcher identifies and applies rules to divide each text into segments or “chunks” that can be treated as separate units of analysis. Third, the researcher constructs and applies one or more concepts to each unitized text segment in a process called coding. Finally, the coded data is analyzed, often both quantitatively and qualitatively, to determine which themes occur most frequently, in what contexts, and how they are related to each other. Content analysis has several limitations. First, the coding process is restricted to the information available in text form. For instance, if a researcher is interested in studying people’

3. Hermeneutic Analysis

   • Hermeneutic analysis is a special type of content analysis where the researcher tries to “interpret” the subjective meaning of a given text within its socio-historic context. Unlike grounded theory or content analysis, which ignores the context and meaning of text documents during the coding process, hermeneutic analysis is a truly interpretive technique for analyzing qualitative data. This method assumes that written texts narrate an author’s experience within a socio-historic context, and should be interpreted as such within that context....More generally, hermeneutics is the study of interpretation and the theory and practice of interpretation. Derived from religious studies and linguistics, traditional hermeneutics, such as biblical hermeneutics, refers to the interpretation of written texts, especially in the areas of literature, religion and law (such as the Bible). ....The term hermeneutics is sometimes used interchangeably and inaccurately with exegesis, which refers to the int

4. INTRO: Analysis of qualitative data. Qualitative data is heavily dependent on researchers analytic and integrative skills. Emphasis is "Sense Making. The chapter provides a brief overview of some of the strategies.