Tips and Tricks for Qualitative Data Analysis (Part 3 in a 4 part series)
By Julie Carpineto, MFA &
Eileen Dryden, PhD
Qualitative data analysis and reporting can seem like a
mysterious process for those new to it – but
it doesn’t have to be. Here are
some tips and tricks to help you simplify the process of analyzing qualitative
data.
Getting to Know
your Data: Focusing and Starting Your Analysis
Tip: Start
thinking about your analysis from the moment you begin data collection! Reflect
on and record themes, theories, and areas of interest throughout the data
collection process.
- Trick: Schedule an extra ½ hour after focus groups for the facilitator, note taker and any other assistants to document preliminary themes, areas of interest and great quotes.
Tip: Decide how you will approach your analysis based on your resources and with the research goals in mind. Consider:
- What
resources do you have? (personnel, time, money, skills)
- What level of detail and rigor do the people who will use the information need?
Tip: Get to know your data by reading over notes and
transcripts to assess the data’s quality, breadth and variability
- Trick: Again, document preliminary thoughts on
main themes and points of interest.
Tip: Focus, focus, focus!!
- Trick: Keep your questions of interest at the forefront during all phases of your analysis and create a list of interesting ‘asides’ elsewhere that you may want to look into further at a later date.
–
Review the reasons you wanted to collect
qualitative data
–
Identify key questions you hope to answer or
learn more about
Into the Thick of
It: Developing a Codebook & Coding
Your Data
After all your data is collected and you’ve identified some
preliminary themes, the next step is to categorize your data into key themes,
called “codes”.
To help organize this process, develop a “codebook” – or list of key themes – as
a guide. This is essential for maintaining consistency if more than one analyst
is coding, but can also be helpful for internal consistency and reporting transparency
even if only one analyst is involved. Note:
Your codebook will likely undergo changes. Emergent interests and insights
may lead to adding or changing codes as you proceed.
Once you have developed a codebook, you can then start “coding” your data by labeling segments
of text with the applicable themes/codes.
Tip: Use the focus group/interview guide to develop a
preliminary codebook:
- What do you think are the biggest strengths in your community?
- Include the code “strengths"
- How do you think the intervention could leverage these strengths to increase its likelihood of success?
- Include the code “leveraging strengths”
- Can you think of other key players—organizations, agencies, individuals, etc.—who could help increase the intervention’s likelihood of success?
- Include the code “key players”
Tip: Have more than one person involved in analysis
when possible. This increases reliability of findings.
o Trick:
Meet to review analysis periodically and resolve discrepancies in opinion.
Tip: Don’t rely on qualitative data analysis software
to do the analysis for you. These software programs facilitate the analytical
process by helping you manage large amounts of data – but you still have
to do the analysis!
o Trick:
For smaller amounts of data you may find it’s easier to code ‘by-hand.’ When
coding by hand, it can be helpful to use colors in MSWord or add extra code
columns to MSExcel templates: for example:
How are you and
your family getting along?
|
Code
|
What are you
doing differently since the program?
|
Code
|
Yes I am more
patient
|
Skill
|
Yes my son is
talking to me
and working on family therapy. |
Comm., Ther
|
I feel better
about myself
|
Conf
|
I listen more
and calmed down to try to take more time for myself.
|
Li, Skill, SN
|
Same most of the
time
|
NC
|
First I sit down
with my kids than we talked about problems how to get rid of it
|
Comm.
|
Yes , not so
different from their past and present
|
MISC
|
Not really
|
NC
|
I am happier so
yes!
|
Feel pos
|
Meditate take
space look @ problems vs solutions instead of just problems
|
SN, Skill
|
My husband and I
are doing much better Its helpful to have the time without a child to reflect
on parenting and on our own issues goals and needs
|
Sp, Rel, Intro,
SN
|
think about
son's perspective and the values we want to convey instead of focusing just
on good behavior. For example, think about how to model respect for others in
daily behavior.
|
Skill
|
Tip: Take analysis up a level: summarize categories
about a topic or question.
o Trick:
Note what is interesting/relevant (e.g. variability within and across groups;
relative strength/commonality of themes). This will help you determine what is
worth reporting on, or highlighting in your reports.
Now you’re ready for the final phase in this journey with
qualitative data: interpreting your findings and communicating them to
stakeholders. Look out for our fourth
and final blog in this series for tips and tricks on qualitative data
reporting!
For more information about the Institute for Community Health, please visit our website http://icommunityhealth.org/. Examples of our work and collaborations involving qualitative research are described here.
Note: different projects
require different methodological approaches. This is not an exhaustive list
of qualitative analysis techniques. You may find other techniques fit
your project’s aims more effectively and appropriately.
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The views expressed on the Institute for Community Health blog page are solely those of the blog post author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICH, the author’s employer or other organizations with which the author is associated.
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