Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis

Data Collection and Analysis

• Qualitative research methods are used for data collection, focusing on observation and interviews
• Thematic analysis is used for identifying patterns and meaning in qualitative data
• Researchers can gather rich data and interpret it systematically through these methods

Objectives of Lesson

• Describe the two methods of data collection in qualitative research
• Identify the various types and techniques of observation
• Understand the structure and different kinds of interviews
• Apply thematic analysis to interpret qualitative data

Data Collection

• After defining what kind of data is needed to answer the research questions, the researcher must now choose how to go about the data gathering process

Observation

• Observation is used to gather data regarding how respondents live in their natural setting
• Two common types of observations: Participant and Non-Participant
• Two methods: Direct and Indirect

Types of Observation

• Participant Observation: The researcher takes part in the activities of the group being observed and uses a diary or logbook to record findings
• Non-Participant Observation: The researcher watches and listens without participating in any activities

Observation Methods

• Direct Observation: Looking at the actual behavior as it occurs, with the researcher as the observer
• Indirect Observation: Looking at the results of an occurrence that cannot be directly viewed, the researcher infers what happened

Interview

• It is a conversation to gather information, involving an interviewer and an interviewee
• (Easwaramoorthy, M. & Zarinpoush, F, 2006)

Structure of Interview

• Structured Interview: Uses a list of questions repeated in the same order/wording in a standardized manner (Fontana & Frey, 2005)
• Unstructured Interview: Involves flexible questions or probes, or even just a list of bullet points
• Semi-structured Interview: the most useful interview format for conducting qualitative research, involves the use of an interview guide and analyzing large amounts of notes/transcripts (Adams, 2015)
• Interview Guide: The outline of planned topics and questions addressed, in tentative order

Thematic Analysis

• Themes are topics, ideas, and patterns of meaning that appear repeatedly in qualitative material (e.g., interview transcripts, social media posts)

Thematic Analysis

• A method for systematically identifying, organizing, and offering insights into patterns of meaning across data sheets.
• Allows researchers to see and make sense of collective or shared meanings and experiences
• Identifies what is common in the way a topic is discussed and makes sense of those commonalities
• A flexible method applicable to a wide range of research

Six Phase Approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006)

• Familiarize with data by gaining an overview, reading transcripts, and taking notes
• Generate initial codes by arranging data systematically and reducing its size
• Code: An assigned label to a piece of text
• Coding: Getting sections from a text and assigning them codes to describe their content
• Search for themes, identifying patterns fitting together to form a single theme
• Review potential themes by adjusting and developing initial themes
• Defining and naming themes to "identify the 'essence' of what each theme is about"
• Produce the report by writing about the data analysis