Com 473--Baldwin—Communication—Illinois State University
Updated 9/25/08
Data Analysis
Opening question: Is qualitative data analysis a free-for all?
What does Lindlof (L) mean by his metaphor of “stepping aside”?
What is the difference b/t analysis and interpretation?
Lindlof & Taylor,
2002, Chapter 7 Notes:
Analysis: 3 stages. What is meant by each (L&T, p. 211)?
· Data management
· Data reduction
· Conceptual development (number, links b/t categories)
Stages of Analysis:
Early:
- Set aside one hard & one electronic copy of notes/interviews, etc.
- Early notes: Observer’s comments [O.C.]
- Asides
- Commentaries
- How might these play out in field notes? In interview/FG transcripts?
- In-process field notes [where might these appear? How do they differ from the above 2 types?]
Collecting and Analyzing Data
- Q: To wait til all data are collected to analyze, or to collect/analyze in iteration?
- Unitizing (not clearly covered in L&T!)
- 1st idea? Whole idea? Last idea? Each idea? Word? Etc.
- Categorizing [Developing categories]
- Etic versus emic (deductive/theory extension versus inductive/grounded)
- Low- versus high inference categories (demographics, conditions as categories, versus thought/conceptual content categories). Inductive: Form the category of conceptual elements first, then give it a name/def.
- A middle ground b/t etic and emic: Spradley’s dimensions [see overhead]
- Labels: in vivo labels ersus a priori or theorist-driven labels.
- Codes: Links b/t data and categories. Placing data in the categories
- Often/usually works in cyclical fashion w/category development: Constant Comparative Method
- CCM and Negative Case Analysis (L&G, 85; L&T, p. 223)
- Development of Coding Rules: Codebook
- Example: Goodall’s coding scheme (of everyday occurring discourse)
- Theoretical Memos
- When to leave the field (Snow, in L&T, pp. 223-224): Information sufficiency
- Taken-for-grantedness
- Theoretical saturation (see also S&C, L&G)
- Heightened confidence
- Member checks
- Analyzing the data: Manual versus Computer-Assisted
- Manual methods
- CAQDAS (Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software)
Some notes by Baxter
Baxter,
Spradley’s Semantic
Relationships
(Spradley,
1979, p. 111; Baxter, 1991)
1. Strict
Inclusoin X is a kind of Y
2. Spatial X is a place in Y; X
is a part of Y
3. Cause-Effect X is a cause/result of Y
4. Rationale X is a reason for doing Y
5. Location
for X is a place for
doing Y action
6. Function X is used for Y
7. Means-end X is a way to do Y
8. Sequence X is a step/stage in Y
9. Attribution X is an attribute/characteristic of Y
Baxter’s types of
analysis (largely examples or specifics of Spradley, but with examples in
the research)
- Domain analysis: “involves a
description of a given category of meaning or domain through a relevant
semantic relationship” (p. 245). Xs that are kinds of Y, causes of Y,
conditions of Y, parts of Y, effects of Y, reasons for doing Y, wasy to do
Y, etc.
- Taxonomic analysis: “Internal
structures of elements within a given domain. It maps which elements are
subsets of other elements, evidencing at a generic level the Spatial
semantic relationship of which elements are parts of other categories” (p.
247)
- Componential analysis: The
question: “What binary features distinguish categories from one another?
That is, what are the characteristics that sort out which elements in a
given category are equivalent and which are different” (p. 248). //
Comparison/contrast; dialectics; “dimensions” in GT.
- Thematic analysis: The most
complex. Holistic. “Themes are threads of meaning that recur in domain
after domain”—comparison of or across several domains (p. 250) //
“selective coding” in GT
- Sequential analysis: Time-order,
possibly with subsets or types, e.g. re: conflict:
- String of utterances by a single
person w/in a situation
- “Interacts” “sequence of
exchanges between parties” (p. 251)
- Series of episodes of similar sort