Lesson 2.1.

3 – Data Analysis for Qualitative Research

1.0 Compiling Qualitative Data

Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative data analysis provides a deeper

understanding of a certain phenomenon through
analysis of the experiences of people who have directly
encountered it.

Phases of Qualitative Data Analysis:

1. Compiling
2. Disassembling
3. Reassembling
4. Interpreting
5. Concluding

Compiling Qualitative Data

Compiling is the systematic arrangement of all

the information gathered from your data collection.
Process in Analyzing Themes and Patterns
A database is a set of records arranged in an
orderly fashion. 1. Identify the important parts of the text
2. Assign specific codes prevalent in your data
Objectives of Compiling Data 3. Construct a description of each code
1. Easier Access to Data 4. Find the actual text from the transcript that is
2. Refamiliarization with the data qualified for the code.
3. An organized data output
4. More extensive qualitative research study

TIP: Data collection and data analysis go hand in hand

in qualitative research. It is a common practice to
frequently analyze and make sense of the data.

Developing Themes and Concepts

SUMMARY:

 Compiling the data is the first phase before

interpreting your data and finding deeper
insights from it.
 The objective of compiling the data is for the
researchers to have easier access to their data,
Coding Qualitative Data refamiliarization, organization, and to have
stronger analyses.
Coding means to assign a meaningful label to  In developing concepts and theories from your
each element of your data that is deemed to be qualitative data, the process usually begins by
important. describing the emergent themes, to be
 followed by categorization of these themes and REMEMBER: Analytic memos are a recorded set of
finally having a specific proposition. ideas. This must be written throughout the entire
 Coding is a process of assigning a meaningful process, should be organized, and can be easily
label to each element of your data that is retrieved.
deemed to be significant.

Coding Data

Coding is assigning labels to your data to easily

retrieve pieces of information.

Codes are labels used by the researchers to

depict the meaning of a text according to the research
2.0 Disassembling Qualitative Data problem.

Disassembling Qualitative Data TIP: It is useful to develop a definition for each code to
act like inclusion criteria to ensure that codes are
Disassembling the data involves breaking it down to applied appropriately for the entire data.
smaller bits and can be done by assigning these pieces
to new labels to create meaningful groupings. 1. First order Coding
- First-order coding is the most basic level of coding
Starting by looking backward: and begins when the texts from the original source
1. Review Research Questions are organized into categories.
2. Check notes. Example:
3. Look for related research.
I use social media to kill time whenever I feel bored
Starting by looking forward: (KT). It also helps me reconnect with my friends who I
1. Attend the relevant parts of your data. have not seen in years (CONNECT). Although at times I
2. Analyze a sub-part feel it is pointless because I feel like I am wasting my
3. Attempt to code your data. time browsing instead of doing more productive things,
like studying and doing household chores (WASTE).

Analytic Memos Codes:

Analytic memos are defined as ideas kept during the KT - To kill time
entire analysis that are recorded. CONNECT - Reconnect with friends

WASTE - Waste of time

2. Second – Order Coding

- Second-order coding reflects the overall meaning of
the descriptive codes and may also interpret
additional codes about the original text.

Example:

I use social media to kill time whenever I feel bored. It

also helps me reconnect with my friends who I have not
seen in years (TOR). Although at times I feel it is
pointless because I feel like I am wasting my time
browsing instead of doing more productive things, like
studying and doing household chores (FOD).
 Codes: SUMMARY:

TOR - The participant uses social media as a tool  Disassembling involves breaking down data and
of recreation wherein it is being used to ease assigning it according to meaningful patterns.
boredom and do activities such as talking to  Disassembling qualitative data may begin either
friends. through starting by looking backward or starting by
looking forward.
FOD - The participant describes social media as
 Analytic memos are tools that can help in
some form of distraction from doing more
disassembling data and keeps ideas recorded during
productive things.
the entire analysis.
3. Third- Order Coding  Coding data means assigning labels or categories to
- Third-order coding is the highest level of coding and your data to easily retrieve pieces of information.
captures the overall meaning of both descriptive  Coding has three levels: first order, second order,
and interpretive codes. and third order coding.
 Derived notes involve determining significant
Example: segments from the compiled data and creating a
I use social media to kill time whenever I feel bored. It new set of meaningful notes.
also helps me reconnect with my friends who I have not
seen in years. Although at times I feel it is pointless
because I feel like I am wasting my time browsing
instead of doing more productive things, like studying
and doing household chores (MIX).

Codes:

MIX - The participant has mixed emotions about

social media. It benefits them by spending
leisure time and connecting with friends, but at
the same time it makes them less focused on
doing things that matter more. 3.0 Reassembling Qualitative Data

TIP: The researcher may stop analyzing and coding data Reassembling Qualitative Data
when a saturation point has been reached. Reassembling is the process wherein the data is
being reorganized into meaningful sequence or
groupings to search for patterns or themes that have
Derived Notes emerged.
Derived notes involves determining significant Searching for Patterns
segments from the compiled data and creating a new
set of meaningful notes  Patterns – the main outcome of the
reassembling phase
 Themes – tells about a deeper meaning of the
data according to the research question

Developing Themes

1. Write memos to capture emerging themes.

2. Highlight significant quotes while coding.
3. Create diagrams to represent the relationships
among codes.
4. Provide summary statements that reflect the
significance of the data.
Example of Categorizing Codes into Themes in Matrices as Arrays
Qualitative Research
Matrices are constructed by sorting data to
provide a visual representation that portrays the
findings in the data and context.

Narrative Arrays

Narrative arrays are a series of verbatim

quotations from your original source or database in the
form of vignettes, anecdotes, or longer segments of
texts.
Naming the Categories
REMEMBER: Researchers can use techniques for
The sources where the categories will most commonly
reassembling qualitative data such as hierarchical
be named after are the following:
arrays, matrices, and narrative arrays to organize their
 The researcher data and look for patterns.
 The exact words of the participants
 External sources such as other literature related
to the topic. SUMMARY:

REMEMBER: Precaution must be used in borrowing  Reassembling is when the data is being
terms from other sources since it creates bias in your reorganized into a meaningful sequence or
data and hinders the generation of new themes. groupings to search for patterns or themes that
have emerged in the data.
 The main outcome of the reassembling phase is
Criteria in Constructing the Themes the emergence of patterns.
 A theme tells about a deeper meaning of the
 Addresses the purpose of the research data according to the research question.
 Exhaustive  Layering and interconnecting themes are two
 Mutually exclusive ways on how researchers can relate multiple
 Sensitive to the data themes.
 Conceptually congruent  Categories or themes should address the
Organizing Patterns from Data purpose of the research, must be exhaustive,
mutually exclusive, sensitive to the data, and
Researchers use two most common techniques conceptually congruent.
to organize data and look for patterns, which is through  Patterns can be organized into hierarchies,
the use of hierarchies and matrices. matrices, or narrative arrays.

Hierarchical Arrays

Hierarchical arrays depict a visual

representation on how themes are subordinate or
superordinate to each other.

Characteristics of hierarchical arrays:

1. Hierarchies have lower and higher levels.

2. Hierarchies can point to different groupings.
3. Hierarchies may suggest relationships across
groupings.
4.0 Interpreting Qualitative Data
2. Description plus a call for action
Interpreting Qualitative Data
- These researches have explicit advocacies that aim
Interpreting can be defined as giving meaning to challenge existing policies. Institutions who want
to your findings to draw a conclusion from the entire change in their policies often use this type of mode
study. in interpreting qualitative data.

DID YOU KNOW? An action research often interprets

data using description plus a call for action. Researchers
Guide questions for interpreting qualitative data: and participants collaborate during the entire study to
 What are some unexpected information that initiate or upgrade a certain policy.
you found? 3. Explanation
 What information can pique the interest of the - Explanation is a higher level of interpreting mode
participants and audiences? than description. This exposes how a certain
 What are the significant interpretations that phenomenon happens or why people behave the
emerged? way they do.
TIPS: If there is a lack of literature about your study,
your interpretation must emphasize why your study can
be considered as a strong foundation for the following Examples of Scenarios that can be explained in a study:
studies.
 Explanation of a social condition
TIPS: If there are several literature about your study, Example: A study on the experiences of racial
your interpretation must focus on highlighting what Discrimination
makes your study different or explain something that is
still left undiscovered.  Statement about some social preference

Example: The study of why some women prefer to

Criteria of a Good Interpretation: be single rather than being married

1. Completeness  Explanation of a critical geopolitical event

2. Fairness Example: A study on the effects of the EDSA
3. Empirical Accuracy Revolution
4. Value-added
REMEMBER: The three modes of interpreting are
5. Credibility
description, description plus a call for action, and
Three Methods of Interpreting: explanation which have different purposes in presenting
a research study.
1. Description
2. Description plus a call for action
3. Explanation
SUMMARY:

1. Description  Interpreting can be defined as giving meaning to

your findings to draw a conclusion from the entire
Descriptions in a study may be based on:
study.
 The routine functions in coping with everyday  The patterns and themes that have emerged from
life the codes can be considered as the starting point in
 Diversity of people or social groups in a certain the interpretation of the process.
area  An ideal interpretation must be complete, fair,
 Nature of social institutions value-added, empirically accurate, and credible.
 Processes over time  The three modes of interpreting are description,
description plus a call for action, and explanation.