The Rough Guide to

Qualitative Data
Analysis
…or “What do I do now I’ve
collected all this stuff?”
By the end of the session, you will:

 Be aware of a range of approaches to

qualitative data analysis
 Be able to apply a number of strategies
to a specific data set
 Have reflected on approaches to data
analysis in relation to your own data
 First Question:

 What counts as qualitative data?

 Second question:

 What does ‘analysis’ entail?

In this session, we will look at the
analysis of:

 Interview data/ field notes

 Documentary evidence – concept

maps
 Visual data –drawings and video
 In this session, you will be
introduced to the following
approaches to analysing data:
 Interpreting
 Coding
 Comparing and contrasting
 Using grids
 Using tree diagrams
 Using metaphors
 Managing data
 Make copies where possible
 Put the fieldnotes in order
 Catalogue all documents and artefacts
 Label and store all data
 Create a table of contents for stored data
 Put copies of data in a safe, separate place

Lecompte, M.D. and Schensul, J.J. (1999) Analyzing

and Interpreting Ethnographic Data, London: Sage.
 Interpreting: Using Wolcott’s
framework of ‘Description’, ‘Analysis’
and ‘Interpretation’
 Description: observations made by the researcher
and/ or reported to the researcher by others
 Analysis: identification of essential features and the
systematic description of the interrelationships among
them
 Interpretation: addresses questions of meanings and
contexts: “How does it all mean?” “What is to be
made of it all?”
 Task

 Look at the Wolcott model in relation to one

piece of data – how useful do you find this?
 Codes are…
…tags or labels for assigning units of meaning to the
descriptive or inferential information compiled during
a study. Codes usually are attached to “chunks” of
varying size – words, phrases, sentences or whole
paragraphs, connected or unconnected to a specific
setting. They can take the form of a straightforward
category label or a more complex one (e.g.
metaphor).

Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded
Sourcebook (2nd ed), London: Sage. p56
 Coding
Coding is a process of sorting and defining and sorting the
(various elements of collected data) that are applicable to
our research purpose. By putting like-minded pieces
together into data clumps, we create an organisational
framework. It is progressive in that we first develop, out
of the data, major code clumps by which to sort the data.
Then we code the contents of each major code clump,
thereby breaking down the major code into numerous
subcodes. Eventually, we can place the various data
clumps into a meaningful sequence that contributes to
the chapters or sections of our manuscript.
Glesne and Peshkin, 1992, p133)
 Deductive coding

‘Top-down’ analysis of data…apply

already formed (theoretical) codes to data
 Habitus…
…ensures the active presence of past
experiences which, deposited in each
organism in the form of schemes of
perception, thought and action, tend to
guarantee the ‘correctness’ of practices
and their constancy over time, more
reliably than all formal rules and explicit
norms.
(Bourdieu quoted by Harker, 1990, p16)
 Classification and framing
Classification was a term Bernstein (1974) used
to describe the degree of boundary maintenance
between subject matter. Strong classification
suggests clear boundaries between subject
matter. Frame, on the other hand, refers to the
pedagogical context in which knowledge is
transmitted. Strong framing means that the
content, organisation and delivery of what is to
be transmitted is not in the control of the
teacher or pupil (Bernstein, 1974, pp205-6).
 Task
Examine the data and code it, using the
following codes:

H= Habitus
C/F= Classification and framing

What are the limitations of this process?

 Inductive coding

‘Bottom-up’ analysis of data…analyse

data and develop codes from the data
 Task

 Read interview transcripts

 Develop codes from this data

 Grounded Theory
The theory originates in the data – it is
grounded in the data and emerges from
it…
See:
Glaser, B.G. and Strauss, A.L. (1967) The Discovery of
Grounded Theory, Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press
 Comparing and contrasting

Draw a concept map of the influences

on your conception of childhood.

Look at the concept maps of all the

people in your group. What are the
similarities and differences?
 Using grids

Moira Gail

Identifying children’s Walt Disney Animal books

books Story books with Story books
tapes
Source of books Book shops; School; WH Smith;
Market Asda
Reasons for buying Surface features – Child interested in
‘nice’, pop-up topics
Appropriate text and
pictures
 Using tree diagrams

Child

Books TV

TV Non-fiction Stories Cartoons Films

Disney Comedy Animal

 Analysing visual data
Task: Look at the set of photographs of
literacy activities in one primary
classroom. The research question is:
What theoretical frameworks for language
and literacy does this teachers use to
underpin her practice?
She has been interviewed about her beliefs
and the photographs are a means of
triangulation.
 How did you analyse the
photographs?

Observers note down how the group

approaches the task of analysing the
photographs.
 Analysing videos

 Watch the video repeatedly, with your research

questions in mind
 Choose sections which relate to those questions or
demonstrate patterns/ key themes
 Transcribe those sections only
 You would insert into your dissertation the
transcription of the video (image and sound) –
your analysis would be placed in the main body of
your text
Description Transcript Analysis

How you
complete this
section depends
on your
research
question…
 Conclusion
 Analyse, don’t describe!
 Be systematic and reflective

 Explain how you analysed your data

 Don’t ignore the contradictions

 Check your interpretations

 Relate your analysis to the literature