Explaining Data Analysis Using Qualitative Methods

• In qualitative research data can be collected through a wide range of methods: interviews, focus groups, and participant and nonparticipant observations. How data is being analyzed varies between disciplines depending on the theoretical perspective, on the study contexts, and the research question. Sometimes a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods might be used. For example, to discover commuting patterns among people in a city area and their experiences of the same, a quantitative method, like travel survey, might be used together with in-depth interviews and observations. This article connects to the previous article on qualitative methods (Volume 7, p. 39-45) and focuses on how qualitative data can be analyzed and presented. It starts with theoretical perspectives on the analysis process and a presentation of various approaches to transcriptions. The analysis often starts during the transcription procedure when the researcher is listening to audio recordings of interviews or watching video recordings of the interaction between informants. Qualitative researchers often organize their data in categories, based on concepts, and in some coding systems. This process is presented and related to examples from research on transport mobility. Reliability and validity in qualitative research are also discussed. The article finishes with a section on how to use quotes and publishing the results.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Analysis process

Categorization

Coding

Conceptualization

Excerpts

Publishing

Qualitative data

Quotation

Reliability

Transcription

Validity

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kap (ämneskategori)