CHAPTER 8

Analysing qualitative

data

Learning outcomes• Apply an appropriate process to analyse your

qualitative data• Identify and categorise themes and categories

emerging from the data• Group different items or units of data and

examine potential relationships between them• Evaluate alternative explanations and formulate

credible and plausible conclusions• Evaluate computer-assisted qualitative data

analysis software in relation to your project objectives

• Evaluate the trustworthiness of your data-gathering and analysis process

Analysing qualitative data

The qualitative data analysis process in practice

The qualitative data analysis process

• Descriptive/manifest codes– First-level codes: identify them for further

analysis later– Case codes

• organisation codes• sector codes • codes for individuals

• Analytical codes– Second-level codes– Themes, topics, concepts, ideas

• Axial/relationship codes– To show relationships or connections within or

between categories or sub-categories

Categorising and coding data

1) Clarify the research questions and the data sources that are required to answer them

2) Make use of an appropriate sampling strategy

3) Decide on the initial categories for the analysis

4) Pilot the analysis process

5) Carry out the analysis

The qualitative data analysis ‘journey’

• Counting

• Patterning

• Clustering

• Factoring

• Relationships

• Causal networks

• Relationship to theory

Factors in drawing conclusions from qualitative data

Evaluating explanations and formulating conclusions