week 7 how to analyze qualitative data + week 8 how to observe

how can we find meaning in qualitative data?

grounded theory, narrative analysis, conversation analysis, visual sociology

codes

identify key ideas and trace usage

from small to big how does it go from codes to theory

first starts with a code then category to big idea which is the theory

descriptive/ open coding

• attributes

• topics

• magnitudes

• process/ actions

analytical coding

• categorizing

• patterns

• meta-coding

what makes a good theory

fit , understanding ,generalizability

before the study know own opinion

reflexivity

researcher reflects on own bias

• would different people reach the same conclusions when working with the same data and same codes?

• to what extent were you able to put aside your previous knowledge ?

what are the different qualitative methods

field research, ethnography, participant observation (reactive methods)

what is unobtrusive methods in qualitative research

• content analysis

• observation of physical traces

field research

studying social processes as they happen

ethnography

studying and systematically recording human cultures

participant observation

gathering data by developing relationship with people while they go about normal activities

what is thick and thin description

thin description: observation of human social actions

thick descriptions: observation of human social actions in connection with context as interpreted by the actors

how do sidewalk make a neighborhood safe

eyes on the street

requirements: clear demarcation of where the road ends and sidewalk starts

what are physical traces

• by products of use

• adaptations for use

• displays of self

• public messages

advantages of observing physical traces

• less obtrusive than observing social interaction

• helps learn more about a space

key challenges when observing physical traces

• missing traces

• selective deposit

• cumulative traces

ethnography

long periods of the research field

conversation analysis

focus on the details of the conversation interaction rather than the people are tense

narrative analysis

holistic account like biographies and unit of analysis

grounded theory

develops general propositions from patterns in data

critical cases

selected based on unusually rich and pertient information

typical ase

selected based on assumption that they are very similar to other cases

deviant cases

based on their contrast with normal case

theorit

field researchers relies heavily on which two types of research subjects?

gate keepers and key informants