Qualitative Research Methods

Approaches in Data Analysis in Qualitative Data

• Content Analysis:

  • Focuses on the systematic classification of data.
  • Uses coding to identify key categories and issues.
  • Coding involves segmenting data into chunks and assigning labels or 'codes'.
  • Color-coding or numbering groups data chunks by code.
  • Reduces vast qualitative data into a summary form by identifying and coding pre-existing or new categories.
  • Example categories: malas (lazy), gembira (happy), tidak berminat (uninterested), bersemangat (enthusiastic), tiada masa (no time), penat (tired), kurang inspirasi (lacking inspiration), menarik (interesting).
  • Example grouping:
    • 1: malas, tidak berminat, tiada masa, penat, kurang inspirasi (negative).
    • 2: gembira, bersemangat, menarik (positive).

• Thematic Analysis:

  • Focuses on the search and generation of themes from the dataset.
  • Similar to content analysis, it uses coding.
  • Aims to reduce data into a summary form.
  • Coding identifies and applies themes to data chunks.
  • Example:
    • Negatif (Negative): malas, tidak berminat, tiada masa, penat, kurang inspirasi.
    • Positif (Positive): gembira, bersemangat, menarik.
  • Staged process:
    • Familiarize with data by reading through the entire dataset without coding.
    • Re-read the data and generate initial codes by identifying main features.

• Textual Analysis:

  • Broad term for research methods used to describe, interpret, and understand texts.
  • Information from text includes literal meaning, subtext, symbolism, assumptions, and values.
  • Methods vary by object and analysis purpose.
  • Analysis examples:
    • Story analysis: imagery, narrative perspective, and structure.
    • Film analysis: dialogue, cinematography, and use of sound.

• Discourse Analysis:

  • Focuses on analyzing language used, considering the social context.
  • Reveals socio-psychological characteristics of individuals involved.
  • Considers previous communication, power relationships, and identity understanding.
  • Elements include:
    • intonation and tone
    • gestures
    • patterns of speech

Methods of Collecting Qualitative Data

• Individual Interviews:

  • Structured interviews: interviewer asks the same questions in the same way to each respondent.
  • Semi-structured interviews: questions based on topic areas but allow adjustments and additions.
  • Unstructured interviews: have very little structure.

• Focus Groups:

  • Collect information from groups to observe interactions and gather multiple perspectives.
  • Characteristics:
    • Recommended group size: 6 – 10 people.
    • Run several focus groups in a research project.
    • Members should have something in common.

• Observation:

  • Used when data from other means is limited or difficult to validate.

  • Observing participants provides more reliable data on actual behavior.

  • Observational methods:

    • Covert: participants unaware of the researcher.
    • Overt: participants aware of the researcher's presence and role.
    • Participant observation: researcher integrates into a group to study their way of life, culture, and community structure; commonly used in ethnography.
    • Non-participant observation: researcher studies subjects from the sidelines, without participating; can be structured or unstructured.

Techniques for Collecting Data Through Observation

• Written descriptions: record observations of people, situations, or environments by making notes.
• Video recording: frees observer from note-taking and allows repeated review of events.
• Photographs and artifacts: capture observable data of phenomena in single shots or series.
• Documentation: a wide range of written materials can produce qualitative information.

Transcribing Qualitative Data

• Transcribing is creating a written version of an interview, a full "script".
• It is a time-consuming process.
• Estimated time ratio: 5:1 (2.5+ hours to transcribe a 30-minute interview).
• Good transcribing involves more than just transferring words.
• A large proportion of message is how people speak e.g. tone and inflection indicate feelings and meanings.
• Consideration should be given to how these feelings and meanings can be communicated on paper by using punctuation marks, and techniques such as upper-case lettering, underlining and emboldening.