Qualitative Data Analysis... 101?

June 17, 2008 9:23 AM

ResearchFilter: How does one go about covering bases and exploring fundamentals of qualitative research?

I'm working on a Psychology research project this summer with some professors, and neither me nor they have done any sort of qualitative data analysis. The bulk of our thesis is based on quantitative data measures, so it's not like we're up a creek here, but we've decided to undertake the task of implementing some questions that will be open-ended (i.e. a "Explain your thoughts/feelings regarding X" question) and will require some qualitative analyses and I was just wondering if there are any 101 sources or essays (or even scholarly journal articles which have used these methods that could serve as an example) on the subject?

Qualitative analysis doesn't happen very often in Psychology it seems

posted by tybeet to science & nature (9 comments total)

Here is a syllabus for a short course on combining qualitative and quant. data with plenty of reading material on the subject. This course is offered by the University of Michigan ISR program.
posted by Eringatang at 9:35 AM on June 17, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

This (PDF) is a basic introduction to qualitative data analysis.
posted by desjardins at 9:51 AM on June 17, 2008

I would highly recommend that you get some assistance from someone who is actually familiar with mixed methods research if you have any hope of publishing.
posted by k8t at 10:15 AM on June 17, 2008

Here is a syllabus for a short course on combining qualitative and quant. data with plenty of reading material on the subject. This course is offered by the University of Michigan ISR program.

I noticed there is more than one QDA-related course at ISR: 1) Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: Introduction and Overview, 2) Introduction to Focus Groups as Qualitative Research, 3) Qualitative Data Analysis: With and Without the Use of Computers, 4) Qualitative Methods: Overview and Semi-Structured Interviewing

And it's fantastic considering the syllabuses list scholarly articles by which the class is taught, and I can find nearly all of them with our university's library periodicals.

This (PDF) is a basic introduction to qualitative data analysis.

This article, after skimming the first few sections, seems more akin to data collection in-the-field (i.e. natural observation) I forgot to mention that we're using surveys to gather the sample data, but thanks, it still might have some interesting pieces.
posted by tybeet at 10:21 AM on June 17, 2008

I would highly recommend that you get some assistance from someone who is actually familiar with mixed methods research if you have any hope of publishing.

Yes, we're looking into hiring someone who can provide some seminary services. This is more a topic of fascination than it is the crux of our project, as technically we could do all of our research with quantitative measures, we just worry that we might miss something subtle.
posted by tybeet at 10:23 AM on June 17, 2008

Looking through the ISR overview course previously mentioned I've found some interesting pieces of information, here's a quip from my notes so far in case any of the watchers are interested:

The article later on, when describing the methods it will employ (a mix of both qualitative and quantitative), describes some different strategies of qualitative research. The first kind, and the one used in this study is what the authors call “sequential transformative”, assumedly because the study proceeds in a sequence and the first phase, using qualitative data, is used to inform the second phase which uses quantitative data – the quantitative data elaborates on the qualitative data, as well as confirming what was found. An alternative that is used when the study only proceeds in one stage but nonetheless still uses a mix of qual./quant. methods is what’s called “concurrent triangulation,” essentially meaning that the total of data comes together for a circular informing of one another. The quantitative measures inform the qualitative measures, which also inform the quantitative measures (a triangle of feedback, so to speak; see page 4 of article for this discussion). This technique of concurrent triangulation seems to fit in with the design of our own study considering that it will all proceed in one phase.

The qualitative phase of the study proceeds by first using a focus group of students, stimulated by a moderator with a list of questions: the dialogue that ensues is captured by audio equipment, and then transcribed so it can later be analyzed by the researchers. The analysis of such a dialogue was concised by using content analysis, so “as to provide an objective measurement of manifest content. Each element of the text, or ad, could be counted. Content analysis has the power to explore discrete elements. The use of multiple coders provides intercoder reliability that can counteract the effects of viewer fatigue and/or personal bias and interpretation.”

......

source article:
Parmelee, John H., Stephynie C. Perkins, and Judith J. Sayre. 2007. "What About People Our Age?" Applying Qualitative and Quantitative Methods to Uncover How Political Ads Alienate College Students.” Journal of Mixed Methods Research 1:183-199.

I'm already off my feet on this, and have much more reading to do, so cheers!
posted by tybeet at 11:19 AM on June 17, 2008

Enjoy!
posted by Eringatang at 11:36 AM on June 17, 2008

it might help you to search different kinds of qualitative methodology specifically for psychology. qualitative methods have gotten incredibly specific.

for example, my favorite book about qualitative methods is "critical qualitative inquiry in educational research" by phil francis carspecken. but, it's only helpful for interpreting specific kind of data (critical qualitative) in specific research (education).

good luck.
posted by CitizenD at 11:57 AM on June 17, 2008

I studied the book, Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research in graduate school, and I found it to be excellent.
posted by jayder at 7:07 PM on June 17, 2008