Data Analysis, Interpretation, and
Reporting
Eve 9810001M
Sabrina 9810002M
Outline
Data Analytic Strategies
Six Steps in Qualitative Data Analysis
Grounded Theory Analysis Strategies
Interpretation Issues in Qualitative Data Analysis
Writing Research Reports
Ways of Conducting Reports
Data Analytic Strategies
Recursive analytic strategies:
analyze cases generate findings
draw conclusion from grounded theory write report
Nine qualitative data analysis principles:
1. Collect the data in the field and study all the data carefully to
find out similarities and difference, concepts and reflection.
2. The data analysis can be stopped only with the emergence of
regularities (Saturation and sufficiency of information).
3. Accountability of information: Keep notes or transcripts if
readers or reviewers want to review the data analysis procedures
and results.
4. Divide the data into smaller , more meaning units related to
your major points after reading them all.
5. Organize the smaller units into categories (based on major
points). The process is inductive.
6. Use comparison to build and refine categories, define conceptual
similarities, find negative evidence, and discover patterns.
Ex: pro one pattern
con one pattern
7. The categories are flexible and are modified as further data
analysis occurs.
8. Analyze negative cases to reflect their perspectives.
9. Synthesize the patterns into the grounded theory.
Code Code Code Code Code Code Code
(A) (B) (C) (B) (B) (C) (C)
Categor1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4
(pro 1) (pro2) (pro3) (con1)
Pattern 1 Pattern 2
Grounded Theory
Suggestions
Should be:
- connected with what is being discussed in the major
points.
- exact excerpt used in the statement.
Should not be:
- based on interviewer’s personal opinions.
- irrelevant to the major points.
Six Steps in Qualitative Data Analysis
1. Give codes from the notes.
2. Note personal reflections in the margin.
3. Sort and sift the notes to identify similar and different
relationships between patterns.
4. Identify these patterns, similarities and differences.
5. Elaborate a small set of generalizations that cover the
consistencies.
6. Examine those generalizations and form grounded theory.
Grounded Theory Analysis Strategies
Grounded theory:
A process of constructing various data
Inductive process by collecting, analyzing and comparing
data systematically.
Theory is grounded on data to explain the phenomena.
The main purpose is to develop theory through
understanding concepts that are related by means of
statements of relationships.
Recur by moving back and forth with the data, analyzing,
collecting more data and analyzing some more until reaching
conclusions.
An interactional method of theory building by comparing and
analyzing the data.
Three steps in the grounded theory analytic process:
1. Open coding:
Break data into small parts compare for similarities and
differences explain the meanings of the data by focusing on
“ who, when, where, what, how much, why” (ask questions to
get a clear story)
2. Axial coding:
After open coding, make connection (sort) between categories
and confirm or disconfirm your hypotheses.
3. Selective coding:
Select the core category (match hypotheses) and explain the
minor category (against hypotheses) with additional supporting
data.
Coding process:
Open coding
Axial coding
Select coding
Interpretation Issues in Qualitative
Data Analysis
A. Triangulating Data
Use multiple methods and data sources to support the
strength of interpretations and conclusion
Ex) semi-structured interviews, consent form, grounded
theory
B. Audits
Questions to examine the data for interpretations and
conclusion
1. Is sampling appropriate to ground the findings?
2. Are coding strategies applied correctly?
3. Is the category process appropriate?
4. Do the results link hypotheses? (examine literature review)
5. Are the negative cases explained? (minority’s voice)
Suggestions
Four steps of negative case testing
1. Make a rough hypothesis
2. Conduct a thorough search
3. Discard or reformulate hypothesis
4. Examine all relevant cases
C. Cultural bias
Discuss cultural differences with different groups of
participants
To see whether divergence is based on culturally different
interpretations
D. Generalization
Not appropriate for qualitative research
Two perspectives for generalization
1. Case-to-case translation (transferability)-
by providing thick description to apply to another setting
2. Analytic generalization-
form a particular set of results to a broader theory
Ex) use deviant cases
Writing Research Reports
A. Introduction
B. Literature Review
C. Methodology
D. Results: Tie the results to study purpose (hypotheses)
E. Discussions and Conclusion:
Tie discussions to the literature; recommendations for
practice; limitations of the study
Ways of Conducting Reports
A. Quantitative reports
Report results by the use of tables and graphs
Avoid first-person pronoun
Use passive voice (It is shown / suggested that…)
B. Qualitative reports
Look for a deep and valid description (narrative style)
Look for well-grounded theory
Seek contextual meaning by understanding demographic
information (different experiences)
Thank you for
your attention.
