October 15, 2010

Analysis of Qualitative Data

A short and straightforward description of Qualitative Data analysis using card-sorting:

Read: Analysis, Plus Synthesis: Turning Data into Insights By Lindsay Ellerby; from UX Matters.

Card-sorting of qualitative data is based (sometimes indirectly) on  on Grounded Theory, developed by Anselm Strauss and others.  Please read:

Juliet Corbin and Anselm Strauss, Grounded Theory Research: Procedures, Canons, and Evaluative Criteria. Qualitative Sociology, Vol. 13, No. 1, 1990; pp. 3-21.  Pay special attention to pp. 12-15 on coding.  Don’t take too serious the discussion of hypotheses; they don’t mean it the way quantitative research does.

At leat skim this example: It will show how one study translated Corbin & Strauss’ advice into action– it’s more complex than what we’ll do but it gives a good idea of how grounded theory works:  Pace, Steven (2004) A grounded theory of the flow experiences of Web users. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 60:3,  pp.327-363  PDF (386 K)

For those who want to go deeper:

Charmaz, Kathy (2006) Constructing grounded theory. London: Sage Publications.


* Filed by Nancy Van House at 1:03 pm under Data analysis,Qualitative Data Analysis
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Qualitative Data Analysis – exercise

In class, we’re going to practice doing some analysis of your interview data — from your assignment and/or your project.  You’ll work with people who did interviews related to yours, so most likely people in your project group.  If your interviews have nothing to do with anyone else’s interviews, bring the following anyway.

1. Bring transcriptions or detailed notes, if you have them.

2. Spend some time reviewing your interview notes (and your memory) and list major topics or themes.  These can be at varying levels of specificity, but, as with the observation exercise, be careful of getting too general, too far from your data.  Go for as long a list as makes sense, given your data.

3. Write these topic areas on large post-its  (3×3 is good) or index cards or pieces of paper cut to 3×3 or 3×5 and bring to class.

* Filed by Nancy Van House at 12:21 pm under Card Sorting,Data analysis,Interviewing,Methods,Qualitative Data Analysis
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