Introduction to Qualitative

Analysis
Dr Chris Groves
grovesc1@cardiff.ac.uk

DEdPsy Year 1

Approaches to Qualitative
Analysis
Semiotics

Narratives

Conversation Analysis

Grounded Theory

Content Analysis

Discourse Analysis

Qualitative Analysis: Common

Approaches 1
Content Analysis
Approach: quantitative approach to
qualitative analysis. Counting the
number of times each word relating
to a particular issue or topic appears
in the text. Assumption that the
frequency with which words appear is
a reflection of their Importance.
Examples: mostly used for studying
journalism or political speeches.
Classic use is in studying systematic
biases within texts. Rarely employed
for interviews but can be useful.
Tools: Markers/pen and paper. Now
CAQDAS.

Code-based Approaches
(associated with grounded theory)
Approach: selecting instances of text
from the main data body and organising into topics or themes. Iterative
process involving refinement and
re-examining against the whole data
set
Examples: analysis for particular
rhetorical strategies (e.g. the ways
participants use evidence to support
their opinions) OR could consider
discussion of particular topics (e.g.
friends refine code further)
Tools: scissors/markers and papernow CAQDAS

Qualitative Analysis: Common

Approaches 2
Case Based Approaches
(inductive but also narratives)
Approach: Uses individual cases to
create general theories. Historically
follows the scientific experimental
method (i.e. create hypothesis, test
against one case, re-examine
hypothesis proceed to next case).
More recently case based analysis
has been used for more interpretive
work, particularly in longitudinal
studies.
Examples: identifying conditions
present for a person to become a
drug addict. Studies of masculinity.

Discursive Methods
(discourse/conversation analysis
narratives and semiotics)
Approach: involves the
interpretation of cultural representations. Orientation to the
construction of written and spoken
texts. Unpacking and rendering
visible the business of talk. Asks
what is discourse doing?
Examples: Critical discourse analysis:
analyses text for the underlying
ideologies and power relations
present in the text.

Data Management
Qualitative research is characterised by a fluid,
interactive relationship between data collection and data
analysis (Denzin and Lincoln, 1970)
Practical reasons for paying attention to data
management: 1) large data sets; 2) tension in analytic
process between data collected on a chronological basis
and the need to analyse data by topic or theme; 3)
procedural transparency; 4) avoid drowning in data
(Levine, 1985)
Computer based systems as enhancing technologies
organisation, storage, and retrieval

Introduction to QSR CAQDAS:

Nvivo 10

Background and Development

NUD*IST first developed in 1981

QSR established 1995
1997 - launch of N4
1999 release of NVivo
2002 launch of N6 and NVivo2
2006 combined package NVivo 7 launched
2008 NVivo 8
2010 Nvivo 9
2012 Nvivo 10
Atlas.ti - (alternative package)

What are they? What can they do?

Provide a workspace that enables you to work
through your information and manage your
different sources efficiently.
They do not analyse the data, they facilitate your
analysis.
Qualitative analysis involves developing theories
from the data and testing those theories against
your data - movement between your qualitative
material and your theories, as well as literature,
notes, research process and inspiration.

Nvivo 10

Code and Retrieve

Theory building (models etc.)
Conceptual network builder
Edit text in programme
Code graphics, audio and video
Complex multimedia data

Basic Principles of QSR

Packages
Project
Coding
(Nodes)

Data
(Sources
or
Documents)

NVivo 10

Introductory Tasks

Preparing Documents
Think about how you name the file (e.g.
case site and participant pseudonyms,
interview number)
Paragraphs useful unit of context in
NVivo Hard Return between questions
and respondents answers
Can create consistent headings so that
sections can be recognised
Focus groups e.g. :[M] :[F]

Starting a Project
Click QSR NVivo 10
On the Welcome screen, click the
New project button
The New Project dialog box is
displayed
Type in a name for your new project
and a brief description

Task 1: Importing
Documents/Sources
In Navigation View, click the name of the sources folder
that you want to import the document into (Internals)
On the External Data tab, in the Import group, click
Documents or PDFs.
The Import Internals dialog box is displayed
In the Import from field click the Browse button
Locate the files you want to import
Click the Open button
The selected files are displayed in the Import from field
(also Options available)
Click OK

Task 2: Browsing and Annotating

Documents
Sources > Internals
Select document name double click OR right
click and select Open Document
Can edit text in browser if necessary (unless
PDF source)
Select some text
On the Analyze tab, in the Annotations group,
click New Annotation.
On the View tab, check the annotation check
box at the top to view or hide

Task 3: Adding Attributes

In List View, select an imported transcript.
Click the Create tab, then Source
Classifications in the Classifications
group
The New Classification dialog opens
Select Add predefined classifications
Click the Interview option from the list
Click OK.

Task 3: Adding Attributes

Click the Home tab, then Properties in the
Item group
Select Document Properties from the list
The Document Properties dialog opens
Click the Attribute Values tab.
You can fill in the values here for the various
fields, working from the info in the source
document.
Click OK.

Task 4: Creating Sets

In Navigation View, click Collections to
display the Sets folder (on right side)
On the Create tab, in the Collections
group, click Set.
The New Set dialog box is displayed >
enter a name for the set in the Name field
> Description if required
Click OK

Task 4: Add items to sets

In Navigation View, select the folder that
contains the required items (e.g. Sources, Nodes)
Select the required item from the list
On the Create tab, in the Collections group, click
Set>Add To Set.
The Select dialog box is displayed
Click the required set > Click OK
To view click on Collections>Sets tab in
Navigation view

Task 5: Create a Memo

In Navigation View, under Sources, click
the Memos folder.
On the Create tab, in the Sources group,
click Memo.
The New Memo dialog box is displayed
Enter a name and description, if needed
Click OK. You can now edit the memo.

Coding

Task 6: Creating a Tree Node

(Coding)

In Navigation View, click Nodes and then click Nodes.

On the Create tab, click Node
The New Node dialog box appears
Fill in Title (Energy Use) and Description (optional)
Click OK. The new node is displayed in the List pane
Now right-click this new node. Click New Node from
the context menu.
Give it a name (Essential Energy Use) and click OK
Now create another child node of Energy Use, called
Inessential Energy Use

Task 8: Coding to existing node

Open the source required
Open the required node folder to display
the nodes
Select the content you wish code
Drag the selection to the required node
Alternative > select text > right click
>Code selection > At existing node

Task 9: Coding at new node

Open the required source and select text
Right-click the text, then Code
Selection>Code Selection at New Node
Enter a name for the new node in the next
drop-down list
You can make it a child node of another by
clicking Select here to choose an existing
node to be its parent
Click OK

Task 10: Text Search Query

On the Query tab, in the Create group, click Text Search.

On the Text Search Criteria tab, in the Search for box, enter the word or
phrase. If you want an exact phrase enclose it in double quotation marks
(").
(Optional) Adjust the Finding matches slider to find words or phrases
with a similar meaning. By default, the slider is set to find 'Exact match
only
(Optional) Click Special to combine multiple words with special
characters and operators.
In the Search in box, select whether you want to search in Text,
Annotations or both.
To change the scope of the query:
In the Of box, select which project items you want to include in the search

In the Where box, choose to include only project items created by

selected users
To run the query, click the Run button

Task 11: Reviewing coded dataviewing coding in documents

Open the required source
On the View menu, click Coding Stripes
Click the Selected Items option to choose
specific nodes, attribute values or users
You can also choose pre-defined selection such
as Nodes Most Coding or Nodes Recently
Coding

Task 11: Viewing coding at nodes

In Navigation View, click the Nodes
button
In List View double click the required
node
All coding at this node is now displayed.

Some References
Lewins, Ann. and Silver, Christina. (2007) Using software
in qualitative research : a step-by-step guide, London:
SAGE
Bazeley, Patricia. (2007) Qualitative data analysis with
NVivo, London: SAGE (2nd edition 2013)
Bazeley, Patricia. and Richards, Lyn. (2000) The NVivo
qualitative project book, London: Sage.
Special Issue, Qualitative research and computing:
methodological issues and practices in using QSR NVivo
and NUD*IST, International Journal of Research
Methodology, Vol. 5, No. 3