In Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions (1998), Creswell represents the data analysis process as a spiral, moving in analytic circles rather than using a fixed linear approach. Data management,the first loop in the spiral, begins the process. Researchers organize their data into file folders, index cards, computer files, etc. for analysis by hand or by computer.
While I began initial analysis by hand on hardcopy, I’m currently converting online discussion data for my thesis research into rich text files for importing into NVivo, a qualitative data analysis software. Hopefully this would help my analysis proceed in a more systematic way along the “spiral.”
The preparation of transcripts (removal of images, tables, scaffolds, etc.) is time-consuming and tedious. Admittedly, though, it beats interview transcription!! I wish I could have gone to Tom Hollenstein’s data management seminar at OISE today for some tips and tricks. The weather wasn’t very cooperative (icy rain), however, and I didn’t think it wise to commute in. I wish I lived closer to campus.
Leave a Reply