Bitesize highlights from the Breaking Binaries Research 'Twilight Zone' Qualitative Research Training Sessions #qualitativeresearch #researchtips #qualitativeanalysis #phdlife

1. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
Professor Katrina Pritchard
&
Dr Helen Williams
School of Management, Swansea University
The Twilight Zone
Qualitative Research
Support Sessions
Twilight Highlights
This was an in person session and we are sharing
summary slides for those who were unable to attend.
Follow our blog for details on our next session…

2. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
1. The Coding and Analysis Process
2. What is coding?
• What is a ‘code’?
• Introduction to coding techniques
• Coding exercise 1
• Coding exercise 2
BREAK
3. What is Analysis
• Overview of different analytic approaches
• Analytic Exercise (Reflexive Thematic Analysis)
• Importance of piloting and trying different approaches out
What To Expect

3. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
The Coding and Analysis Process
Transcripts Contribution
Prep &
anonymising
data (i.e.,
textual, visual)
Initial data
review
Initial coding
stages
Codes are
organised
Organised
codes are
grouped into
common
themes
Themes are
organised and
developed
Themes are
written up as
initial
findings
Analysis is
written
up/specific
data further
analysed
Data management, GDPR, security

4. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
A Useful Baking Analogy
Much like baking a cake, a finished qualitative
analysis is a combination of lots of different
ingredients (data), skills and processes.
The cake is not existent prior to it being baked!
The cake will be different depending on how you
choose to bake it.
Braun & Clarke (2016)

5. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
Quick
Overview:
Ordering
Data
• Induction, deduction and also abduction are forms of (logical-ish)
reasoning that are used in every type of research (qualitative and
quantitative alike).
• These forms of thinking are not concepts, nor are they methods or
tools of data analysis, but means of connecting and generating
ideas. They represent the intellectual building blocks of research.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

6. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
Is it a Code or a Theme?
Codes
• An analytic ‘unit’
• Captures narrow observations
or labels specific entities in
your data (people, places,
objects etc.)
• One-dimensional (mostly!)
• Thin on meaning
Themes
• An analytic ‘basket’
• Capture multiple aspects and
facets
• Capture multiple “meanings”
in your data (formed from
codes)
• Help to organise aspects of
data in ways to link to your
research questions

7. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
• Coding involves systematically reviewing data and searching for
aspects that appear interesting, relevant, provoking – in relation
to the (research) question – and then writing brief descriptions
(codes) next to them.
• Coding provides a foundation for insight because – when done
well - it requires purposeful, critical engagement with the data.
• Coding is a systematic interrogation of the data, identifying
“meaning” and patterns across the dataset (this is often seen a
means of achieving rigour).
• We must always recognise the role and subjectivity of the
analyst!
What is Coding?

8. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
Stage Process
1 Familiarisation
2 Coding
3 Develop initial themes
4 Further develop and refine themes
5 Refine, define, label (name) themes
6 Writing up your work (tell the story of your participants)
Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021)

9. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
IPA’s Six-stage Analytic Process
IPA’s six-stage analytic process (Eatough & Smith, 2017; Smith et al., 2022)
Stage Process
1 Read and re-read transcripts to get to know the data
2 Make initial notes to systematically capture observations
3 Develop initial themes for each case
4 Search for connections across initial themes within the case
5 Move to next case
6
Identify connections and patterns across all cases (once above steps completed for each
case)

10. © 2023 Breaking Binaries Research. All rights reserved.
@ProfKPritchard
@HelenCWilliams
@BreakBinaries
helen.c.williams@swansea.ac.uk
k.l.pritchard@swansea.ac.uk