2. Data analysis
• The objective of the analysis is to make sense of the unstructured data.
• The process, which can be cyclical, is the following:
Synthesis
Theming
Coding
Review
3. Data analysis
Synthesis
Theming
Coding
Review
• Read the transcripts
• Make notes with first impressions
• Highlight relevant words, phrases or even paragraphs
• Something can be relevant when: appears more than once, the
interviewee has stated its importance, it appears in previous
theories, or other reasons
4. Data analysis
Synthesis
Theming
Review
Coding
• Codes are tags or labels for assigning units of meaning
• Created from words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs
• Can be based on existing theories and concepts or be completely
new (or both)
• We can have lots of codes (initially)
• Never forget the initial aim and characteristics of the elected design
6. Where Do
We Look for
Meaning?
Whose
Interpretation?
What Is
the Unit of
Analysis?
What Is
Outcome Goal?
Ethnography Culture
Balance of
researcher and
participant
Community Cultural map
Phenomenology
Experience of
phenomenon
Co-researchers
Individuals and
groups
Essence of
phenomenon
Case Study
Characteristics
of bounded
system
Researcher
Organization,
group, individual,
or critical incident
Describe and
interpret case
Textual Analysis
Language and
symbols
Researcher
Texts or
conversation
Interpretation
Applied Research
Constructed
experience with
program
Collaboration of
participants and
researcher
Individual, group,
or organization
Evaluation/
problem solving
Qualitative designs comparison
7. Data analysis
Synthesis
Coding
Review
Theming
• Themes are common, recurring patterns, clustered around a central
concept
• Created grouping codes that are related.
• Not all the initial codes have to be used, some can be dropped,
combined, split or changed.
• Try to be unbiased, creative and open-minded.
• Themes can be different in nature (different types of codes).
• Name the themes.
11. Data analysis
Theming
Coding
Review
Synthesis
• Search for connections between the themes
• Describe and search for explanations about this connections
• This will be the main result of the research
• Decide if there is any hierarchy within the themes