The document outlines various approaches to qualitative data analysis, including content analysis, thematic analysis, grounded theory, discourse analysis, and framework analysis. Each method has distinct processes, applications, advantages, and disadvantages, offering researchers different tools for analyzing qualitative data. It emphasizes the importance of selecting the appropriate method based on the specific research context and objectives.

1. Types/Approaches of
Qualitative data
analysis
Neeru Magar
MPH 2nd sem 2024
Pokhara University

2. Types/Approaches of Qualitative
data analysis
1. Content analysis.
2. Thematic Analysis
3. Discourse analysis.
4. Framework analysis.
5. Grounded theory

3. Content Analysis:
• Analyze deductively with an existing framework
• This research method is used to systematically analyze the content of textual,
visual, or audio data.
• It involves identifying patterns, themes, and meanings within the data.
• Can be applied to both qualitative and quantitative data,
• focuses on identifying frequencies and recurring words and subject

4. • Process: Researchers create a coding framework, categorize content
based on predefined codes/emergent themes, and analyze the frequency
and relationships between these codes.
• Application: Widely used in media studies, communication research, and
content-based literature reviews.

5. • Pros:
• Objectivity in coding and analysis.
• Quantifiable results.
• Versatility across different types of content.
• Cons:
• May oversimplify complex meanings.
• Challenges in capturing contextual meaning
• Limited depth compared to other qualitative methods.

6. Thematic analysis
• An inductive qualitative data analysis method that involves deriving
themes from data
• Helps to identify, categorize, analyze, and interpret patterns in
qualitative study data.
• Start by reading through a data set (such as transcripts from in depth
interviews) and identifying patterns in meaning across the data to derive
themes.

7. • Process: Researchers engage in systematic coding, categorization, and
theme development. This involves identifying patterns, organizing codes
into themes, and interpreting the meanings associated with those themes.
• Application: used across various disciplines, thematic analysis is suitable
for studies seeking to explore and understand the richness of qualitative
data without imposing pre-existing theoretical frameworks.

8. • Pros:
• Flexibility in application and adaptability to different research contexts.
• Accessibility for researchers with varying levels of experience.
• Allows for a nuanced exploration of diverse data sources.
• Cons:
• Subjectivity in the identification and interpretation of themes.
• Relies on the researcher's discretion in coding and theme development.
• Potential challenges in managing large and complex datasets.

9. Grounded Theory Analysis
• Develops a new theory derived from data
• An inductive approach , aiming to develop a theory based on the analysis of
data without imposing pre-existing theoretical frameworks.
• Data collection, data analysis, and theory development occur iteratively
which occurs until reach theoretical saturation is reached : the point at which
additional data adds no additional insight into your new theory.

10. • Process: Researchers engage in systematic coding and categorization,
allowing theories to emerge from the data. It is used to explore and
generate new theories or concepts.
• Application: Widely applied in sociology, psychology, and other social
sciences to understand complex phenomena.

11. • Pros:
• Allows for the development of new theories.
• Provides flexibility to adapt to emerging themes.
• Facilitates a holistic exploration of complex phenomena.
• Cons:
• Time-consuming analysis.
• Challenges in theory validation.
• Potential introduction of subjectivity by the researcher.

12. Discourse Analysis:
• Analyzes the meaning of language
• A blanket term for a range of qualitative research approaches used in
analyzing the use of language in social contexts.
• Researchers employ these techniques to understand the world by
investigating the underlying meaning of what people say and how they say it
• It investigates the role of language in shaping and reflecting social reality,
how it constructs meaning and power relations across various contexts.

13. • Process: Researchers analyze the structure, content, and context of
discourse, examining linguistic patterns, rhetorical strategies, and
underlying power dynamics.
• Application: Commonly applied in sociolinguistics, cultural studies, and
communication research to uncover hidden ideologies in language use.

14. • Pros:
• Reveals power dynamics and ideologies.
• Provides insights into cultural norms.
• Emphasizes contextual understanding.
• Cons:
• Subjectivity in interpretation.
• Complexity, requiring a nuanced understanding of language.
• Time-consuming analysis, especially with large datasets.

15. Framework Analysis
• A systematic approach to organizing and analyzing qualitative data.
• It involves developing a matrix or framework to categorize and interpret
data systematically.
• Process: Researchers use predefined categories or themes to organize data,
facilitating a structured analysis.
• Application: Applied in studies where specific research questions and
predefined categories are crucial, such as policy studies and applied social
sciences.

16. • Pros:
• Structured and systematic approach.
• Transparency in the analytical process.
• Useful in studies with predefined themes.
• Cons:
• May be considered rigid due to predetermined framework.
• Limited emergence of unexpected themes.
• Reliance on the appropriateness of the initial framework.

17. Reference
• https://delvetool.com/qualmethods
• Qualitative Research Analysis.pdf