Written by Ari Julianto (quoted from Donald Ratcliff)
Today's posting I would like to describe a bit about methods of data analysis in qualitative research. the methods mostl;y taken from Donald Ratcliff.
1. Typology - a classification system, taken from patterns, themes, or other kinds of groups of data. (Patton pp. 393,398) John Lofland & Lyn Lofland Ideally, categories should be mutually exclusive and exhaustive if possible, often they aren't.
2. Taxonomy (See Domain Analysis - often used together, especially developing taxonomy from a single domain.) James Spradley. A sophisticated typology with multiple levels of concepts. Higher levels are inclusive of lower levels.
3. Logical Analysis/Matrix Analysis An outline of generalized causation, logical reasoning process, etc.Use flow charts, diagrams, etc. to pictorially represent these, as well as written descriptions.
4. Quasi-statistics (count the # of times something is mentioned in field notes as very rough estimate of frequency). Often enumeration is used to provide evidence for categories created or to determine if observations are contaminated.
5. Event Analysis/Microanalysis (a lot like frame analysis). Emphasis is on finding precise beginnings and endings of events by finding specificboundaries and things that mark boundaries or events. Specifically oriented toward film and video. After find boundaries, find phases in event by repeated viewing.
6. Metaphorical Analysis (usually used in later stages of analysis). Try on various metaphors and see how well they fit what is observed. Can also ask participant for metaphors and listen for spontaneous metaphors. "Hallway as a highway." Like highway in many ways: traffic, intersections, teachers as police, etc.
7. Domain Analysis (analysis of language of people in a cultural context). Describe social situation and the cultural patterns within it. Semantic relationships.Emphasize the meanings of the social situation to participants. Interrelate the social situation and cultural meanings.
8. Discourse analysis (linguistic analysis of ongoing flow of communication). Usually use tapes so they can be played and replayed. Several people discussing, not individual person specifically. Find patterns of questions, who dominates time and how, other patterns of interaction.
9. Semiotics (science of signs and symbols, such as body language). Determine how the meanings of signs and symbols is constructed. Assume meaning is not inherent in those, meaning comes from relationships with other things. Sometimes presented with a postmodernist emphasis.
10. Content Analysis (not very good with video and only qualitative in development of
categories - primarily quantitative) (Might be considered a specific form of typological
analysis). Look at documents, text, or speech to see what themes emerge. What do people talk
about the most? See how themes relate to each other. Find latent emphases, political view
of newspaper writer, which is implicit or look at surface level - overt emphasis.
11. Narrative Analysis (study the individual's speech). Overlaps with other approaches. (Is it distinctive?) Discourse analysis looks at interaction, narrative is more individual). The story is what a person shares about self. What you choose to tell frames how you will be perceived. Always compare ideas about self. Tend to avoid revealing negatives about self. Might study autobiographies and compare them.
Hope today's posting will be useful for all of us. Amien.
