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Qualitative Data Analysis Content Analysis, Coding and Interpretation Definition of Content Analysis Any technique for making inferences by _______________ and ________________ identifying special characteristics of messages (Holsti 1968, p. 608) Its the most basic form of analysis Certain procedures and protocols to be followed Primarily involves a bottom-up grounded NOT top-down approach Types of Content Analysis Summation data is reduced into categories that integrate and generalize the themes of the document Explanation text is primarily explained by the content of the document Structuration data are ordered to a pre-determined set of categories or by order determined by the text Objective hermeneutics objective and subjective analysis of data is made to explain the nature of the textual interactions Content Analysis Process Identify purpose and objectives Select sampling units Samples size determination viz. theoretical saturation Collect data and make into text Code the data Transform codes into categories, labels or themes Sort materials by categories similar phrases, patterns, relationships, commonalties and disparities Examine sorted materials to identify and isolate meaningful patterns and processes Examine identified patterns in context of previous research Coding Codes represent the tags or labels for assigning units meaning to the descriptive or inferential information complied during a study (Miles Huberman, 1994) One of the basic units of content analysis Provides a means to make sense of the data Two approaches inductive and deductive Approach 1 Inductive coding Researcher immerses himself / herself in the data as they assign codes for material collected Listen to what the interviewee or data is saying Seek an understanding of the proper context and setting of the script The code is derived from the data itself without reference to any pre-conceived idea Approach 2 Deductive coding Made on the basis of some categorical scheme suggested