Research Design Qualitative Data Collection PADMN 6289// WEEK 7

Collection through analysis 03 Dimensions to consider 02 Qual definition & examples 01 This Videocast

RQ The Research Design Concept identification Definitions and measurement Data collection Data analysis Findings Conclusions The Research Process Epistemic approach Literature review

The Research Design Concept identification Definitions and measurement Data collection Data analysis The Research Process In qualitative research, the line between data collection and analysis is often not a clean one

Qualitative Data 01

Qualitative Data Non-numerical data, taking the form of written words, recorded narratives, images or videos, etc.

Qualitative Data Less frequently concerned with measuring amounts our discrete concepts/phenomena and more concerned with “thick” descriptions, experiences, and answering “how” or “why” questions

Interviews Documents (e.g. media, organizational publications, public records) Websites and/or social media content Focus groups Observer and/or participant-observer Non-text content (e.g. recordings, videos) Historical (e.g. journals, older news media, other older documentation, etc) More common (in public affairs research) Less common (but appropriate and valuable) Qualitative Data Sources

Dimensions to Consider 02

Research objectives Explore? Describe? Explain?

Sampling Purposive sampling strategies • Maximum variation • Representation • Key informants • Snowball • Etc.

Data collection instruments • Interview questions • Participant/observer framework • Coding framework (discussed later) • Etc.

Question(s) Theory & Concepts Data Deductive Positivism/empiricism Greater structure in collection Inductive Interpretivism Less structure in collection

RQ The Research Design Concept identification Definitions and measurement Data collection Data analysis Findings Conclusions The Research Process Epistemic approach Literature review

The Research Design Concept identification Definitions and measurement Data collection Data analysis The Research Process Deductive design Inductive design

Collection through analysis 03

” Sometimes content analysis [aka “coding”] is used when working with narratives such as personal diaries and journals. In the strictest sense, content analysis converts qualitative data into quantitative analysis. However, it is often used qualitatively to identify common themes. — Gail Johnson

Coding i.e. “to code” Convert qualitative content into qualitative data by assigning it to/tagging it with a more general, abstract, or comparable meaning • A code can be “more” or “less” quantitative or qualitative • Coding often takes the form of assigning themes to text • Coding can be “more” or “less” inductive or deductive Question(s) Theory & Concepts Data Deductive Inductive

Research Design Qualitative Data Collection PADMN 6289// WEEK 7