ANALYZING THE

MEANING OF THE
DATA AND DRAWING
CONCLUSIONS
 Chapter 17
DRAWING PATTERNS AND THEMES

ANALYZING QUALITATIVE DATA

Qualitative data analysis involves the

identification, examination and
interpretation of patterns and themes in
textual data and determines how these
patterns and themes help answer the
research question on hand.
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
1.Getting to know the
Data. It is done by
reading and rereading the
text. The purpose of this
process is to asses the
quality of data before
analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
2. Focusing the analysis. This
can be done in two approaches:
A. Focus by question or topic, time period or
event. This is usually done in open-ended
questions. This can be done by looking at how
individuals or groups responded to each question
or topic, or for a given time period or event;
organizing data by question to look across all
respondents and their answers to identify
consistencies and differences; consolidating all
data from questions; applying the same approach
to particular topics.
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
3. Coding. This is the process of
categorizing the data. This process
reduces data into smaller groupings
so that they are more manageable.
This will help the researcher analyze
the relationship between categories
and patterns of interaction.
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
3. Coding.
a. Predefined Codes – refer to
codes that are formulated by the
researcher based on his or her
knowledge through the reviewed
literatures.
b.Emergent codes- refer to the
code that become apparent as one
views the data
DATA ANALYSIS
PROCESS
4. Entering and
Organizing the Data.
This can be done
manually by using a
piece of paper or through
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
5. Cleaning the Data. This is a process
of checking data for errors.

3 Common Ways of Cleaning the Data

(Washington County, 1996)
a. Spot-checking. Comparing the raw
data to electronically raw data.
b.Eye-balling. Reviewing the data for
errors that may have resulted from a
data entry or coding oversight.
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
5. Cleaning the Data. This is a process
of checking data for errors.

3 Common Ways of Cleaning the Data

(Washington County, 1996)
c. Logic check. A careful review of the
electronically entered data to make sure
that the answers to the different questions
make sense.
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
6. Identifying meaningful patterns
and themes. This is the core process of
qualitative data analysis.
Two primary ways to perform this:
a. Content Analysis. Carried out by
coding the data for certain words or
content by going through all the text
and label words, sections of the text.
b. Thematic Analysis. Process of
analyzing data and grouping them
according to themes.
DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS
7. Interpreting Data. The result are
synthesized into coherent whole.
Meaning and significance are attached to
the analysis of data.
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