Analyzing Data  Analyzing Data 

Descriptive Analysis

Statistical Analysis

Managing data both quantitative and qualitative

Managing data both quantitative and qualitative

For more open ended questionnaires or semi-structured, open ended interviews, you will need to read them through carefully and code them after the event, that is, code in relation to kinds of answers, themes and issues, and  categories of response (keeping a note of what the codes refer to).

You need to code the data - preferably this should be done as it is collected. Indicate the date of the questionnaires, who completed them, the number of returns.

You need to categorise your data at this stage too, for example, in relation to gender; female (1) and male (2), or origin: Malaysian (1) European (2) African (3). Ages are commonly expressed in ranges, for example, 21-30. Much of this kind of categorising should have been done on the original questionnaire, but it needs coding in now you have the data so that data matches the coding.

AnnotatingAnnotating

Summarising and Generalising

Summarising and Generalising

From the whole range of your data you need to draw some relative generalisations (rather than conclusions).

Ask what kinds of responses keep repeating.

And what are the deviations from these?

Are there themes emerging? Contradictions?

Summarising and Generalising

Summarising and Generalising

Summarise and generalise using figures and quotations to illustrate your summaries and generalisations.

The use of examples is a product of selection and you need to focus down on a few cases or examples which illustrate the points you are making. As a result of analysing your findings more broadly, you may find someone whose behaviour is typical, or a new person whose work and behaviour fall into a set of extremes or contrasts. Then you could take this person or persons as cases, samples, to select and emphasise (the selection of individual cases duly kept anonymous for confidentiality). This helps to illustrate and highlight your findings, because, as with journalism, others reading your work respond well to the individual case, which represents an example of the argument.

Rules for coding up your data so that you can use and

interpret itCodes must be mutually exclusive.

Codes must be exhaustive.

Codes must be applied consistently throughout.

Activity Activity

Looking back now at what your findings have been so far, can you address these categories and see what kind of points you could make?

Are your findings linked to your questions? Do the findings provide satisfactory answers and if so why and if not why not?

•Make a brief argument about the coherence and link between your findings and the conceptual framework overall and questions of methodology/methods...

. How does what you have found fit in with others’ work? What else could other researchers take forward in relation to your work/ areas to be developed?What assertions can you make? Make a couple and indicate in note form which bits of data and findings you would use to prove them.•What are the limitations and weaknesses in your research? Why?

Why is what you have found through your research important as a contribution to knowledge? And in furtherance of the field? And to other people?.