By

Toko Jimmy

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 What is qualitative analysis
• Qualitative data is the process by which data
is not described through numerical values, but
rather by some sort of descriptive context
such as text is analyzed
• The process of qualitative data analysis is
concerned with the qualities exhibited by data
more than with their quantities

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 Qualitative research
• Qualitative researchers aim to gather an
in-depth understanding of human
behavior and the reasons that govern
such behavior.
• The qualitative method investigates the
why and how of decision making, not just
what, where, when.

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 Qualitative research
• Qualitative data analysis is more challenging,
and time consuming than quantitative data
analysis.
• Qualitative data analysis is less technical, less
prescribed, and less linear but more
interactive

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 Methods of collecting qualitative data

• The methods of collecting qualitative

data are:
–interviews
–Focus group discussions
–Observation
–Open ended questionnaires

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 Examples of qualitative data
• Interview transcript,
• Field notes (notes taken in the field being
studied),
• Video,
• Audio recordings,
• Documents (reports, meeting minutes, e-
mails),
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 Common qualitative data analysis
techniques

1. Content Analysis
2. Thematic Analysis
3. Discourse Analysis

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 Content analysis
• This is a procedure for the categorization
of verbal or behavioral data, for the
purpose of classification, summarization
and tabulation.
• The content may be analyzed at two
levels:
–Descriptive
–Interpretive
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 Content analysis procedure
1. Read through the transcript and note in
the margin relevant information
noticed.
2. Look through the margin notes and
make note of the different types of
information found.
3. Categorize each item in a way that
describes what it is about in the list of
data.
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 Content analysis procedure
4.Establish whether some of the categories
indentified may be linked in any way. If
so, list the combined minor categories as
major categories.

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 Content analysis procedure
5.Once you have sorted out all the
categories and are sure that all the items
are in the right category, look at the
range of categories to see whether two
or more categories seem to fit together.
If so they may form a major theme in
your research

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THEMES MAJOR MINOR
CATAGORIES CATAGORIES
Health issues for Sexual health Safe sex
young people
Pregnancy
Sexuality
Sexual behavior
Drugs Smoking
Alcohol
Illicit drugs
Mental health Stress
Self esteem
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THEME MAJOR MINOR
CATEGORIES CATEGORIES

Barriers to Lack of knowledge Services available

accessing services

Understanding

Perception

Attitudes Own beliefs

Peer pressure
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 Thematic analysis
 Telling the Qualitative Story:
 The themes emerge from the data and are not
imposed by the researcher (Inductive)
 The data collection and analysis take place
simultaneously. Even background reading can form
part of the analysis process, especially if it can help
to explain an emerging theme.
 This approach is very useful when analyzing data
from interviews, focus groups, photos or surveys.
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 How thematic analysis is done
 The researcher would examine the data
collected from various participants and
would identify themes (and label them
as codes or categories) as they emerge
when examining the data.
 As the same themes continue to emerge
the researcher groups the data together.
 Used more in exploratory studies

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 Difference between thematic and
content analysis
 Between Content and Thematic analyses
is that in thematic analysis, the
categories are not predetermined but
rather emerge as the researcher reviews
the data (Inductive).
 The themes/categories are not set, and
the number of themes is not
predetermined. As many new themes as
the researcher identifies can be included.
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 Content analysis
• Content analysis is deductive in nature,
• Most cases the researcher moves out with
already pre determined objectives
• Content analysis is guided by the already
existing assumptions and conceptual
framework.

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 Comparative analysis

• Using this method, data from different

people/groups are compared and
contrasted and the process continues
until the researcher is satisfied that no
new issues are arising.

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 How comparative analysis is done
• In this process the researcher compares
and contrasts collected data to see what
similarities and differences emerge.

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 Comparative analysis
 Often used in the same project, with the
researcher moving backwards and
forwards between transcripts, memos,
notes and the research literature, and
comparing for various groups.
 This approach is very useful when
analyzing data from interviews, focus
groups, photos or surveys
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 Narrative analysis

• The narrative approach to data analysis

is a non-theoretical description. The
researcher removes themselves from the
process and presents the details of a
study in chronological order.

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 Narrative analysis
 In this tradition, the data is explained by
using the words or experiences of the
participants.
 The narrative has the ability to capture a
high degree of complexity and to convey
deeper understanding of how particular
events or factors impact each other

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 Narrative analysis
• From transcribed interviews or from
observation notes the researcher would
piece together a complete overview
(story) of a situation.

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 Discourse analysis
 Discourse is a term used to describe the
systems we use in communication with
others. These include verbal, non-verbal
and written material.
 What we say, how we say it, our choice
of words, tone, timing are full of values,
meanings and intentions.
 So, analysis of discourse increases our
understanding of human behavior
through language and interaction.
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 Analysis considerations
1 Words
2 Context (tone and inflection)
3 Internal consistency (opinion shifts
during groups)
4 Frequency and intensity of comments
(counting, content analysis)

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 Discourse analysis
5 Specificity
6 Trends/themes
7 Iteration (data collection and analysis is
an iterative process moving back and
forth)

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 Organizing and presenting
qualitative data
• There are five ways of organizing and
presenting qualitative analysis .
• The first two methods are by people
• The next two methods are by issue
• And the final method is by instrument.

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 Presenting data by people
In groups
• one way of organizing a qualitative data
analysis – by groups.
• This method automatically groups the data
and enables themes, patterns to be seen at a
glance.

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 Cot’d
• Responses can be organized by groups of
respondents in relation to a given issue.
• The groups of respondents can also be
organized by their membership of different
strata in a stratified sample
• The disadvantage is that this can only be done
if data was collected using one instrument.

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 cot’d
• Another disadvantage is that the collective
responses of an individual participant are
dispersed across many categories and groups
of people, and the integrity and coherence of
the individual respondent risks being lost to a
collective summary.

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 By individuals
A second way of organizing the data
analysis is by individuals.
• Here the total responses of a single
participant are presented, and then the
analysis moves on to the next individual.
• This preserves the coherence and
integrity of the individual’s response and
enables a whole picture of that person to
be presented.
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 By individuals
• However unless the researcher is interested
only in individual responses, it often requires
him or her then to put together the issues
arising across the Individuals to look for
themes, shared responses, patterns of
responses
• This a second level of analysis and is often
very tiring and repetitive

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