Microsoft Word research method fm doc

 
Processing and analysis of qualitative data 
Qualitative data may be collected through open-ended questions in self-administered 
questionnaires, in individual interviews or focus group discussions or through observations 
during fieldwork. We will concentrate here on the analysis of responses obtained from open-
ended questions in interviews or self-administered questionnaires. 
Commonly solicited data in open-ended questions include: 
• 
opinions of respondents on a certain issue;
• 
reasons for a certain behaviour; and
• 
descriptions of certain procedures, practices or perceptions with which the researcher 
is not familiar.
The data can be analyzed in seven steps:
Step 1
: Take a sample of (say 20) questionnaires and list all answers for a particular 
question. Take care to include the source of each answer you list (in the case of 
questionnaires you can use the questionnaire number), so that you can place each answer in 
its original context, if required. 

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Research methodology 
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Step 2
: To establish your categories, you first read carefully through the whole list of 
answers. Then you start giving codes (A, B, C, for example or key words) for the answers 
that you think belong together in one category, and write these codes in the left margin. Use 
a pencil so that it is easy to change the categories if you change your mind. 
Step 3
: List the answers again, grouping those with the same code together. 
Step 4
: Then interpret each category of answers and try to give it a label that covers the 
content of all answers. In the case of data on opinions, for example, there may be only a 
limited number of possibilities, which may range from (very) positive, neutral, to (very) 
negative.
Data on reasons may require different categories depending on the topic and the purpose of 
your question. After some shuffling you usually end up with 5 to 7 categories.