Qualitative Data Analysis Faculty Seminar Summer 2005

Valparaiso University

About the Seminar

The seminar will introduce participants to the general field of qualitative data analysis (QDA) and explore how Qualitative Data Analysis Software can be used to facilitate qualitative research.  Seminar participants will collectively teach each other how to use the NVivo software package newly available at VU.  Participants should bring to the seminar a small research project and associated data that they will explore throughout the seminar.  This will not be a workshop but rather a seminar where participants bring results of their own research and their explorations of QDA to the table.  

Seminar structure

Four sessions are envisioned with dates and times to be determined.  Readings are to be done before each session.  Additional readings may be identified by seminar participants. Between sessions, participants will work on their projects with NVivo and report on their results in the next session. 

Introducing Qualitative Data Analysis

Topics: Participants share the nature of their research, their research questions and goals, and explore possible techniques for structuring qualitative data analysis. Discuss capabilities of QDA software (what can it do and what is cannot do)

Readings: Carvajal, Welsh, QSR materials help files

Homework: Work through tutorials and set up a project in NVivo

Data Management Strategies

Topics: Strategies for keeping track of data, formatting documents, tracking data through proxy documents, assigning attributes. 

Readings: QSR materials help files, Additional readings TBD

Homework: Format and import Data into Nvivo

Analysis strategies

Topics: Setting up a node structure, how the coding process works, how and when to group/combine codes (sets/tree hierarchies).  

Readings: QSR materials and help files, Additional readings TBD

Homework: Participants analyze their data/try generating reports and constructing models

Explanation/Validity

Topics: Using Codes to test hypotheses and answer research questions, generating reports and models, ensuring validity.

Readings: Baxter and Eyles, Thompson, QSR materials and help files

Preliminary Readings

Baxter, Jamie and John Eyles.  1997.  Evaluating qualitative research in social geography: establishing 'rigour' in interview analysis.  Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers  22:505-525.

Carvajal, Diógenes (2002, May). The Artisan's Tools. Critical Issues When Teaching and Learning CAQDAS [46 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 3(2). Available at: http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/2-02/2-02carvajal-e.htm [Date of Access: May 18, 2005].

QSR (2002a)  Getting Started in NVivo. Available:  http://www.qsrinternational.com/products/productoverview/Getting%20Started%20in%20NVivo.pdf

QSR (2002b)  Introducing NVivo a Workshop handbook Available http://www.qsrinternational.com/resources/teachingmaterials/teaching_materials.htm

Thompson, Robert (2002, May). Reporting the Results of Computer-assisted Analysis of Qualitative Research Data [42 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 3(2). Available at: http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/2-02/2-02thompson-e.htm [Date of Access: May 18, 2005].

Welsh, Elaine (2002, May). Dealing with Data: Using NVivo in the Qualitative Data Analysis Process [12 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 3(2). Available at: http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/2-02/2-02welsh-e.htm [Date of Access: May 18,2005]

Suggested Reading
Miles, Matthew B. and Huberman Michael A.  1994. Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook: Second Edition.  Thousand Oaks: Sage.