Chapter 18 Qualitative Research: Data Analysis and Interpretation
Suggested Activities
1. A website dedicated to qualitative research, Qual page, is housed at the University of
2. One strategy I have used is to pair students and give each pair a qualitative research
website to review together prior to class (suggestions follow). I have each group report to
the class the following:
a. Site name, general content, and who maintains the site.
b. One similarity between content in the site and in Chapter 18.
c. One difference between content in the site and in Chapter 18.
d. One thing they learned from the site beyond what they knew from Chapter 18.
e. An overall opinion/recommendation regarding the site.
This activity can be done in class but depending upon the size of the targeted site, it takes
about 20 minutes so I usually require the pair work outside of class time. Students like
the activity because it is a little different from other class activities and it also allows
everyone to be an expert regarding something that the rest of the class members have not
reviewed. Therefore, the activity provides everyone content to add to the class discussion
of Chapter 18 while allowing you to adequately structure the review of Chapter 18
content.
3. One of the issues students generally question regarding qualitative research is how much
researchers draw conclusions from their data and ‘what it takes’ to be able to make
claims from their data. In a recent special issue of Educational Psychology Review,
(June 2011), Jonna Kulikowich and I tackled this question for data overall. An entry in
that issue authored by Amanda Nolen and Tony Talbert specifically addressed
qualitative assertions. The manuscript is accessible to even novice researchers and can
be used for discussion in class. Have students read the article out of class and come
prepared for discussion of the following questions.
Handout 18.3
Given the following article:
Nolen, A., & Talbert, T. (2011). Qualitative assertions as prescriptive statements. Educational
Psychology Review, 23, 263-271.
1. The authors suggest that there are necessary conditions that must be met prior to
qualitative researchers stating prescriptive statements. Select one and provide a
rationale for that condition.
2. How do the authors refer to data? How does this stance relate to your text?
3. One large focus of the manuscript is the role of the researcher. State and describe
one characteristic or goal of qualitative researchers. Why is this characteristic or goal
desirable or necessary?
4. In the end, what types of statements do the authors suggest qualitative researchers
can make regarding claims from their evidence?
5. The text uses the term trustworthy research reports. How might the authors consider
this term? What to the authors makes a report trustworthy?
6. Share one surprising aspect of the manuscript.
7. Share one place where the manuscript extends or contradicts the text content
regarding qualitative research.
Handout 18.3 (Discussion points)
1. The authors suggest that there are necessary conditions that must be met prior to
qualitative researchers stating prescriptive statements. Select one and provide a
rationale for that condition.
2. How do the authors refer to data? How does this stance relate to your text?
make regarding claims from their evidence?
5. The text uses the term trustworthy research reports. How might the authors consider
6. Share one surprising aspect of the manuscript.
I thought the discussion regarding the role of the reader very interesting and somewhat
7. Share one place where the manuscript extends or contradicts the text content
regarding qualitative research.
Suggested Activities (continued)
4. As an introductory handout for practitioners who may or may not ever conduct research, a recent
publication from the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension office has
received considerable publicity. The publication developed by Ellen Taylor-Powell and Marcus
Renner (2003) presents a very brief ‘how to’ type of primer for analyzing qualitative data. It is
5. As the text notes, there are software programs available to assist with qualitative data analysis. For
your own review, or for your students to read, consider two articles from the journal Social Science
Computer Review. Both extend several important points made in the text regarding the appropriate
roles for software in qualitative data analysis.
MacMilan, K., Koenig, T. (2004). The wow factor: Preconceptions and expectations for
6. Also as noted in your text, software programs are often expensive and may not be readily
7. For related discussion to item 5 above and the text content, some articles address the use of more
generic word processing programs to use for assistance when analyzing qualitative data. See the
following two publications found in Field Methods in 2004. These articles present ‘low tech’
and small learning curve ways to use software to assist with data analyses.
La-Pelle, N. (2004). Simplifying qualitative data analysis using general purpose software tools. Field
Methods, 16(1), 85-108.
Chapter 18 Test Items
1. Although with revisiting data during data analysis the steps of data analysis may change,
the initial sequence of data analysis concludes with _____________.
a. interpretation.
b. reading.
c. memoing.
d. description.
2. Your text indicates that the first step in analyzing data in any qualitative study is
___________ the data.
a. interpreting
b. coding
c. managing
d. classifying
3. Of the following, which is a question qualitative researchers might ask themselves during
data analysis during data collection?
a. Do I have enough data?
b Does the evidence proof my position?
c. Are my data objective enough for validity?
d Is my research question still answerable?
4. When conducting data analysis during data collection one suggestion for qualitative
researchers is to
a. seek evidence to support your initial thoughts.
b. assure you have enough data for an objective analysis.
c. use caution as you form initial opinions.
d. finish data collection as quickly as possible.
5. Qualitative data analysis is a process of
a. deduction.
b. induction.
c. generalizability.
d. objectivity.
• 6. Karen is an instructional researcher interested in the interactions among learners
in discussion groups. Not only does Karen have observational notes, and interview notes,
she also has verbatim discourse of students’ discussions. According to your text, of the
following, which is the first step for Karen to take in order to analyze her data?
a. Memo her field notes.
b. Code her discussion data
c. Classify her observational data.
d. Check her data for completeness.
7. When a researcher categorizes and codes pieces of her data and groups them into themes
she is said to be
a. memoing the data.
b. classifying the data.
c. describing the data.
d. reading the data.
• 8. Sally is a physical therapist who is conducting a narrative research study of people’s
rehabilitation stories. She has organized her data and is becoming familiar with her data
and is identifying potential themes. Sally is engaged in which of the following
qualitative data analysis steps?
a. Memoing
b. Classifying
c. Describing
d. Examining
9. Regarding data organization, which of the following is NOT a suggestion provided in the
text?
a. Make photocopies of your data
b. Make back-up files of your data
c. Have other researchers code your data
d. Note themes and patterns that emerge
• 10. Marcus is a qualitative researcher who studies the communication of frustration
among colleagues. He has collected his data and is currently trying to find patterns and
meaning in the data. He is using a strategy where he records on 3 x 5 cards to allow for
future sorting. Which of the following data analysis strategies is Marcus most directly
conducting?
a. Coding
b. Answering key questions
c. Organizational overview
d. Displaying findings
11. Regarding data analysis conducted via
computer, your text suggests that
a. computer analysis is more valid than doing the analysis by hand.
b. computer software should be used only to code your data.
c. computer software can be used to assist with data analysis.
d. computer analysis is more reliable than doing the analysis by hand.
12. Of the following, according to your text and other cited sources, which is a question that
a qualitative researcher might pose to guide data analysis and interpretation?
b. Have I quantified my variables?
c. Have I tied my research question to existing theory?
d. Have I collected the data I wanted?
e. Have I controlled for external validity concerns?
13. Which of the following is one of the iterative steps of qualitative data analysis as
presented in your text?
a. Justifying
b. Critiquing
c. Describing
d. Examining
14. The stage of data analysis that addresses detailed analysis of the setting is the
_____________ stage.
a. classifying.
b. justifying.
c. organizing.
d. describing.
15. The goal of this phase of data analysis is to provide a narrative picture of the setting and
events that take place to better understand the research context. This phase is referred to
as the _______________ stage.
a. classifying.
b. justifying.
c. organizing.
d. describing.
• 16. Both Marianne and Bill examined the same set of qualitative data collected from couples
in a study designed to understand relationship stress. Interestingly, the themes that
emerged from the data were not consistent across the two researchers. Of the following,
which is the most likely reason for the discrepancy?
a. The data were not valid.
b. The data were not reliable.
c. Qualitative analysis is interpretive.
d. Qualitative analysis is deductive.
17. In qualitative data analysis, the identification of potential themes occurs during which
processes?
a. describing and classifying.
b. classifying and justifying.
c. memoing and reading.
d. describing and reading.
18. The data analysis strategy that consists of a visual representation of causal relationships is
specifically referred to as
a. creating concept maps.
b. analyzing antecedents and consequences.
c. stating what is missing.
d. relating the findings to theory.
19. Of the following which is a popular qualitative data analysis
software package?
a. Narrative Research Analyst
b. Ethnograph
c. Themetica
d. Code Assistant
20. Of the following which is a popular qualitative data analysis
software package?
a. MYSTAT
b. SPSS
c. NVivo
d. SAS end user
• 21. Of the following, which is an important question for data interpretation?
a. Why did I collect this much data?
b. What is important in these data?
c. How can I classify these data?
d. How can I manage these data?
• 22. Of the following, which is a qualitative data interpretation strategy discussed in
your text?
a. Connect findings with personal experience.
b. Use a frequency analysis to examine the data.
c. Report descriptive statistics for all variables.
d. Use a Chi Square analysis for the categorical data.
• 23. Margarita is cautious about her analysis. She is a novice researcher unsure of her
interpretation. She wants to leave some of the interpretation to others and asks questions
of the data instead of drawing conclusions. Margarita is employing which of the
following data analysis strategies?
a. Connect findings with personal experiences
b. Extend the analysis
c. Contextualize findings in the literature
d. Turn to theory
• 24. Trey is analyzing his qualitative data and is asking himself key questions. Which
of the following is likely a question he would pose?
a. What conclusions can I draw from these data?
b. When does this problem occur?
c. What do these data conclude?
d. Are my conclusions warented?
• 25. Karobi wants to assure he has credible qualitative data for his study on violent
and aggressive student behaviors during lunch sessions. Which of the following questions
might he ask himself regarding the data?
a. Does my study lend itself to generalization?
b. Do the findings inform policy?
c. What biases might have influenced my observation?
d. What competing hypothesis might I test?
• 26. Henry has a ton of qualitative data and is at a loss as to where to turn next. Of the
following what is one suggestion supported by your text, that will assist Henry now?
a. Discard data that appears to be less related after a preliminary read.
b. Focus the study to facilitate analysis.
c. Employ the use of a computer software program to develop themes.
d. Recode the data again to reduce the amount to memo.
27. Making sense of what data mean is termed _______________.
a. interpretation
b. analysis
c. examination
d. classifying
28. Describing what is in the data is termed ______________ .
a. interpretation
b. analysis
c. examination
d. classifying
29. Qualitative data analysis is ________________.
a. definitive
b. objective
c. generalizable
d. interpretative
• 30. Tamar is studying the inclusion of religion in secular schools. He has coded much of his
notes, and has made copies of the originals. One problem he has faced, however, is that
some of his notes are illegible. Tamar’s problem is best categorized as a problem in data
___________.
a. interpretation
b. coding
c. management
d. classification
• 31. Laqueta is studying the cultural of Catholic schools in urban areas in the Midwest United
States. As part of her qualitative study she exams the goals and objectives of the schools.
Which data analysis strategy of those below is Laqueta best illustrating?
a. Organizational review
b. Asking key questions
c. Identifying themes
d. Display what’s missing
• 32.-33. Ariel is a novice qualitative researcher who is approaching data analysis. Her study seeks
to understand depression in young children. She has extensive notes from observations
and interviews. She also has some additional data regarding her participant’s medical
history. She wants to integrate these data to get a better understanding of her
participant’s story. She stops to reflect during data analysis and asks herself, “What are
the issues related to this problem”, “Who else are the key players in my participant’s life”
as part of her analysis strategy.
• 32. Given Ariel’s study, she is most likely conducting a(n)
a. correlational study.
b. survey study.
c. ethnography.
d. narrative.
• 33. By combining multiple data sources Ariel is best illustrating
a. triangulation.
b. description.
c. examination.
d. classification.
• 34. In this scenario Ariel is displaying which of the following data analysis strategies?
a Organizational review
b. Asking key questions
c. Identifying themes
d. Displaying what’s missing
35. Laili integrates her data from her study with the review of the literature to analyze her
data. She is currently engaged in which of the following data analysis strategies?
a. Organizational review
b. Asking key questions
c. Identifying themes
d. Coding observations
36. Your text indicates that the last step in the iterative process of qualitative data analysis is
__________ the data.
a. interpreting.
b. coding.
c. managing.
d. classifying.
• 37. Morisha is a policy researcher who studies parents’ interest in charter schools.
As part of her work she conducted extended interviews with parents who wanted to enter
their children into charter schools for high school. Morisha has a large amount of data
and she is ready to start data analysis. According to your text, which of the following
should Morisha do first?
a. Examine the data for detailed descriptions.
b. Categorize data into codes.
c. Identify potential themes.
d. Describe the participants and setting.
38. When a researcher examines qualitative data in depth so as to provide detailed
descriptions he is said to be
a. memoing the data.
b. classifying the data.
c. describing the data.
d. reading the data.
• 39. Won has pages and pages of transcribed interviews for her thesis on first generation
college students’ feelings of stress and anxiety. Of the following, which is something she
should do to help her to manage these data?
a. Separate her data and read one person’s data at a time.
b. Get an initial sense and read through all of her data.
c. Start to read her data only after identifying codes.
d. Establish a matrix to place student comments in before she reads.
40. Of the following, which is an accurate statement of how best to code qualitative data?
a. Collect all data and then start to code in small pieces.
b. Only code data after you have a representative sample of responses.
c. Think about potential codes as you are first collecting data.
d. Coding data is the last step in qualitative data analysis.
• 41. Joel is interpreting his qualitative data regarding students’ perceptions of the role of faith–
based groups on public university campuses. Which of the following is a technique that
your text suggests that Joel should use during this phase of his data analysis?
a. Extend the analysis and suggest potential implications.
b. Recode all of his data to assure reliability.
c. Assess the validity of his codes through content analysis.
d. Determine the generalizability of his codes in a new data set.
• 42. Sabrina collected and analyzed her qualitative dissertation data that examined the
meditation strategies used by chronically ill elderly women. During the interpretation
phase she tied her findings to previous research found in the literature that suggested
education level may be related to ability to meditate while ill. The strategy Sabrina used
is best described as
a. memoing.
b. contextualizing.
c. empirically grounding.
d. generalizing.
• 43. Which of the following people is best able to start to analyze interview
transcriptions from a study that explored international educational researchers’
perceptions regarding the use of standardized testing for academic placement?
a. Rashid, an expert in standardized testing.
b. Mallika who is an expert qualitative researcher.
c. Jacoby who conducted some of the interviews.
d. Abdullah who understands software packages for data analysis.
• 44. Ming is a qualitative research who studies friendship in preteens. She collected
observational data for several months and is now engaged in interpretation of the
findings. Which of the following questions should Ming ask herself?
a. Why did I collect these data?
b. How can I best classify these data?
c. What can be learned from these data?
d. How can I describe these data?
• 45. In Jack’s study of school bus misconduct, he included observations but also
relied heavily on structured interviews. Which of the following is something Jack might
do to assure the quality of his data?
a. Jack should assure that he has used a valid interview protocol.
b. Jack should make sure his statistics were accurately conducted.
c. Jack should reflect upon contextual circumstances during his study.
d. Jack should make sure his inter-rater reliability is at least .80.
Chapter 18 Answers