Qualitative Analysis: Practice and Innovation

209 Pages·2002·13.919 MB·English

by  Douglas Ezzy

Qualitative Analysis
Douglas Ezzy
Social Research Today edited by Martin Bulmer
The Social Research Today series provides concise and contempo
rary introductions to significant methodological topics in the social
sciences. Covering both quantitative and qualitative methods, this
new series features readable and accessible books from some of the
leading names in the field and is aimed at students and professional
researchers alike. This series also brings together for the first time
the best titles from the old Social Research Today and Contemporary
Social Research series edited by Martin Bulmer for UCL Press and
Routledge.
Other series titles include:
Principles of Research Design in the Social Sciences Frank Bechhofer
and Lindsay Paterson
Social Impact Assessment Henk Becker
The Turn to Biographical Methods in Social Science edited by Prue
Chamberlayne, Joanna Bornat and Tom Wengraf
Quantity and Quality in Social Research Alan Bryman
Research Methods and Organisational Studies Alan Bryman
Field Research: A Sourcebook and Field Manual Robert G Burgess
In the Field:An Introduction to Field Research Robert G Burgess
Research Design second edition Catherine Hakim
Measuring Health and Medical Outcomes edited by Crispin Jenkinson
Methods of Criminological Research Victor JuPP
Information Technology for the Social Scientist edited by Raymond
MLee
An Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Research Tim May and
Malcolm Williams
Researching Social and Economic Change: The Uses of Household
Panel Studies edited by David Rose
Surveys in Social Research fifth edition David de Vaus
Researching the Powerful in Education edited by Geoffrey Walford
Martin Bulmer is Professor of Sociology and co-director of the
Institute of Social Research at the University of Surrey. He is also
Academic Director of the Question Bank in the ESRC Centre for
Applied Social Surveys, London.
Qualitative Analysis
Practice and innovation
Douglas Ezzy
~l Routledge
i
~
Taylor & Francis Group
LONDON AND NEW YORK
First published 2002 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OXI4 4RN
Simultaneously published in Australia and New Zealand by Allen & Unwin Ltd,
270 Madison Ave, New York NY 10016
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
Transferred to Digital Printing 2011
© 2002 Douglas Ezzy
Typeset by Midland Typesetters, Victoria, Australia
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or
by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 0-415-28126-1 (hbk)
ISBN 0-415-2S127-X (pbk)
Publisher's Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint
but points out that some imperfections in the original may be apparent.
Ta Jill) wha first taught me the value af listening ta the 'ather),
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
List of figures ix
Introduction xi
Acknowledgments XVll
1. Theory and data: a hermeneutic approach 1
What is theory? 2
Interpretation in everyday life 5
Symbolic interactionism and grounded theory 7
Deductive theory building 7
Simplistic inductive theory building 10
Grounded theory: a sophisticated model 12
Induction,deduction,abduction 13
Postmodernism 15
Feminist standpoint methodology 20
Hermeneutics 23
Summary reflections 29
Further reading 31
2. Politics, rigour and ethics 33
The policy process 34
Examples of applied qualitative research 39
Feminism and participatory action research 43
The value of qualitative methods 44
The unavoidably political consequences of
research 46
Rigour and ethics 50
Summary reflections 57
Further reading 58
3. Data analysis during data collection 60
Integrating data collection and data analysis 61
Techniques for integrating analysis and collection 64
Team meetings and peer debriefing 65
Checking interpretations with participants 68
Transcribing, reading and coding early data 70
Journals and memos 71
Sampling and saturation 74
vii
Qualitative Analysis
Including participants in all aspects of the research 75
Summary reflections 77
Further reading 78
4. Coding data and interpreting text: methods
of analysis 80
Content analysis 82
Coding in thematic analysis and grounded theory 86
Narrative analysis 95
Cultural studies and semiotics 101
Summary reflections 109
Further reading 110
5. Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis 111
Computer-assisted content analysis 113
Interpretive analysis 115
When to use a computer package 116
Coding 121
Retrieval 127
Choosing a CAQDAS program 129
Learning to use a CAQDAS program 130
Potential problems with CAQDAS 132
Summary reflections 135
Further reading 136
6. Writing about qualitative data 138
The process of writing: time, reflection and rhythm 140
Identify your audience 143
Writing styles 144
The use of exemplars 147
Objectivity and the representational crisis 148
Experimental writing 151
Including the personal experience of the researcher 153
The ethics of writing about others 156
The political implications of categorising people 157
Academic publications and community reporting 160
Summary reflections 161
Further reading 162
Concluding reflections 164
Bibliography 167
Index 183
Vlll
List off igures
Figure 1.1 Interpretation in everyday life 6
Figure 1.2 Deductive theory buliding 8
Figure 1.3 Simplistic inductive theory building 11
Figure 1.4 Grounded theory: a sophisticated model 13
Figure 1.5 Radical postmodernism 18
Figure 1.6 Standpoint epistemology 21
Figure 1.7 Hermeneutics 26
Figure 3.1 Relationships between data analysis and
data collection 62
IX