I am using a grounded theory-inspired approach for a class assignment. I hesitate to call it grounded theory because the research is based on transcripts I obtained (open source) from the internet and am using to walk through the process. Like other class assignments, this involves a little bit of working backward - figuring out a research question based on the data rather than collecting data in response to my own interests. I am also doing everything 'manually.' This means no Nvivo, no Hyperresearch and instead I am using MS Word with the commenting feature. The screenshot shoes my two interviews at the time of the second coding that reflects the beginnings of category development, working into "focused coding" (Saldana, 2013, "Coding manual for qualitative researchers," 2nd, Sage, p. 213). I took this shot so you can see how cluttered this is. Actually I do not constantly have all three things full size - this shows two interviews plus my codebook-in-process - but it does in my view demonstrate one of the advantages of software such as NVivo. When I use NVivo, I can organize as much or lots more, and access anything usually with just a click - and set up my view to see the things I decide I need to see (the list of codes would probably be what I wanted to see).
I do not regret my decision to work more old school or low tech - after all, I did not go to the extent of highlighters and scissors - but it is harder to keep things straight and, in particular, harder to stop and get back into it. I do think I should have tried some of this rather than jumping right into software (I learned how to use NVivo before I knew what qualitative analysis was.) It would have both given me more appreciation for the software as well as a little more of an idea of how to use it efficiently.
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AuthorI am Sheryl L. Chatfield, Ph.D, C.T.R.S. I am a member of the faculty in the College of Public Health at Kent State University. I also Co-coordinate the Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research and I am a member of the Design Innovation Team at Kent State. Archives
February 2024
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