The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers

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A flat coding frame assigns the same level of specificity and importance to each code. While this might feel like an easier and faster method for manual coding, it can be difficult to organize and navigate the themes and concepts as you create more and more codes. It also makes it hard to figure out which themes are most important, which can slow down decision making. Hierarchical Coding Frame

Coding examples from SAGE journals providing actual examples of coding at work, giving you insight into coding procedures. Once you create your codes, you need to put them into a coding frame. A coding frame represents the organizational structure of the themes in your research. There are two types of coding frames: flat and hierarchical. Flat Coding Frame How can you turn all of that text into quantifiable, applicable information about your customers’ needs and expectations? By coding qualitative data. A generalizable NPT coding manual is of value to researchers from a range of disciplines interested in the ways that implementation processes play out. It provides a consistent set of definitions of the core constructs of the theory, shows how they relate to each other, and enables researchers doing qualitative content analysis together to work within a common frame of analysis (for example, in qualitative evidence syntheses, or in team-based qualitative analysis of interview or observational data). In the future, as software for computational hermeneutics [ 15] becomes more widely available and practically workable, a coding manual could also be integrated into the development of topic modelling instruments and algorithms. Having only a few codes and hierarchical framing makes it easier to group different words and phrases under one code. If you have too many codes, especially in a flat frame, your results can become ambiguous and themes can overlap. Manual coding also requires the coder to remember or be able to find all of the relevant codes; the more codes you have, the harder it is to find the ones you need, no matter how organized your codebook is. Make accuracy a prioritySaldaña does a generally good job of balancing the art and science of coding. From early on in the manual, he makes it clear that coding is “primarily an interpretive act,” one that can be done in a variety of equally compelling ways. He effectively discusses the writing of analytic memos (Chapter 2) in a way that I think is helpful and inspirational for researchers, highlighting how good qualitative research is not only about using good/proper methods, but more importantly about good thinking. By providing a categorization of the ways in which qualitative data can be reflected upon, and indeed become part of a cyclical process of data analysis, readers of all types can likely find new and interesting ways to relate to their data that move them beyond simple description of what is being said and the production of a journalistic account of respondents. Let’s look at the two extremes: There are as many codes as there are responses, or each code applies to every single response. In both cases, the coding exercise is pointless; you don’t learn anything new about your data or your customers. To make your analysis as useful as possible, try to find a balance between having too many and too few codes. Group responses based on themes, not wording Especially useful for utilization in higher education, administrative research, general development, the arts, social sciences, nursing, business, and health care. That may seem like a vast application, but both students and professionals will appreciate the clarity and the emblematic mentorship this book provides.”– American Journal of Qualitative Research

Morgeson FP, Mitchell TR, Liu D. Event system theory: an event-oriented approach to the organizational sciences. Acad Manag Rev. 2015;40(4):515–37. Shulver W, Killington M, Crotty M. ‘Massive potential’ or ‘safety risk’? Health worker views on telehealth in the care of older people and implications for successful normalization. BMC Med Inform Dec Mak. 2016;16(1):131. Example:‘The analysis centres on English primary care and in particular on the issue of how healthcare professions are affected by, and in turn affect, the interpretation and adoption of new services. We use the case of the implementation of evidence-based approaches for managing patients with osteoarthritis. This musculoskeletal problem occurs in a high proportion of GP consultations, and is projected to increase due to a rapidly ageing population in the western world’ [ 29]. Group exercises for small and large groups encourage you to get to grips with basic principles of coding, partner development, categorization and qualitative data analysis

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The deductive approach can save time and help guarantee that your areas of interest are coded. But you also need to be careful of bias; when you start with predefined codes, you have a bias as to what the answers will be. Make sure you don’t miss other important themes by focusing too hard on proving your own hypothesis. What is Inductive Coding? Inductive coding (without a predefined code frame) is more difficult, but less prone to bias, than deductive coding. Mechanisms motivate and shape the work that people do when they participate in implementation processes (primary NPT constructs: coherence-building, cognitive participation, collective action, reflexive monitoring). Mair FS, May C, O'Donnell C, Finch T, Sullivan F, Murray E. Factors that promote or inhibit the implementation of e-health systems: an explanatory systematic review. Bull World Health Organ. 2012;90(5):357–64. Discourse analysis: This refers to analysis of what people say in social and cultural context. It’s particularly useful when your focus is on building or strengthening a brand.