Handout 2
Read the information share with the partner. (This part of task includes two
information
ANALYSING THE DATA
and
PROBLEMS IN COLLECTING DATA)
ANALYSING THE DATA
Data analysis is the final stage of research. It implies organising the data collected in order to study to
what extent the objectives that we predetermined have been achieved, to check if the hypothesis formulated
can be confirmed or simply to draw conclusions from an ethnographic study. This analysis leads to the final
conclusions of the research.
In this stage, as with the previous phases, there is a variety of techniques that we can use and the results
will depend on the type of analysis. But it is important to notice that there must be a relation between the
nature of the research problem, the research method, the variables we want to control, the tools used to control
the variables and the procedures chosen to analyse the data collected. Some data analysis techniques will be
more appropriate for quantitative research, while others will be more appropriate for qualitative
research. Some of the well known handbooks which offer a gool deal of practical information for data analysis
are Seliger and Shohami, (1989); Brown, (1988); Tuckman, (1978), just to give a few examples.
Qualitative research data
In qualitative research, where the data have been collected through observations, interviews, diaries,
or any other qualitative procedure, the information is gathered in recordings or written reports. Then the
researcher has to identify the most relevant segments of the text according to an organised scheme. Quite often,
some categories emerge from the data, without having to apply a fix taxonomy. Sometimes, the researcher
does the opposite: (s)he applies a predetermined classification.
In short, the two main types of techniques that can be identified in analysing qualitative data a the following:
a) deriving a set of categories for dealing with text segments from the text itself (inductive procedure)
b) applying a system of categories or predetermined classification to the data .
According to Tesch (1987), there are some features that are common to all qualitative research
analysis:
- The analysis of qualitative data is systematic, but not rigid.
- The main procedures used are comparison, a search for likeness and differences.
- In order to be compared and contrasted, the raw data need to be summarised and condensed.
- As a result of summarising and organising the information, some preliminary and tentative
classifications of categories emerge.
- The analysis is not the final phase of the research project. The results of each analytical
session point to other questions that need new data.
- Qualitative analysis is a process that demands deep involvement on the part of the researcher.
- Finally, there is not an exclusive and right way of analysing qualitative data. It is possible to
analyse the information in different ways.
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