Chapter 15:Analysing

qualitative data

CONTENTS

• Introduction: Data collection, analysis, storage• Case study example• Manual methods• Qualitative analysis using computer software • NVivo

Qualitative data collection and analysis (Fig. 15.1)

A. START: Explanation/hypotheses/

theory/ research questions

Data collection

B. Observation/ description

C. Analysis

The literature and informal observation

Traditional deductive/ quantitative model

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Qualitative data collection/analysis contd

A. START: Explanation/hypotheses/

theory/research questions

On-going Data collection

B. Observation/ description

D. Refinement of hypotheses/

research questions

The literature and informal observation

Inductive/ qualitative model

F. Final analysisC. Analysis

Data collection

E. Continuing observation/ description

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Data storage and confidentiality

• As discussed in Ch. 4: Research ethics• Problems when respondents name names

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Case study example: CS 15.1

• Activity choice qualitative study: used to illustrate analysis methods

• A conceptual framework diagram: Fig. 15.2• Three interview transcripts: Mark, Donna and Lee –

copies available on-line

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Outline conceptual framework (Fig. 15.2): Leisure/sport activity choice affected by a variety of factors

Social

Cultural

Sporting

Main activity type

Level 1 Level 2

Personal factors

Events

Influences

Constraints/ opportunities

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Case study transcripts: example (Fig. 15.3)

Mark (Age 22, Male, Student, Income £8K)Q. What would you say is your most time-consuming leisure activity outside of the home at present?Well, I would say it's playing football, at least during the season. While the football's on, because of training twice a week and needing to be fairly serious about keeping fit I don't do much else: I probably only go to a pub once - or at most twice - a week. I don't have the time or the money to do much more.Q. How were you introduced to football?Oh, I've always played ... since I could run around I suppose. My dad says he spotted my talent - so-called - when I was a toddler, but it was one of the teachers at primary school that really encouraged me. He persuaded my mum to take me to a coaching clinic when I was about 8 or 9, then I got into the local under-11s.

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

CS transcript: example: with manual coding (Fig. 15.3)

Mark (Age 22, Male, Student, Income £8K)

CODING Q. What would you say is your most time-consuming leisure activity outside of the home at present?

Act.: Sport - football Constraint: Commitments, Need to keep fit, Time, Money

Well, I would say it's playing football, at least during the season. While the football's on, because of training twice a week and needing to be fairly serious about keeping fit I don't do much else: I probably only go to a pub once - or at most twice - a week. I don't have the time or the money to do much more.

Q. How were you introduced to football?

Influence: Parent+ Teacher ++

Event: Coaching clinic

Oh, I've always played ... since I could run around I suppose. My dad says he spotted my talent - so-called - when I was a toddler, but it was one of the teachers at primary school that really encouraged me. He persuaded my mum to take me to a coaching clinic when I was about 8 or 9, then I got into the local under-11s.

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Manual analysis

• Importance of reading/re-reading transcripts.• Identification of emergent themes (similar to variables in

quantitative research).• Themes may

– arise from conceptual framework/ research questions - therefore searched for deductively, or

– emerge unprompted, inductively. • Themes ‘flagged’ by researcher – as in column 1 of Fig.

15.3• Can result in a more developed conceptual frame-work –

see Fig. 15.4

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Developed conceptual framework (Fig. 15.4): Leisure/sport activity choice affected by a variety of factors

Level 3

Social

Cultural

Sporting

Main activity type

Level 1 Level 2

TimeMoneyFitness

Personal factors

Events

ParentsTeachersPeers

Influences

CompetitivenessSociabilityRoutineInstrumentality

Coaching etc.Weight-gainRelationshipsJob/money

Constraints/ opportunities

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Manual analysis: mechanics• Flagging of transcripts (as in Fig. 15.3)

– In margins– Use of colour coding– ‘Post-it’ notes– Cards

• Cataloguing, eg.– Constraint - time: Mark: p. 2, para. 3, – Anna: p. 7 para. 4 – Constraint - money: Mark; p. 2, para. 3

• Searching/flagging/cataloguing can be aided using Word-processor ‘search’ facility

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Analysis

• Numbers not important• Emphasis on differences rather than similarities • Some analysis parallel to quantitative analysis – eg.

Crosstabulation – see Fig. 15.5

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

‘Crosstabulation’ of qualitative data (Fig. 15.5)

Little Highlyconstraint constraining

Time as a constraint on activity choice

Level of income

High

Medium

Low

#1

#2#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8#9

#10 #11

#12

# Numbers refer to individual interviewees

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Qualitative analysis using computer software

• Use of computer-aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS)

• Used here: Nvivo (Version 8)– package from QSR (Qualitative Solutions and

Research Pty Ltd)– includes N6 (updated version of the well-known

NUD*IST),and XSight for market researchers– see www.qsrinternational.com

• Nvivo is used because it is effective and is one of the most well-known packages: use in this book does not imply endorsement of it as the ‘best available’.

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Nvivo procedures covered (Fig. 15.6)

Specify attributes

Create project

AnalysisCode documents

Modelling

Cases and attributes

Import documents

Design coding system

Link cases and documents

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Nvivo terminology• In the Activity Choice study:• Cases = the three interviewees: Mark, Donna, Lee• Attributes = age, gender, economic status, income• Documents = the interview transcripts• Importing documents • Coding system = specifying of concepts as in a

conceptual framework, as in Fig. 15.4• Project = a named (ActivityChoice) set of interlinked

files, containing details of cases, attributes, coding systems and documents related to a research project

• Modelling = diagrammatic presentation of conceptual framework, as in Fig. 15.4

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Note to teachers

• The best approach from here on is to ‘go live’ with NVivo with the example data pre-loaded onto your computer and follow the procedures in the book.

• If this is not possible and you wish to proceed to provide an overview using PowerPoint, the Figures from the book are included in the following slides.

A. J. Veal & S. Darcy (2014) Research Methods for Sport Studies and Sport Management: A practical guide. London: Routledge

Screen for Figure 15.7 Create Nvivo project

Screen for Figure 15.9 Cases and attributes

Figure 15.10 Importing internal documents

Figure 15.11 Linking documents and cases

Screen for Figure 15.12 Coding system

Screen for Figure 15.13 Modelling

Screen for Figure 15.14 Coding text

Fig 15.15 Activity Choice project summary

Inteviews: Mark.doc Lee.doc Donna.doc

Attributes: Age Gender Income Empl. status

Cases: Mark Lee Donna

Coding system: Main activity: Activity type Personal Constraints Events Influence

Analysis

Screen for Figure 15.16 Coding query