DISCUSS TWO STRATEGIES THAT WOULD HELP A RESEARCHER MANAGE AND ORGANIZE THE DATA NRS 433
DISCUSS TWO STRATEGIES THAT WOULD HELP A RESEARCHER MANAGE AND ORGANIZE THE DATA NRS 433
Topic 2 DQ 1
Qualitative data have been described as voluminous and sometimes overwhelming to the researcher. Discuss two strategies that would help a researcher manage and organize the data.
Replies
In working with a qualitative study bulk of data, I found that the process of coding helps the researcher to organize all of the data and start formulating the theory from the collected data. Coding is the process of making many pages of text into many segments of text through the “open coding” system, then to 30-40 codes in the next step of “Axial” coding, then down to ~20 codes, into the 5-7 themes of the entire project through the “selective” coding process (Williams & Moser, 2019).
This coding is done by recognizing the relationships between the data and labeling the data with a descriptive key word or phrase. This is usually the Who, What, When, Where, Why, & How of the data (Williams & Moser, 2019). The First part of the coding process is called Open coding, which the researcher identifies specific concepts and theme of the data for categorization, and codes the data as such (Williams & Moser, 2019). Next is the Axial Coding process of reprocessing all of the data and the Open Codes, and reprocesses it down further to common themes and patterns. This process is different from the Open Coding because it further refines, aligns, and categorizes the themes already established from the Open Coding (Williams & Moser, 2019). The next part of coding is Selective Coding, which the researcher, again, reviews all of the data and begins to select and integrate categories of data into meaning-filled expressions which help the researcher to formulate the theory and further to constructing meaning (Williams & Moser, 2019).
Another helper of working with all the bulk of qualitative studies is the computer. This is the computer age and It is really needed in this process. Johnson, Dunlap, & Benoit (2010), refer to interviews digitally recorded and transcribed with little effort, just a need to have a great filing system on the computer, which needed to be labeled with the date and subject of the recordings, and out of the computer (filing cabinet) and same filing system in case anything happened to the computer system, and also it helps with direct comparing of notes when different people are working on the same project together (Johnson, Dunlap, & Benoit, 2010). Of course, a system to reference the information you are looking for. This system, and any qualitative system is highly specialized to the project that is being worked on. Each project has its own unique functional system and organizational system. Grey (2022), reports on the book, doing qualitative research in a digital world, how to do a create a digital workflow and how to select software tools for locating and evaluating, storing and organizing, reading and annotating, and synthesizing sources of literature. That is a great help in the qualitative study world. However, Johnson, Dunlap, & Benoit (2010), mention that of the 4+ qualitative analysis programs that they had worked with over the years, they all have proven unsatisfactory. The last 12 years must have greatly improved the computer systems and the software—which I think it has.
Resources
Gray, D.M. (2022). Book review: Doing qualitative research in a digital world. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 21(2), 340-342. Permalink: https://idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://serarh.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=157698655&site=eds-live&scope=site
Johnson, B.D., Dunlap, E., & Benoit, E. (2010, October 1). Structured qualitative research: Organizing “mountains of words” for data analysis, both qualitative and quantitative. PubMed Central, 45(5): 648-670. DOI: 10.3109/10826081003594757 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2838205/
Williams, M. & Moser, T. (2019). The art of coding and thematic exploration in qualitative research. International Management Review, 15(1), 45-55.
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Francis Umukoro
replied toMisty Diaz
Aug 4, 2022, 3:53 PM
• Replies to Misty Diaz
Hello Misty,
Data collection is an important part of the process of research, almost the most important right after data compilation and analysis, and though it requires a lot of accuracy and surety, it is not so advisable to use multiple strategies for data management and organization. (Gur et al, 2021). Each of these strategies before they were approved as qualitative data management strategies must have passed through scrutiny that proves them efficient, having multiple management strategies expose the data to more sources of leakage and privacy is a very important part of data collection.
REFERENCE
Gür, I., Guggenberger, T. M., & Altendeitering, M. (2021). Towards a Data Management Capability Model. In AMCIS.
