Coding

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Coding
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Coding

• What is coding?
• In qualitative analysis, coding is the process
  perusing data for categories and meanings
  (themes, ideas, etc.) and then systematically
  marking similar strings of text with a code
  label.
• This allows for systematic retrieval at a later
  stage for further comparison and analysis. Coding
  the data makes it easier to identify any patterns
  that require further investigation.

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Coding

• Codes may be based on
• Actions, behaviors
• Themes, topics
• Ideas, concepts
• Terms, phrases
• Keywords
• Code only relevant data (Not all data must be
  coded)

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Coding

• Codes are given meaningful names that are applied
  to all instances of similar content.
• Strings of text may contain more than one code.
• When new content is discovered, a new code is
  created to apply to it and other similar content.

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Coding

• Through analysis,
• Codes may evolve
• The number of codes may grow
• as more topics or themes become apparent.
• Therefore, generate and maintain a list of codes
  to help to identify the content contained in the
  codes and the data set.

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Coding

• Sources of codes (usually both below)
• A priori codes
• Previous research
• Previous theory
• Research question
• Your intuition of the data or setting
• Grounded codes (suspend your ideas about the
  phenomenon and let your data determine your
  thinking)

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Coding

• When coding, continually ask yourself questions
  about the data. For example
• What is going on (context)?
• What are people doing?
• Toward what are persons orienting their thoughts?
• What is the person saying?
• What do these things take for granted?
• How does context affect the statements?

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Coding

• Some things that might be coded Examples
• Behaviours, specific acts Being dumbfounded,
  Bragging
• Events short once in a lifetime events or
  things Meeting a transexual, first time seeing
• people have done, often told as a story a
  video clip
• Activities these are of a longer duration,
  and Being a lover, playing ball
• involve other people within a particular setting
• Strategies, practice or tactics Cutting hair
  to look masculine
• States general conditions experienced by
  poeple Being put out with feminine guys
• Relationships or interaction I want to kick
  their asses
• Conditions or constraints If he only knew how
  to sing, wearing a girls shirt
• Consequences Acting like that makes people
  question sex

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Coding

• When coding, constantly compare with previous
  strings of text that bear that code.
• As one codes, and subsequent to coding, one
  should create a data display to manage the data
• The researcher then generates themes by linking
  instances of codes with other codes.
• The themes are formed into a narrative about the
  data.
• There are numerous legitimate ways to move from
  codes to narrative, but the common ingredients
  are systematic work and adherence to logic.