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Qualitative Data Coding

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Qualitative Data Coding

Uploaded by

maurenmejia47
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Qualitative

Data Coding
Field Methods in Psychology
By: Maria Elena V. Milan
A code is a label that describes the content of a piece of text

“Pigeons attacked me and stole my sandwich.”

Qualitative data coding is the process of creating and assigning


codes to categorize data extracts.

It is the process of labelling and grouping similar types of data to


make generating themes and analyzing the data more manageable.
Deductive Coding – make use of pre-established codes, which are developed before you
interact with the present data. Usually, it involves drawing up a set of codes based on a
research question or previous research. It allows you to approach your analysis with a very
tightly focused lens and quickly identify relevant data.
Example: eating habits of college students , “What foods do college students eat the most?”
Your code set includes “ sushi”, pizza, and burgers.
Inductive Coding – type of coding when you want to investigate new ideas or concepts, or
when you want to create new theories. It involves jumping right into the data and then
developing the codes based on what you find within the data. It is great to use when you’re
researching something that isn’t yet well understood because the coding derived from the data
helps you explore the subject
Example:
Hybrid Coding – type of coding when you combine deductive and inductive methods. Begin
with a set of a priori codes (deductive) and then add new codes (inductive) as you work your
way through the data.
Example:
Step 1 – Initial Coding
Identify the essence of the text and code it accordingly. You may use textual data using
Microsoft Word’s “comments” feature; aim is to understand and familiarize yourself with
your data, develop an initial code set
Example: What pets do you have?
I have an alpaca and three dogs.
Only one alpaca? They can die of loneliness if they don’t have a friend.
I didn’t know that! I’ll just have to get five more.
What pets do you have?
I have an alpaca and three dogs.
Only one alpaca? They can die of loneliness if they don’t have a friend.
I didn’t know that! I’ll just have to get five more.
Step 1 – Initial Coding
Identify the essence of the text and code it accordingly. You may use textual data
using Microsoft Word’s “comments” feature
Example: What pets do you have?
I have twenty-three bunnies. I initially only had two, I’m not sure what happened.

Initial Stage of Coding – “pets” or “animals” – fairly broad codes, rough codes
How to Decide Which Codes to Use
Main Approaches to Initial Coding
In vivo coding
Process coding
Descriptive Coding
Structural Coding
Value Coding
In Vivo Coding
You make use of a participant’s own words, rather than your own
interpretation of the data.
You use direct quotes from participants as your codes. You avoid
trying to infer meaning, rather staying as close to the original
phrases and words as possible
Useful when your data are derived from participants who speak
different languages or come from different cultures
Ex. View future as in front of them and the past as behind them but
other culture may view it as the opposite i.e. future as unknown
Process Coding
Makes use of action-based codes (codes that indicate a
movement or procedure, often indicated by gerunds i.e ending
in “-ing”
Useful as it allows you to code parts of data that aren’t
necessarily spoken, but that are still imperative to
understanding the meaning of the texts or the main
occurrences and provide a dynamic account of events
Example: “I have no idea where she is.” indicated by a shrug in
their shoulder; a wink showing they know where the girl is
Descriptive Coding
Aims to summarize extracts by using a single word or noun that
encapsulates the general idea of the data; typically describe the data
in a highly condensed manner which allows the researcher to
quickly refer to the content.
Very useful when dealing with data that appear in forms other than
traditional text – i.e. video clips, sound recordings or images.
Example: “food” – coding a video clip that involves a group of
people discussing what they ate throughout the day, or “cooking”
when coding an image showing steps of a recipe
Structural Coding
Involves labelling and describing specific structural attributes of
the data.
It includes coding according to answers to the questions of
“who”, “what”, “where”, and “how”, rather than actual topics
expressed in the data.
Useful when you want to access segments of data quickly, and it
can help tremendously when you’re dealing with large data sets.
Example: a collection of theses – What - c
Structural Coding
Example: a survey about their pet dogs
Bella is my best friend. When I’m alone at home I like to sit on the
floor with her and roll her ball across the carpet for her to fetch and
bring back to me. I love my dog.
Code Bella as “who”, dog as “what”, home and floor as
“where”, and roll her ball as “how”.
Values Coding
involves coding that relates to the participant’s worldviews
Focuses on excerpts that reflect values, attitudes, and beliefs of
the participants; very useful for exploring cultural values and
intrapersonal and experiences and actions
Step 2 – Line by Line Coding
involves reviewing your data, line by line, digging deeper and
assigning additional codes to each line
The objective is to pay close attention to your data to add detail
to your codes. Example: code is beverage – deeper one such as
coffee, tea and orange juice.
Code everything in your data, even if you don’t think you’re
going to use it. The goal is that coding will become more
thorough and detailed, and a better understanding of your data
Analysis
Ask the following:
What actions are shown in the data?
What are the aims of these interactions and excerpts? What are
the participants potentially trying to achieve?
How do participants interpret what is happening, and how do
they speak about it? What does their language reveal?
What are the assumptions made by the participants?
What are the participants doing? What is going on?
Ask the following:
Why do I want to learn about this? What am I trying to find
out?
Why did I include this particular excerpt? What does it
represent and how?
First Step: Code Categorization
is simply the process of reviewing everything you’ve coded and
then creating code categories that can be used to guide future
analysis
Initial Codes Categories
Dogs Mammals
Llamas
Lions

Flies Insects
Crickets
Beetles
Second Step: Theme Identification
identify and clearly articulate themes in your data set by
drawing meaning and start to produce a narrative
the nature of this narrative depends on your research aims and
objectives as well as your research questions
Tips in Coding
plan out steps you will take and the coding approach and
techniques you will follow to avoid inconsistencies
Use a codebook from the starts of the coding process
Whether you use inductive or deductive approach, keep track of the
meanings of your codes and remember to revisit these as you go
along
Avoid using synonyms for codes that are similar , if not the same
Remind of yourself of your aims and coding method to avoid
directional drift

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