Qualitative Analysis Using MAXQDA: The Five-Level QDA™ Method

Description

Software is cut-and-dried – every button you press has a predictable effect – but qualitative analysis is open-ended and unfolds in unpredictable ways. This contradiction is best resolved by separating analytic strategies – what you plan to do – from software tactics – how you plan to do it. Expert MAXQDA users have unconsciously learned to do this. The Five-Level QDA® method unpacks the process so that you can learn it consciously and efficiently. The first part of the book explains how the contradiction between analytic strategies and software tactics is reconciled by "translating" between them. The second part provides both an in-depth description of how MAXQDA works and comprehensive instruction in the five steps of "translation". These steps are illustrated with examples from a variety of research projects. The third part contains real-world qualitative research projects from a variety of disciplines, methodologies, and kinds of qualitative analysis, all illustrated in MAXQDA using the Five-Level QDA method. The book is accompanied by three sets of video demonstrations on the Companion Website. The functionality and interface design of MAXQDA for Windows and Mac are identical. The Five-Level QDA method learned from this book is therefore the same whether you are working on a Mac or Windows computer. The Five-Level QDA method is based on the authors’ combined 40 years of experience teaching MAXQDA and other software packages used as platforms for conducting qualitative analysis. After many years observing their students’ challenges they developed the Five-Level QDA method to describe the process that long-time MAXQDA experts unconsciously adopt. The Five-Level QDA method is independent of software program or methodology, and the principles apply to any type of qualitative project. Please see the following URL to access the accompanying materials for this book: https://www.qdaservices.co.uk/five-level-qda Cover Title Copyright Dedication CONTENTS EXTENDED CONTENTS List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxes Acknowledgments Case Contributors Orientation PART I The Principles of the Five-Level QDA Method 1 Strategies and Tactics The Contradictions Between Strategies and Tactics Different Ways to Reconcile Contradictions One-Level QDA Three-Level QDA Five-Level QDA References 2 Developing Objectives and Analytic Plans (Levels 1 and 2) Level 1: Objectives Clear Objectives Adopting a Methodology An Everyday Illustration Level 2: Analytic Plan The Conceptual Framework Analytic Tasks Knowing What You Plan to Do Next References 3 Translating Analytic Tasks into Software Tools (Levels 3, 4, and 5) Level 3: Translation The Framing of Analytic Tasks The Framing of Software Features The Process of Translation Level 4: Selected-Tools Level 5: Constructed-Tools The Sequence of Tasks References PART II The Five-Level QDA Method in Practice 4 Orientation to MAXQDA The Versions of MAXQDA MAXApp Working in Teams Delegation Leadership Style Constraints Frequency of Integration 5 The Architecture of MAXQDA Component Orientation Videos The Organization of the Program Components Actions Tools The MAXQDA Interface The MAXQDA Project Importing Data to a MAXQDA-Project Backing Up a MAXQDA-Project One MAXQDA-Project Per Research Project Providing Data Documents Document-Groups and Document-Sets Conceptualizing Data Segments Codes Coded-Segments Code-Sets Variable-Values Writing Comments Memos Summaries Visualizing Maps Charts The MAXQDA-Project as a Whole Interrogating Outputting Keeping Up to Date Backing Up and Moving Projects Working in Teams Everyone on the Same Cycle What Happens When You Export/Import Teamwork Principles of the Foolproof Method Procedures of the Foolproof Method Inter-rater Reliability References 6 Mastering the Process of Translation Translation as a Heuristic Process Writing Analytic Tasks The Analytic Planning Worksheet The Format of the Analytic Planning Worksheet Analytic Planning Worksheet for the Sample Analytic Task The Five Steps of Translation Step 1—Identifying Units Units of Analysis Units of Data Units of Meaning The Rule of Thumb of Two Units Step 2—Describing Purposes The Difference Between a Purpose and an Action The Rule of Thumb of One Purpose Step 3—Identifying Possible Components Possible Components for the First Unit Possible Components for the Second Unit Additional Possible Components When Purposes Require Writing or Visualizing Step 4—Choosing Appropriate Components Illustrations for Steps 4 and 5 Actions That Can Be Taken on Components The Context of Analytic Tasks Step 5—Finalizing Selected- or Constructed-Tools The Distinction Between Selected- and Constructed-Tools When to Use a Selected-Tool When to Use Constructed-Tools References PART III Case Illustrations 7 Orientation to Case Illustrations Learning From Case Illustrations Learning by Analogy Authentic Learning Learning From Multiple Illustrations Video Demonstrations of Case Illustrations Case Illustration Videos Harnessing Components Videos Accessing Video Demonstrations The Two Full-Case Illustrations Case Illustration 1: A Literature Review Case Illustration 2: A Thematic Analysis References 8 Case Illustration — An Exploratory Literature Review: Exploring the Literature on Interfaith Dialogue Analytic Strategies Background Focus of This Case Illustration Guiding Methodology Stages of the Analysis First Stage: Preliminary Partial Literature Review Second Stage: Review and Rationalize the First Stage Third Stage: Expand the Scope of the Literature Review Fourth Stage: Identify Major Themes in the Literature Fifth Stage: Rewrite the Literature Review Sixth Stage: Ongoing Expansion of the Literature Review Acknowledgments References 9 Case Illustration — A Thematic Analysis to Evaluate an Education Program: Constructing and Using a Large Organizational Dataset: Identifying Equity Practices in an Institutional Civil Rights Database Project in Brief Analytic Strategies Background Overall Project Objectives Guiding Methodology Stages of the Analysis First Stage: Prepare Master Civil Rights Database Second Stage: Identify a Subsample of Data for the Community Food Systems Team Third Stage: Thematic Analysis of Food Systems Data by Audience Group Fourth Stage: Finalize Dimensions of Equity Principles and Write Up Findings Acknowledgments and Stakeholders References Appendices Appendix 1: Three Levels of Detail of Analytic Tasks Appendix 2: Five Analytic Activities Appendix 3: Examples of Units in Analytic Tasks Appendix 4: Identifying the Units of Analytic Tasks Appendix 5: Identifying the Purpose of Analytic Tasks Index