Soc3307a Coding Notes (10%)
References:
Pope et al. Analyzing Qualitative Data at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1117368/pdf/114.pdf
'What is Grounded Theory' found in Grounded Theory Online at:
Instructions:
You do not have to write a formal paper for this assignment. This is the basis for your qualitative project.
1. Make detailed notes of your observations of your sample of YouTube videos (and related comments if using them.) Include descriptions of the setting, the people and relevant actions/behaviours and conversations that take place. These detailed notes on the videos are the actual data for your paper.
2. Open Coding Phase:
As you are making your notes start creating a theoretical memo containing your tentative codes (this becomes part of your code book) and your ideas about what is happening. When you have finished making detailed notes, use the codes that you have identified and read and reread your data, applying codes to your text as you go. According to the Grounded Theory Online Website, "Open coding and data collection are integrated activities thus the data collection stage and open coding stage occur simultaneously and continue until the core category is recognised/selected."
3.Axial Coding Phase:
Do you see some distinct trends or patterns emerging out of your data? Do some codes seem to be related to one another? Make notes on patterns or links in your theoretical memo. Grounded Theory Online says, "theoretical memos are written about codes and their (potential) relationships with other codes." In other words, your memo functions as an analytical and interpetive tool and eventually becomes your 'theory.'
4. Selective or Core Coding Phase:
Is there an overarching trend or idea that you can identify? Is there one concept/idea that seems to subsume or be strongly linked to the other codes you have found? This may be your core category. The framework approach outlined in the chapterby Berg or in the Pope reading is helpful at this stage. Selective coding is also performed to select specific examples that illustrate your core category and will support your tentative theory. Later, you will relate what you have discovered to the ideas presented in the research you have chosen for your literature review. This is grounded theory, generated from your data.
To submit:
Make a photocopyof your notes if they are handwritten/hand coded or print out a copy of your notes if you used your computer and submit on Nov. 21, 2013.