Deck 15: Analysis of Qualitative Data

Question 1

While analyzing qualitative data, Kristen made a first pass through her notes. She read slowly and put a preliminary label in the notes to identify themes in the data. She was using

A) open coding.
B) axial coding.
C) contingency coding.
D) selective coding.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

There are several core elements to a narrative analysis. Which of the following is NOT one of the core elements of narrative analysis?

A) temporal ordering of a chain of events
B) telling a story
C) snapshot of a moment of time
D) connections within a complex context

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Fred Simnel's report said that he used the analytic comparison method to analyze the causes of stable economic growth in a study of six communities in California. What did Mr. Simnel do?

A) He developed a cover term to describe the "cultural space" or arena of interest. Next he listed included terms which shared the same semantic relationship with the cover term.
B) He identified many characteristics in the communities. He then looked for ones that were shared among communities that had stable economic growth and ones missing in the communities that did not have stable economic growth.
C) He created an ideal model of stable economic growth and compared what happened in each of the six communities to his model.
D) He formed a theoretical explanation of stable economic growth, then found specific examples from the cases to illustrate the concepts used in the explanation.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In which method of data analysis does a researcher begin with "empty boxes" or concept, and then look for empirical evidence showing that the concepts are useful in organizing information?

A) ideal type analysis
B) domain analysis
C) illustrative method
D) successive approximation

Question 5

A cultural domain developed by a researcher using categories or terms he or she created to understand a social setting is called:

A) mixed domain.
B) first domain.
C) analytic domain.
D) folk domain.

Question 6

is a method of qualitative data analysis that jumps between the empirical data and theory, making adjustments to the theory and refining data collection.

A) Illustrative method
B) Outcropping
C) Successive approximation
D) Domain analysis

Question 7

In his field research of observing the social life at a nearby truck stop, Benjamin found that the waitresses and employees talked about customers by using a number of categories: "regular," "professional driver," "family tribe," "cowgirl," "pit stopper," "rough rider," "sleezer," "wolf," "trooper," and "lonely heart." Benjamin decided to use domain analysis to analyze his data. In it, the names for types of customers e.g., regular, wolf, etc.) are called

A) folk domains.
B) mixed domains.
C) cover terms.
D) analytic domains.

Question 8

Jacob developed a pure model of the "college student." He identified several characteristics that make up this picture of a hypothetical student. Next, he examined many college students and compared them to his idealized model. He discovered that students at private colleges fit the model better than students at public colleges. He also learned that women fit the model better than men and that the model fits students from small towns better than those from large cities, suburbs, or rural areas. He used

A) successive approximation.
B) domain analysis.
C) ideal type analysis.
D) illustrative method.

Question 9

When writing analytic memos, a qualitative researcher should

A) blend data notes and analytic notes together to save space and make it easy to see links between them.
B) put multiple ideas in one memo to save space and time.
C) wait until all data is recorded and coded, then write all analytic memos at one sitting.
D) date each memo to identify developments in thinking.

Question 10

Method of difference is

A) where researchers look for contradictions within a case.
B) not a qualitative method of analysis, the instructor must have made this concept up.
C) where researchers compare characteristics across cases and concentrate on the similarities.
D) where researchers compare cases and focus on the differences between the cases.

Question 11

In qualitative research analysis, researchers will often extrapolate a deeper structural relationship from a specific event or feature. This is called

A) analytic memo writing.
B) selective coding.
C) outcropping.
D) illustrative method.

Question 12

Describe "successive approximation." How is it similar to or different from "ideal type" analysis?

Question 13

When analyzing his qualitative data, Nicholas made a last pass through notes skimming previous codes. He looked for specific information or data that was related to the main themes he had already identified. This is called

A) axial coding.
B) selective coding.
C) contingency coding.
D) open coding.

Question 14

Identify four differences between quantitative and qualitative data analysis. How is the process of conceptualization different between them?

Question 15

Domain analysis was developed around the basic idea of cultural domains. The book describes three types of domains. Describe the three types of domains and how they are used in domain analysis.

Question 16

Something may begin by chance; e.g., using the color red in a traffic signal to indicate stop. This was not due to any careful analysis or planning, instead specific circumstances came together in one place and time and could have easily come to a different result blue could mean stop). Although the beginning was by chance, over time altering it became increasingly difficult. For example, look how difficult it would be for England to drive on the right side of the road. Researchers use this process in qualitative data analysis and call it

A) successive approximation.
B) path analysis.
C) self reinforcing path dependency.
D) contingency analysis.

Question 17

When using the method of agreement, a researcher

A) examines several cases with a shared outcome to see if they shared causal factors.
B) examines how a cultural object event or new social action) was received by people in the social setting or time period.
C) looks for events that do not occur, but which are expected.
D) begins with "empty boxes" of theory which she or he fills with details from the data.

Question 18

Describe how one uses the illustrative method in qualitative research analysis. What are the "empty boxes" in the illustrative method?

Question 19

Sybil developed an abstract model of the "perfect" poem. Her model included five factors: 1) clear cadence of words when spoken, 2) expressive emotional tone or mood, 3) powerful imagery, 4) creative word choice, and 5) overall appearance on the page. She used the factors to evaluate how well a group of 50 poems fit her model. She created an)

A) axial code.
B) ideal type.
C) reception component.
D) analytic comparison.

Question 20

How does a researcher code qualitative data? What are the three kinds of coding used by a qualitative researcher?

Question 21

Negative case method is an interesting method of investigating social phenomenon by analyzing negative evidence. Explain how a researcher would use negative case method to investigate FEMA response to the disaster in the American Gulf region following Hurricane Katrina.

Question 22

What is the purpose of analytic memo writing in qualitative data analysis?

Question 23

What is event-structure analysis? How can event-structure analysis help a researcher draw out the causal relationships of a historical event or setting?

Question 24

Use Weber's concept of ideal type to investigate student success in Sociology 101. How can ideal type provide insights into understanding a group or social setting?

Question 25

Discuss how "path dependency" operates in a situation with which you are familiar and which of the two types of path dependency it represents.