Analyzing Data - Patterns and Themes From Data

Patterns and Themes
from Data
LESSON 1
Which picture in the second line will complete the
picture in the first line?
• Conclusions done in research are based
solely on empirical data. These conclusions
based on reasoning and factual evidence are
called inference.
Conclusions in qualitative research are based on
patterns and themes. Patterns and themes are
words or phrases that collectively describe the
experience or thoughts of every participant. These
words and phrases become themes because they
appear on several occasions and are mentioned by
many participants. They represent broad
categories of information. In order to identify
themes, qualitative researchers use codes.
These codes are simply labels that help qualitative
researchers identify similar experiences or thoughts.
Codes that are grouped together are themes. These
words or phrases that will manifest in the interview
transcript and researchers during analysis. Qualitative
researchers should be able to identify and locate them.
Hence, these words or phrases that describe
participants‘ experiences and thoughts should be
coded accordingly for easy reference and classification
when interpreting the results.
Types of codes in qualitative research
• Emergent codes are those that show up during
analysis while preset are codes that have been
identified prior to analysis. Qualitative researchers use
codes to easily identify meanings and group similar
patterns or themes that occur or transpire in the
interview transcript of each participant. By using
codes, the researcher can easily make an inference.
• As a researcher, it is your responsibility to
generate possible and relevant codes as
dictated by the responses. Yes or No
responses are not usable data in this case.
How to Analyze Data and Use Codes or
Categories (Taylor-Powell and Renner
2003)
1. Get to know your data.
• Read your data very well and have a good grasp
of the meaning that each statement tries to
convey. Open-coding, the initial coding, is the
process of examining data and finding themes
that are apparent (Strauss and Corbin 1990).
2. Focus the analysis.
• Your participants might be giving pieces of
information that are not related or
significant to your present study. Be sure to
identify and disregard them.
3. Review the purpose and go back to the
research question.
• Always go back to the purpose of your study
and your research questions. They will
guide and help you identify what is
important and they are your main guide in
analyzing your data.
4. Identify themes or patterns.
• Use codes or labels, such as the one in the
example given, during this process. Basically, we
use labels or highlighter to identify themes or
patterns. Your thorough understanding of your
data will facilitate this process.
5. Ask teammates to analyze.
• You can ask another person (your
teammates) to reanalyze the data to make
sure nothing is missed during the open-
coding.
6. Organize themes into categories: preset or
emergent.
• Once codes have been identified, you can
now organize them in tabular form.
7. Identify patterns within and among
categories.
• This is when you categorize patterns and themes that you
have identified in your data. This is the final step. You can
further streamline your categories by looking at those that
you think could be combined to form just one category.
Go back to your research questions. Those themes and
patterns that your have identified are the answers to your
research questions.
Presentation of Findings and Discussion
• This is the section where you present the
results you gathered through the data
gathering techniques (instruments) that you
used.
You present the results and discuss them by:
• 1. Commenting on the results obtained,
• 2. Interpreting what the results mean, and
• 3. Explaining any results which are
unexpected.
• You present the findings from the interview
and/or observation and then compare them
to other bodies of research. You do this by
analyzing your data which we have
previously discussed.
Group Activity
Analyze the interview transcription in the

next slide. Use codes in order to identify
patterns and themes
ASSIGNMENT: To be submitted on
March 2, 2018.
Source
• _____. (2016). Practical Research 1 Teacher’s

Guide. Department of Education.

Analyzing Data - Patterns and Themes From Data

Uploaded by

Analyzing Data - Patterns and Themes From Data

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Patterns and Themes

Analyze the interview transcription in the

• _____. (2016). Practical Research 1 Teacher’s

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