Transparency is once again a central issue of debate across types of qualitative research. Workon how to conduct qualitative data analysis, on the other hand, walks us through the step-by-stepprocess on how to code and understand the data we’ve collected. Although there are a fewexceptions, less focus is on transparency regarding decision-making processes in the course ofresearch. In this paper, we argue that scholars should create a living codebook, which is a set oftools that documents the data analysis process. It has four parts: 1) a processual database whichkeeps track of initial codes and a final database for completed codes, 2) a “definitions and keyterms” list for conversations about codes, 3) memo-writing, and 4) a difference list explainingthe rationale behind unmatched codes. It allows researchers to interrogate taken-for-grantedassumptions about what data is focused on, why, and how to analyze it. To that end, the livingcodebook moves beyond discussions around inter-coder reliability by documenting the process by which analytic codes are created, refined, and debated.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.