11.29 Strategies for analyzing transcripts

In today's class we worked on identifying a focus in your data, and exploring ways to analyze data relevant to your focus.  Using the Identifying a focus and Sample analysis documents posted to the right, we talked through a process for dividing your data into thematic "chunks" (stories) and for thinking about how to use a discussion of those "chunks" as a way to develop a focused answer to your research question.

The Identifying a Focus handout includes named stories from the transcript we looked at earlier (when we were discussing how to create transcripts).  This document was created through the following process.

After the Lorena completed the interview and had spent some time reading through the transcript, she divided the transcript into "chunks" by reading from beginning to end, and naming sections devoted to one subject or that provided an extended story.  Sections were identified by focus.  As you can see from the sample document, most of these "chunks" include talk by both Sally and Lorena (Ch & L).

After she named all the sections in the transcript - she made a list of named sections, and looked for patterns in what the focus was for each named section.  She soon saw that there were many stories about rules = rules associated with school, rules associated with using the internet, family expectations, etc.  She also noted that one issue within all her stories about rules was the issue of agency = the amount of control or authority she had within a given situation.  She noticed that these stories dealt with how much control she had, who had control when she didn't, how she created some measure of control for herself (usually through her storytelling), and how her agency changed from story to story in relation to the focus of her story.

By naming stories or chunks of information, and looking at patterns in the names - researchers can get a quick overview of the order in which different topics are introduced, and how many times each topic iss mentioned.  While this order and focus is in part shaped by the interview protocol - it can also reflect the participant's choices (feelings about what is important) and associations. This quick classification can help researchers identify one or several focuses for their analysis.

After you looked at the stories Lorena picked for her analysis, you spent some time thinking about the following:

• what over-arching theme or focus might you use to make sense of this data?
• what points would you need to make to support that focus?
• how might you use particular quotes or sections from the data to illustrate support your points?

In our discussion, you identified several possible focuses that you could then use to organize your discussion.

For your research paper, you will want to identify a focus that poses an answer to your research question.  You will then want to identify the sections from the interview that provide complex illustrations of how your data answers your question.  We looked briefly at the writing on the Sample Analysis sheet as an example of the kind of naming and classifying that Lorena and Sally did to find a focus, and think about how to support that focus for the data provided in the Identifying a Focus handout.

For next class:

Blog 23: State one focus (or several) that you see in your data.  Post the sections from the interview that you will be able to use to support/develop a discussion of that focus.  State the point relevant to your focus that each chunk of data will illustrate/develop.

In class we will look at your data and work on nailing down your focus + developing your discussion.

As we discussed in class, if there are identifiers in your data that you cannot remove, send your transcript to me by email rather than posting it on your blog.  Same goes for the "stories" or named "chunks" of data.

Have a good weekend and if you have further questions - be in touch.