Some folks assume that #qualitative research is always inductive & grounded—that magically, after repeated readings, the “themes emerge.”
As such, they drag their feet in reviewing literature & wait until the end before wading into focused analysis. The result?
🧵 Assuming a purely grounded approach to #qualitative methods lends itself to frustration, wasted resources, & the research taking 2-3 times longer than necessary.
Instead qualitative research is at its most powerful when it is ITERATIVE.
What is does it mean to be iterative?

Want to level up your #qualitative research or teaching? I'm leading a series of workshops in June & July at a variety of times to accommodate different time zones. Take a look, consider sponsoring a student, or spreading the word. eventbrite.com/o/sarah-j-trac… Note: If the recommended registration price is beyond you or your organization's means, you are invited to register and pay what you can.

Too many researchers erroneously think that #qualitative data are not useful for generating explanation or understanding causation.
A 🧵
Sure, qual data analysis is NOT designed to generate universal laws causally linking together decontextualized independent variables. But... Most qualitative researchers are not interested in proposing general laws, but are instead focused on generating explanations of contextualized activity -- and rich qualitative data are extremely valuable for such purposes.

Many beginning #qualitative researchers are overly concerned that they are doing analysis "wrong". Here are some activities that can help people to think qualitatively & practice analysis in playful ways.
These and other techniques will be expanded in my 3rd edition qual book. 1. Using 10-15 items from your own personal library (of books, music, movies, recipes), sort them into a set number of categories and name them. Then discuss what themes you chose and why you chose them.

#Qualitative Peeps. From my very little playing around with it, it seems that AI can fundamentally impact qualitative data analysis and coding. If you or someone you know has used it systematically in qual analysis (or written about it), will you let me know? In fooling around w/ ChatGPT w/ #qualitative analysis, I asked, "what is the sentiment of the following data?" [inserted deidentified data] & then, "what are the three main themes in the following conversation?" I found the descriptive summaries useful & astonishingly on point.

#Qualitative research is outstanding for understanding WHY.
BUT this does not mean that asking "why" questions in interviews is always the best way to go.
So what's the problem with "why" and what can researchers use instead?
🧵 The problem with "why" interview questions is that, when you ask people "why", they often become defensive, or simply double down on their convictions with a lack of reflexivity. What's more they, often philosophize.

Trying to contrast literature review (LR) from theoretical framework (TF)?
The LR synthesizes existing knowledge re. the research problem.
The TF provides a lens for analyzing & explaining the data.
A good research study must ADVANCE the literature but usually only USES the TF. E.g.,
1) a Foucauldian analysis (TF) of emotional labor (LR).
2) identifying functions of humor (LR) using sensemaking theory (TF)
3) understanding work-life balance (LR) through a structurational lens (TF)

Just did an assessment of our #health #finances. After a ten-year personal experiment with a health savings account (#HSA) and our employer's high risk insurance option: GOOD CHOICE. I'm definitely not an expert, but if you're curious, here's our experience (a thread): Our life situation made us right for an HSA. I was single for half the first 5 years, married for the 2nd, when married, both of us on HSA. No children, overall pretty healthy. Here's an article about who an HSA is good for: mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifest…

A few ideas for how to create space for the communication of suffering and other vulnerable emotions, and to connect with students and employees as multi-faceted human beings in synchronous virtual meetings and classes. #compassion #academicchatter #orgcom A thread. 1/13 Arrive a few minutes early w /all your necessary materials prepared. Then, just as participants join, briefly and actively greet them. Just saying "Hello Kali. Good morning Joe" let's people know that they've been recognized. They are not invisible. 2/13

One of the main things that stops good #qualitative research from being GREAT is that people get stuck during that ephemeral step between coding/thematizing and interpretation/claim-making.😩

Some musings and tips to help in this process: As @ProfWay has pointed out, for most qual researchers, line-by-line coding is not necessary or appropriate on ALL of the study's empirical materials.