More about coding

Apart from ethical concerns, coding is still useful. To analyse the data collected in a more effective way, coding is necessary. If so, what and how we code the data?

I have a strong resistance against coding. It is because I strongly believe that coding is associated with grounded theory. Many scholars indicate coding techniques used in grounded theory and apply them for other qualitative methodologies. However, grounded theory comes from a theoretical assmption of symbolic interactionism. When we use those techniques in grounded theory, a methodological inconsistency would appear. Nevertheless, no one points out this inconsistency yet.

As coding systems in grounded theory is so poweful, structured, clear and therefore influential. many people just use them. However, Colazzi (1978) provides a method for data analysis in line with phenomenology which is totally different from that in grounded theory. Phenomenological data analysis takes the following steps:

1. After transcripts of interviews, read all of them as a whole;
2. Take one transcript at a time, extract significant statements out of each page or section;
3. Provide criative insight. However, try not to fomulate meanings at this stage;
4. Identify formulated meanings out of creative insight that become themes. Cluster those themes;
5. integrate all of themes and create an exhausive description;
6. Reduce the exhausive description to an unequivocal statement of identification of the fundamental structure of a phenomenon; and
7. Validate them with participants.

In summary, data reduction in phenomenology is not associated with coding. Hermaneutical-phenomenology takes similar steps but with a different scope. In contrast, ethnography and grounded theory involve coding because researchers who take these approach want to generate patterns for analyses.

In case studies, researchers are basically allowed to take any qualitative data analysis method. So, I need to decide my theoretical perspective or assumption that drives methodology. Then, I finally can make decision on whether I should code the data I will collect.

Reference:
Colaizzi, P. (1978). Psychological research as a phenomenologist views it. In R. Valle & M. King (eds), Extential Phenomenological Alternatives for Psycology (pp.48-71). New York: Oxford University Press.