DIGI 720 Qualitative Data Analysis

This course explores the theory and practice of analyzing qualitative data utilizing content analysis in social science research.

Qualitative data analysis stands as a pivotal and rigorous research methodology within academic scholarship, offering profound, contextually nuanced insights into human communicative behaviors, processes, and dynamics. Its focus on subjectivity, meaning-making, and contextualization in data-rich sources enables scholars to address complex inquiries that are not amenable to quantitative reduction. By exploring how people experience and interpret the world and how they express this, qualitative data research enhances social understanding and informs policy and practice. Its flexibility, depth, and capacity for exploring new phenomena make qualitative data analysis a vital tool for advancing understanding of communication phenomena.

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After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will record a 2–4-minute video introducing himself or herself to the class. The video should be suitable for the academic setting yet also reflect the student’s personality. The video provided should have quality audio, and the lighting and background should enhance the video. In addition to the thread, the student will provide a well-written, thoughtful, and friendly reply of at least 200 words to at least 2 fellow students. Specific details are provided in the Video Discussion Student Introduction Assignment Instructions.

Discussion

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, this Discussion is focused on students giving and receiving constructive feedback. The student will upload his or her Qualitative Analysis Final Essay Assignment (as a Microsoft Word or PDF file) as the thread for this Discussion. Then, each student will offer substantive feedback on the final essays of 2 classmates using a minimum of 400 words for each reply. Specific details are provided in the Discussion Thanks for the Feedback Assignment Instructions.

The student will locate, read, and analyze 3 qualitative communication dissertations from Liberty University’s Scholars Crossing Communication Doctoral Dissertations Repository. The student will examine how different communication researchers have approached their qualitative research, gathered and interpreted data, and drawn conclusions from their findings. Each selected dissertation must be no more than 3 years old and must employ only qualitative research methods. For each selected dissertation, the student will provide a written analysis that includes 1 paragraph each (3–4 well-developed sentences) on the following sections: a topic introduction, a description of data and collection methods, findings and key themes, and conclusions and implications. The assignment submission Word document will consist of 3 separate sets of 4 paragraphs and a final synthesis paragraph comparing all 3 studies, reflecting on which study the student found most compelling, and discussing what the studies collectively reveal about qualitative research in the field of communication. The assignment must comply with APA Professional formatting and include a reference list with all sources cited in the body of the essay (including all selected dissertations). The essay must be between 1,200–2,500 words (not counting the title page or references) and meet all other writing and structure expectations.

The student will conduct a qualitative thematic analysis of 2 provided datasets. This assignment allows the student to practice thematic analysis procedures in a structured scenario and inductively identify and develop themes that emerge from the data itself. Using the provided datasets, the student will conduct an inductive thematic analysis following the procedures outlined by the relevant Read items. The student will write a 750–1,000-word analysis identifying a minimum of 3 themes for each set of data. Each analysis will include a brief introduction describing the datasets and the student’s analytic approach; an explanation of each theme, supported by direct quotes from the data; insights about patterns, variations, and implications within each dataset; and a reflection on the student’s analytical process, challenges, and key learning moments. The assignment submission Word document must comply with APA Professional formatting. The assignment must be between 1,500–3,500 words (not counting the title page or references) and meet all other writing and structure expectations.

The student will conduct a qualitative content analysis on a set of short opinion survey excerpts. The student will use 5 predefined codes to categorize and analyze the data, identifying patterns and insights across the dataset. The student will create a coded dataset table in 1 document (Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or PDF file) and an analysis in a separate Microsoft Word document summarizing the frequency and patterns of the codes, any overlap or co-occurrence of the codes, and emergent insights or themes from the content. The analysis will also include a brief reflection on the process and any challenges faced. The Coded Dataset document must show all coding work. The Summary & Analysis document submission must comply with APA Professional formatting. This portion must be between 750–2,500 words (not counting the title page or references) and meet all other writing and structure expectations.

The student will conduct a mini-QIMS (Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis) study using a provided list of 15 qualitative studies. Emphasizing interpretive synthesis over summary, the student will identify patterns across studies and synthesize at least 2 new themes that represent meaningful insights that are not explicitly highlighted in the original studies. The essay must include the following sections: Topic Introduction, Method, Potential Studies, Screening, Eligibility, Included Studies, Theme Extraction, Synthesized New Themes, Discussion, and Limitations and Reflection. For the Included Studies section, the student will include a basic table with essential information on 3–5 studies used for the mini-QIMS study. One table for each study will also be provided in the Theme Extraction section, listing each study’s original themes. The assignment submission Word document must comply with APA Professional formatting. An abstract with keywords is required for this assignment. The assignment must be between 1,000–2,500 words (not counting the title page, tables, abstract, or references) and meet all other writing and structure expectations. The word count should be focused on the synthesis and interpretation components.

This assignment introduces the student’s qualitative study that will be fully presented in the Qualitative Analysis Final Essay Assignment. The essay will introduce the study’s topic, provide context and rationale for the study, present the problem and purpose of the study, introduce a general theoretical perspective for analysis, outline the research questions that will be addressed by the study’s results, and generally introduce the study’s methodological design. The assignment will conclude with a summary recapping the study and its contributions. The assignment should address all sections and elements in the assignment instructions and the Qualitative Analysis Introduction Essay Template. All assertions must be supported with relevant literature appropriate APA citation formatting or supported by the findings of the study. All sources of data must be cited in the reference list and with in-text citations. The assignment submission Word document must comply with APA Professional formatting. An abstract with keywords is required for this assignment. The assignment must be between 1,800–3,500 words (not counting the title page, abstract, or references) and meet all other writing and structure expectations.

This assignment’s essay addresses the methodological design portions of the final study that will be presented in the Qualitative Analysis Final Essay Assignment. The reuse of material from previous assignments is expected and must be integrated in a clear, cohesive, and accurate way. This essay will specifically address the study’s methodological design, setting, context, participants, artifacts, data collection and analysis procedures, the study’s trustworthiness, and the role of the researcher. The assignment will conclude with a summary recapping the study and its contributions. The assignment should address all sections and elements in the assignment instructions and the Qualitative Analysis Methodology Essay Template. All assertions must be supported with relevant literature appropriate APA citation formatting or supported by the findings of the study. All sources of data must be cited in the reference list and with in-text citations. The assignment submission Word document must comply with APA Professional formatting. An abstract with keywords is required for this assignment. The assignment must be between 1,800–3,500 words (not counting the title page, abstract, or references) and meet all other writing and structure expectations.

This final essay aggregates the introductory portions of the Qualitative Analysis Introduction Essay Assignment and the methodological design portions of the Qualitative Analysis Methodology Essay Assignment with new findings and discussion sections to comprise a fully assembled qualitative study. The reuse of material from previous assignments is expected and must be integrated (along with previous instructor feedback) in a clear, cohesive, and accurate way. This final essay requires the student to conduct a qualitative analysis of all collected information and present the results, answer the study’s research questions from the results, and discuss the study’s results, including the methodological and practical implications of the study’s findings. The assignment will conclude with a summary recapping the study and its contributions. The assignment should address all sections and elements in the assignment instructions and the Qualitative Analysis Final Essay Template. All assertions must be supported with relevant literature appropriate APA citation formatting or supported by the findings of the study. All sources of data must be cited in the reference list and with in-text citations. The assignment submission Word document must comply with APA Professional formatting. An abstract with keywords is required for this assignment. The assignment must be between 3,500–6,000 words (not counting the title page, abstract, or references) and meet all other writing and structure expectations.