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Coding and Managing Data: Key Points and Methods

Learn the importance of coding data and the methods for coding quantitative and qualitative data. Discover how computer software can assist in coding and subsequent analysis.

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Coding and Managing Data: Key Points and Methods

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  1. Chapter 17 Coding and Managing Data

  2. Key points • Before analysis can start, data need to be coded • The methods for coding differ for quantitative and qualitative data • For both, computer software can greatly assist both coding and the subsequent analysis

  3. Why code data? • Analysis is ultimately based on comparison: • between groups of cases • between the same cases at different points of time • To make comparisons, the data need to be organised and categorised • This may be easy for a pre-coded questionnaire • just translate the answers to numbers for statistical analysis • But for other data (qualitative data, including open questions), the coding will result in a set of text segments, each labelled or tagged with a word or phrase

  4. Coding quantitative data • Coding produces a data matrix: • rows: one row for each case (respondent) • columns: one column for each variable (answer) • cells: each cell of the matrix holds a value (may be a ‘missing value’) • The first step is to develop a coding frame • a guide showing how every possible answer is to be translated into a number • Codes must be • mutually exclusive • exhaustive • applied consistently throughout

  5. Creating a code book • A code book for quantitative data should have, for every variable: • question number and wording • variable name for the analysis program • column location of the data for that variable • values that the variable can take, and which answers these values represent • missing values • range of valid values

  6. Coding qualitative data • Extract the first batch (say, 20) of the relevant segments from the data, e.g. • the answers to open questions in an interview schedule • the sentences or paragraphs related to a particular topic in fieldnotes • Sort these segments into categories • Repeat with the next batch • the categories may need to be adapted to deal with the new data, or new categories may need to be added • When no categories are being modified or added, stop categorising segments

  7. Coding qualitative data (2) • Write a rule for each category, defining which segments should go into that category. • Assemble these coding instructions into a code book • This process may be made easier by using a CAQDAS (Computer Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software) program

  8. Summary • It is necessary to code both qualitative and quantitative data before analysis can start • Coding involves assigning codes (numbers or labels) to every data item • Codes need to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive and consistent • A code book defines which codes should be applied to data items

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