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[Abstract] Coding in qualitative research is comprised of processes that enable collected data to be assembled, categorized, and thematically sorted, providing an organized platform for the construction of meaning. While qualitative research orientations differ theoretically and operationally relative to managing collected data, each employs a method for organizing it through coding data. Coding methods employ processes that reveal themes embedded in the data, in turn suggesting thematic directionality toward categorizing data through which meaning can be negotiated, codified, and presented. Coding is a key structural operation in qualitative research, enabling data analysis and successive steps to serve the purpose of the study.
This paper focuses on identifying, defining, and describing the coding techniques available to researchers, the function of each stage in the coding method, the iterative review process associated within the coding cycle, and the transition from codes to themes toward constructing meaning from the data. In addition, it references/provides examples of manual coding practices and identifies qualitative research software available for coding.
[Keywords] Coding; thematic exploration; qualitative research
Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.
-Albert Einstein
Introduction
Qualitative research provides opportunities to locate the genesis of a phenomenon, explore possible reasons for its occurrence, codify what the experience of the phenomenon meant to those involved, and determine if the experience created a theoretical frame or conceptual understanding associated with the phenomenon. While quantitative research methods seek to count and provide statistical relevance related to how often a phenomenon occurs and then generalize the findings, qualitative research methods provide opportunities to delve into the phenomenon and determine its meaning while and after it occurs. Regardless of the research approach, the methodology employed for data collection and organization must be clear and repeatable, leading to and enabling data analysis. As in any research design, if its data collection and organization methods lack rigor, analysis can be impeded, in turn minimizing the value of outcomes. This approach supports the evolution of constructing meaning from the data, in turn enabling contributions to the related literature and enhancing our understanding of the world.
Context
Authors writing about qualitative research methods1-3 indicate that the evolution of qualitative research has migrated through decades of "methodological consolidation complemented by a concentration...