small groups and categories

Sally Jo Kahr

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Apr 11, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/11/97

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I have conducted interviews, sat in on team meetings, observed classes,
etc. with an interdisciplinary team of four in a H.S. What turns out to
be the intersesting story is their restructuring due to the loss of their
founding member. My trouble lies in the data-analysis. I'm having
trouble with coding and categories. I've read a little on group dynamiccs
and am reading Goffman's Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Yet, I'm
stuck in the analysis.

Can anyone suggest ways to code this data, categories, or
anthing else? I am a Ph.D. student and this is my pilot study. I'm open
to any kind of feedback.

Thanks, Sally Kahr
University at Albany
Language in Ed.

P. Gustavo Rodriguez

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Apr 14, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/14/97

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Sally Kahn:

I think the appropiate categories for your study lies on the hypothesis and
relevant variables that you and your team have established. It has to do
with the theoretic concepts you borrow from other authors and with the
"indicators" you selected. Anyway some "demographic" categories are always
useful to classify your data and/or informants (such as sex, age, religion
... you know).
I think more specific suggestions cant't be made without a closer knowledge
of your research.

************************************************
Pablo Gustavo Rodriguez
Lic. en Antropologia
Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP)
Email: swal...@isis.unlp.edu.ar
Tel (phone): 054-021-715245
Domicilio: calle 10 s/n entre 495 y 496
(1897) Gonnet, (Bs. As.), Argentina

Becky Carr

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Apr 15, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/15/97

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Sally - You may be past this point already, but based on Yvonna Lincoln's
work, I placed my data on cards and "sorted" the cards by comparing the
information on the cards. The categories emerge from the groupings of
cards. You may find that you need to sort the cards many times before you
find the right fit. I sorted cards over and over before I found the
categories which I thought to be the themes of my study. To get started
you might think of an aspect, as you mentioned the leader, which sticks out
as a predominate theme and sort based on that beginning point. You may
find however that there are other themes which you did not anticipate. You
do not need to have any preconceived ideas about the themes or categories
before you begin to sort your data. The data will tell you. Becky Carr

Sally Jo Kahr

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Apr 15, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/15/97

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>
> >Sally Kahn:
> >At 19:17 11/04/97 -0400, you wrote:
> >>I have conducted interviews, sat in on team meetings, observed classes,
> >>etc. with an interdisciplinary team of four in a H.S. What turns out to
> >>be the intersesting story is their restructuring due to the loss of their
> >>founding member. My trouble lies in the data-analysis. I'm having
> >>trouble with coding and categories. I've read a little on group dynamiccs
> >>and am reading Goffman's Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Yet, I'm
> >>stuck in the analysis.
> >>
> >>Can anyone suggest ways to code this data, categories, or
> >>anthing else? I am a Ph.D. student and this is my pilot study. I'm open
> >>to any kind of feedback.
> >
>

Let me explain a little more to the problem that I'm encountering so that
someone may be able to help:

I think a story is being told thru my teachers, and I think I know the
story line. What I don't know is a)do I have to subject their story to a
micro-analysis and coding process in order to "validate" the story that I
will tell? b) if I do, because analysis is the means thru which we are
able to make claims, how do I reconcile narrative to a coding system?

What is the most useful way to analyze a narrative?

Thanks, Sally Kahr
Still struggling
University at ALbany

John May

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Apr 17, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/17/97

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In article <v01510100af792f423a87@[165.91.96.16]>, Becky Carr (bc...@tamu.edu) writes:
>Sally - You may be past this point already, but based on Yvonna Lincoln's
>work, I placed my data on cards and "sorted" the cards by comparing the
>information on the cards. The categories emerge from the groupings of
>cards. You may find that you need to sort the cards many times before you
>find the right fit. I sorted cards over and over before I found the
>categories which I thought to be the themes of my study. To get started
>you might think of an aspect, as you mentioned the leader, which sticks out
>as a predominate theme and sort based on that beginning point. You may
>find however that there are other themes which you did not anticipate. You
>do not need to have any preconceived ideas about the themes or categories
>before you begin to sort your data. The data will tell you. Becky Carr

If you are into computers you might want to try a computerised parallel
of Becky Carr's approach. The NUDIST software is very good for taking
the drudgery out of this kind of early days qualitative analysis.

John May

Telephone +44 (0)1234 741 998
Mail: 11 Luton Road, Wilstead, Bedford, MK45 3EP UK