As a newcomer to qualitative research I am comforted to know I am not nuts
in being determined to use scissors, paper, and colored markers to do my
research. I am so visual that I feel inhibited by the size of the
computer screen.
On the other hand, my advisor believes in technology and is skeptical
about my decision.
I am a PhD candidate in Social and Administrative Pharmacy at the
University of Minnesota and have chosen to look at something that is
fascinating to me, gains me experience I probably will not find when I get
a job, and is a fun challenge. I have found, by paging through four
distinctly different pharmacy journals from 1946-1970, articles,
bulletins, announcements, letters, and addresses with the word "future" in
the introduction, abstract or title. The number I have is roughly 2400
pieces of data. Some have not content to analyze ("Future meeting dates
will be announced.") so probably I really have 2000. I have chosen to
use Jane Ritchie and Liz Spencer's Framework methodology for my analysis,
sorting the data pieces by theme.
My questions for the list are:
1) Does anyone have any experience with this methodology who can offer
some advice on it? No one in my department is familiar enough with this
methodology to bounce ideas and concerns off of while I get started
2) Should I consider using a software package and, if so, which one adapts
well to this methodology? The article I found which led me to Framework
did not mention a program.
3) The data pieces are assembled in an Access database with variables to
help me analyze the themes after the content is charted in order to find
links between and across themes or journals or authors/speakers or time
but is that enough?
My advisor is more than willing to let me strike out on my own but our
graduate students usually pursue health outcomes or economic issues so
this is fairly new to deal with. I hope that changes when people see how
interesting it is - and so far during the immersion/familiarization
process I have been amazed at the notes I have taken and what I have
learned. Sadly, the profession is still discussing many of the same
issues so that while we have seemingly taken a step forward we still don't
know where we are going. See, fascinating.
Please feel free to reply to me personally. Thank you for your help! Oh,
by the way, I am 41 years old and the last time I was in graduate school
it was 1985 where data was entered into the Wang so while I am enjoying
the ease of computers today I miss the scribbling on paper.
Mary Indritz
|