As one who has taught research methods, from what has been revealed in this exchange I would consider the "unit of analysis" to be the individual responses to the semi-structured interviews. Assuming that the "structured" part of the interview include questions about "barriers" and "experience with caregivers," I would counsel reviewing the interview contents to code (1) the different kinds of "barriers" that are revealed by the respondents and, similarly, (2) the different kinds of relationships. I would also counsel framing questions so that "helpful" as well as "non-helpful" experiences will be revealed, susceptible to coding. If you ask questions that focus only on "barriers" and "non-helpful" experiences, your study results will be biased and easily attacked as "non-representative," Last, I would counsel careful consideration of your sampling strategy to insure its "representativeness." This is a major consideration in both qualitative and quantitative research. As I
have counseled students, don't make too much of the qualitative-quantitative distinction in research methodology. Before you "quantify," you must "qualify" and code sample observations accordingly. Counting coded responses is necessary in both qualitative and quantitative research. You will want to analyze the frequency of revealed kinds of "barriers" identified by the respondents, as well as the frequency of "helpful" vs. "non-helpful" experiences with personal care attendants.
Sorry for the long discourse, but I think your topic is very important and deserves the best methodological and analytic approach that you can muster. Best of luck in pulling the study off with greatest success! I'm giving my credentials below in case you need to cite a source for how you are approaching your study design and analytic tasks. If need be, you can check my bona fides out by taking a look at my most recent publication: Noble, JH. Meta-Analysis: Methods, Strengths, Weaknesses, and Political Uses. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine, 2006,
--John H. Noble, Jr., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, State University of New York at Buffalo
Retired Endowed Professor for Social Justice, National Catholic School of Social Service, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.
Margo Milne <margo@\MARGOMILNE.COM> wrote:
My understanding of "unit of analysis" is that it says what it is you're
looking at and (if appropriate) comparing - individuals, households, school
classes etc. So in your case the units of analysis appear on the surface to
be individuals - but is the focus on the individuals with SCI or on their
relationships with PAs? One individual with SCI may well have several PAs.
Does that mean you'll be focusing on several different relationships with
each individual, or on one "ideal" relationship? Could it be that the "unit
of analysis" is actually the relationship between person with SCI / PA?
Those are the kind of things I'd be thinking about...don't know if that
makes any sense, but I hope it helps to some extent!
Best wishes,
Margo
-----Original Message-----
From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robert Harvey Cowe
Sent: 16 January 2007 15:09
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Unit of analysis; still confused
My research is qualitive. I am using semi-structured interviews.
Don't know whether this helps but my intro, as it stands at the moment goes
something like:
The goals of this thesis are to identify barriers to independent living and
autonomy that are encountered by disabled people. Its focus will narrow to
analyse the experiences of people that have acquired a spinal cord injury
(SCI) and who require assistance with day-to-day living. Some events in my
life, and the narratives that I believe guided my perception of the
situation that I found myself in, originated the interest in researching
these barriers. Hence, the description of my personal experiences related
to SCI will be embedded throughout the thesis.
This thesis will also explore the factors that create an enabling rather
than a disabling relationship with those providing assistance, so that the
potential and aspirations of people acquiring a SCI may be fulfilled. THE
UNIT OF ANALYSIS for this investigation will be the examination of the
barriers impeding an autonomous lifestyle for people acquring a SCI. Thus,
the leading research question is: What are the experiences of people with
spinal cord injury who require assistance, and what makes an enabling
rather than disabling personal assistance relationship?
I am focusing on:
Narratives on the Experiences of Spinal Cord Injury
History of Responses to Spinal Cord Injury
The role of the personal assistant
Any advice appreciated,
Harvey
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