Analyzing Qualitative Data

There are many approaches to qualitative research, which, although systematic, requires "exibility and an iterative approach to developing codes and themes derived from participants’ own words. Many researchers draw on concepts developed in grounded theory to analyze their data, but grounded theory may not be practical in non-academic settings. We offer an alternative that is increasingly used in policy contexts. The framework approach involves the indepth analysis of a subset of interviews to develop a coding framework which can later be applied to all transcripts. This also allows for a teamwork approach to analysis once the framework has been agreed upon, tried, and tested. Although software packages are available to help researchers store and manage their data, licenses are expensive and it can be time-consuming to learn. The framework was initially developed as a means to analyze data without software. In this chapter, we also discuss a variety of approaches to evaluating the quality of qualitative research, which includes, but is not limited to, critical appraisal tools. Transparency and accountability in reporting of the qualitative research processes are crucial, including the perspective of researchers and their role and investments in the research.