Week 7 – Assignment: Signature Assignment: Analyze a Set of Qualitative Data to Produce Trustworthy Research Findings
This week, you are required to read at least three journal articles from the five that are provided and also review the provided toolbox of materials.
In this seventh week of the course, you will be required to apply everything you have learned in this course in a practical manner. In the final week of this course, you will have a chance to reflect on your learning. For this week’s Signature Assignment, you have been assigned the specific task of applying the techniques introduced in this course to analyze a case study and produce trustworthy research findings. Toward this end, you have been provided with a toolbox that includes all the necessary information to complete this multifaceted assignment.
The toolbox contains the following materials:
• Abridged sample Chapter One
• Two data collection instruments used in the study (interview guide and critical incident questionnaire)
• Four actual interview and critical incident transcriipts
PREPARATION
You can begin preparing for this assignment by completing the following guided steps:
1. Begin by reading at least three of the five journal articles which will provide you with background and context for the topic, as well as relevant theoretical details. Of course, you may choose to read all five articles.
2. Next, proceed to familiarize yourself with the sample study’s Chapter One by reviewing all the key elements related to the study, including problem, purpose, research questions, introduction to the theoretical framework, the significance of the study, and definitions of key terminology.
3. Finally, review the two data collection instruments (interview schedule and critical incident questions), and carefully read through each of the four transcriipts. These resources are provided in this week’s Books and Resources.
WRITING
Once you feel that you are prepared and are sufficiently familiar with all the material you have been provided, you can begin writing a paper that incorporates the following four parts:
Part 1:
Discuss the role of theoretical frameworks in qualitative research including:
a. Explain the purpose of using a theoretical framework to assist with data analysis. (Draw on previous assignments that you have completed in this course. Incorporate relevant literature, and refer to at least three scholarly resources).
b. Justify whether this study’s theoretical framework is or is not a good fit with this study. (Be sure to refer to the literature on theoretical frameworks to support your reasoning).
Part 2:
Develop your own coding scheme based on the literature (journal articles) and the actual data provided in the interviews.
a. Discuss the coding process in qualitative data analysis (Draw on previous assignments that you have completed in this course. Incorporate relevant literature, and refer to at least three scholarly resources.)
b. Present your coding scheme. You may choose any format to do this (e.g., table, chart, or figure).
c. Explain your coding logic step by step, noting any changes or revisions that were made in the process of developing your coding scheme.
Part 3:
Manually code each of the transcriipts that were provided. Do this by marking up the transcriipts with highlighting, colors, letters, symbols etc. Provide these as Appendices 1-4 to accompany your assignment.
Part 4:
Provide findings (themes with supporting quotations) for at least two of the study’s research questions.
a. Address the sample study’s research problem and research questions using your data analysis as you have learned in this course.
b. Submit your coded data by categories as well as a descriiption of the emergent themes.
c. Present your themes as actual findings in relation to at least two of the study’s research questions. (To achieve this, provide up to three themes/findings per research question supported by relevant verbatim quotations.)
Be sure to structure your essay clearly using appropriate headings and subheadings.
Length: 12 pages, not including cover page, reference pages, and coded transcriipts. Marked-up coded transcriipts are to be included as appendices. The following suggestions may help you to organize your assignment: theoretical framework (2 pages), coding scheme (6-8 pages), and presentation of findings (4-5 pages).
References: at least 6 scholarly resources.
Your assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
