Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative Data Analysis

The main aim of carrying out this research is to highlight the challenges that modern day journalists undergo in line of duty. Apart from establishing the relevance and applicability of data collected, this section describes the approach that this research activity applied in analyzing the data. The main sources of data are from a university and a newsroom where the main objective was to establish, facts, viewpoints and opinions of journalists at these levels. Therefore, qualitative research approach is the most useful and relevant in data collections for this activity. Qualitative methods are relevant when used in a research aiming to identify an indefinable phenomenon according to Denzin and Lincoln (2000). Among the many methods, interviews, participations, document review and historical analysis are the most relevant. This activity describes these qualitative data collection methods in relation to the topic of the research.

Interviews & Participation

Structured interviews come about as the most effective way of finding data. The respondents and interviewer have a conversation while it records in audio or video. Journalists have a training to tell stories about social issues, democracy and freedom included. When they become the respondents in interviews they are able to discern information and give the most relevant facts, unlike the lay citizens. The conversations capture emotions, behaviors and in depth feelings of their experiences both at university and in the newsroom as Niles (2013) insinuates. Many media houses use interviews as sources of references especially when a need to make comprehensive conclusions arises. Documentaries and editorial positions require evidence which in many cases emanates from interviews carried out by sworn respondents.

One method of data analysis on interviews is the use of affinity diagrams used to make sense out of the session as Silverman (2010) observed. They are used to logically to list and classify important points that come up during the interactions. In addition to this, the interviewer is at a position to relate several observations and create a system for ease of analyzing and deducing meaning from the response. Ultimately, the researcher can be in a position to combine and simplify the language used by the respondent to make sense out of the meaning of the vast facts.

Interviewing a respondent being one of the qualitative data collection method for analysis, requires one to have knowledge on various techniques. There are a number of interviewing techniques which are necessary for one to gather and analyze data in a systemic manner. They include pre-screening interviews, panel interviews, and examination interview. These techniques serve the same purpose and aim to achieve the same result but only take a different approach. These approaches are unique and are necessary because