You’ll read through the interviews multiple times. Each time, note any new thoughts you have or questions that you need to answer.
If you recorded the interviews, you’ll need to transcribe the recordings, too. Transcription might seem tedious, but it’s a great way to further immerse yourself in the data. You can also choose to use transcription software instead. You can use software to use fonts as indicators and also include features such as time stamps.
Your social situation Your economic situation Your personal characteristics
For example, you might want to use the interviews with teachers as your main focus. Alternatively, you might highlight the voices of parents.
Some pros of software include finding different methods of categorization, the ability to share your data with other researchers, and it also allows you to better manage large data sets. Before purchasing software, read online reviews of different products. Make sure that it will do what you need it to do. For instance, if you want it to transcribe your data set, make sure that it has a transcription function. You can also talk to co-workers, professors, or other researchers about which software they like to use. One drawback to using software is that you might not familiarize yourself with the data as much if you rely on software. It’s really a personal choice.
For example, you might note that red font indicates interviews with teachers.
For example, in your interviews about the public school system, you could create a category of data and give it the code “classroom experience”. You could also give codes such as “elementary school” and “high school”. Your codes can be really simple! The idea is for them to be very user-friendly to you.
You might notice that parents of high school students are very focused on graduation rates. That might be another theme that you highlight.
Keep arranging your data until you have a set of themes that support your argument. You want the interviews to satisfactorily answer your research question.
For example, instead of simply “assessment”, you might describe that theme as “innovations in measuring student success”.
If you are giving an oral presentation, make visual aids such as a PowerPoint presentation. This will help your audience engage with the material. It can be really useful to use video clips of the interviews. Just make sure you have secured the participant’s permission!
For example, you might go through the minutes of recent school board meetings. You could also look at photos of various classrooms around the city.
Also make note if you think any of the sources aren’t credible or if you think you need to verify the information elsewhere. Begin grouping related data to form stories. For example, group all of the material related to school counselors in one group. Ask yourself what type of story the data tells.
Do any necessary additional resource. For example, you might want to conduct some follow-up interviews.
Typically, instead of including a lot of hard data, you’ll focus on the more personal aspects of the interview. For example, your story might center on students who struggled to make the transition to high school and what sort of challenges they faced.
