Working with Longitudinal Qualitative Data: Using NVivo as an Analytic Tool

Roger J. VallanceThe University of Notre Dame Australia

Paper presented at the 6th International conference of Qualitative Research Conference, 21-23 Sept 2005 Durham.

Longitudinal Qualitative research

Research question Longitudinal qualitative research

occurs when a research question investigating a development over time or causal perspective is conducted in a qualitative methodology

Research sample Research methodology

Sampling Repeated cross-sectional samples

Same questions asked of different samples over time. Panel study (different styles of panels explored

below) Same individuals are interviewed repeatedly over time.

Indefinite life panel without replacement Once a group of participants are enlisted, the group participants are re-

contacted for each iteration of the research. Indefinite life panel with replacement

As above Rotating panel

Sample strategies calls for the research to last longer than average participation. Participants might be included for 3 or 4 iterations and then replaced according to the same sample choices as original sample selection.

Overlapping panel Use of several rotating panel structures so that groups are out of phase in

their replacement cycles.

LQR methodologies Not restricted to specific

methodologies That said, LQR does not happen by

accident Distinction between longitudinal and

meta-analysis Research question Sample maybe not approach to analysis and

synthesis

Organising the Data Attributes

Information that is relatively unchanging, That might form a table of values organised

in columns for each participant (row) Sets

Used for more ad hoc or volatile information Overlapping data sets

Cases Cases nodes for testing emergent ideas

Attributes in longitudinal analysis

Sets in longitudinal analysis

Cases in longitudinal analysis

Three useful distinctions Theme

Manifest statements of individual participants Participant perspective

Pattern Findings of the research, possibly pro term Researcher perspective

Topic Summary of contributions and discussions with

participants. cf Luborsky 1994 The Identification and Analysis of

Themese and Patterns, in J.F. Gubrium & A. Sankar Qualitative Methods in Aging Research. Sage.

Longitudinal Analysis Ideally, unit of analysis is the individual Analysing each wave

At this point in time What is the qual analysis ? Connecting between the waves

What has changed and how have these changes occurred

Retrospection How did we come to this?

Participant validation At end of research, chance to validate their

stories

Sets scope searches

Connecting between the waves

Bringing it together

Retrospection Looking back over one’s shoulder Epiphanies Turning points Dead ends and discontinuities

Participant validation Not always possible And what does one validate?

Individual analysis More global views

One view of Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis

What has changed? How has it changed? For whom has it changed? Why has it changed? How have they changed? Where /who are they now?

A second view of Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis

What has changed for these participants? [subQ – for this person] Analyse topics and individual accounts

What has caused these observed changes? Analyse themes with field notes

To what extent are these changes global? Analyse patterns with field notes and memos

New horizons Qualitative data is growing in

volume, richness, number, extent to which we can cope with large data collections Historical inspections of similar projects

possible Warehousing of data may yield

resource of great value Might interoperation of CAQDAS be

another step?