Data Analysis

Merriam (2009) recommends that as data is collected it is coded (p. 174). Coding will vary from researcher to researcher, however, the importance of coding with words, letters, numbers, colors, or combination of such techniques does not. Merriam (2009, p. 178) describes the initial process as making notations of the exact words of participants, one’s own words or even terms from literature that may be relevant for answering research questions. Specific to phenomenology, codes may include individual experiences and the context of those experiences; the development of significant statements (Creswell, 2013, pg. 193). This initial process can be written in the margins of hard copies or by using the “Comment” function of Word (Lichtman, 2012, p. 252).


All data will be sorted into themes or “meaning units” (Creswell, 2013, p. 193). Merriam (2009, p. 182) further suggests that each unit of data which is placed into a theme includes the original identifying codes such as the participant’s name, line numbers of the excerpt and so on. Such identifying factors will allow the researcher to refer to original notes, transcripts and other documentation when a review of context is necessary (Merriam, 2009, p. 182). This sorting can be done by creating file folders for each theme or by creating computer folders for each theme.

Within the phenomenological analysis, the full description of one’s personal experiences with the phenomenon is stressed (Creswell, 2013, p. 193). This process of “authentic reflection” is an acknowledgement of one’s assumptions about the phenomenon; epoché (Lichtman, 2012, p. 89). The writing of an epoché is intended to redirect the focus of the researcher’s personal experiences to those of the participants in the study.

Retrieving is providing a means to collect labeled passages (Merriam, 2009, pg. 194). For each researcher having data sorted will allow for easy retrieval of individual data pieces as well as total sets of data. In considering such coding, I have come to think of these as tags, which are commonly used in blogs and note-taking applications. As a user of Evernote, I plan to explore using coding via tags to allow for retrieval of commonalities. Merriam (2009) recognizes that “simply making coding and retrieval less tedious provides new avenues for analysis” (p. 195).

An electronic copy as well as a hard copy of all original data (field notes, transcripts, organizing scheme, etc.) should be created (Merriam, 2009, p. 174). This data should be in the original format and separate from the data, which you are working on. Having numerous back-up copies eliminates will decrease the chances of lost research. Although this may appear to be obvious for those using the computer to organize research, having back-up copies of research in a hard copy format is not always recognized. A hard copy is often recognized as the back-up for computer work but we often do not think of the inverse; having a computer back-up for the work done photos or other documentation.


Creswell, J. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches, Newbury Park: Sage Publications.

Lichtman, M. (2012). Qualitative research in education: A user's guide. Sage.

Merriam, S. (2009). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publications.