ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on how to analyse non-numeric data such as interviews, focus groups, surveys, talk, text and visual data. These data include written, printed or web texts, transcripts of spoken words, field notes from observations, research memos and also images. The criteria for assigning codes to students' data may be based on the topic, story, event, signifiers, idea, theme, concept or theory relating to or suggested by their data. One of the greatest benefits of qualitative data analysis packages is their data management functions. This means that they come into their own if students are working with large and complicated data sets. The process of data collection, data analysis and theory generation in grounded theory are closely connected. The research question is set and sample selected. In both quantitative and qualitative approaches, it is important to ensure that any analysis of data can produce information which can withstand questions around rigour and transparency.
