First Cut Analysis Task.docx

Research Project 3 - Grounded Data Analysis Now that you have filled out the Research Matrix focusing on your specific project, you are ready to continue with the Grounded Data Analysis that you will share with the members of your group in our next face to face class. Remember to keep all of the papers you have used for the task and take them to class; these will be very important when you explain how you have done this first cut analysis (if you want to audio record what you say, you can do so).There will be a group member assigned to take notes for you. Data Analysis Using a Grounded Approach Taken from: Freeman, D. (1998). Doing Teacher Research: From Inquiry to Understanding and Adapted by: Claudia Torres Jaramillo M.A. 1. Read through the data you have collected so far. Select data from each one of the instruments you have collected information so far. Choose some students’ samples (it can be at random, from 6 to 10). Make a copy of each sample or scan it so that you can manipulate it (you cannot write on the originals). Reread the samples chosen and underline phrases and ideas that strike you. For each thing that you underline, name the theme or concept with a key word. Write this key word in the margin. As you continue with the process, you may reuse key words and add new ones. However, do not go backwards to change key words you have already assigned. Let the reading and finding the themes and concepts move you forward. If you notice that you have read a passage and you have not identified any themes or concepts in it, push yourself to do so. This process is called grounded analysis because you are surfacing themes and concepts from the data. 2. As you read, you will start to notice similar themes or patterns (this identification is crucial). In a separate piece of paper, write the patters that you start to identify. By asking questions such as: How does this data relate to the others that I have seen? or What similarities or differences am I finding in the data? will help you recognize and pinpoint the patterns that start to emerge from your data. 3. When you have finished doing the above, in a separate piece of paper make a list of all the keywords you have generated. As you do so, you will discover clusters and affinities among them, so put similar or related words together. Give a name to each one of the groups so that they become preliminary categories of your analysis. At the same time, keep track of those words that do not seem to fit; these are called outliers. They can become important for your analysis later on.

4. Finally, make a map of the categories and patters you have identified to show how they are connected to each other. The map can take several forms: a flow chart, a bubble diagram with arrows; an outline of headings; a matrix which shows how the categories intersect; or simply arrows among various categories to show the emerging relationships. This map is called a data display. These four activities, naming, grouping, finding relationships and displaying are the basic elements of any data analysis. Good Job!