Overview+of+analysis

=Overview of analysis: =

Data analysis in the field of mixed method research cam be a difficult hurdle to get over. One researcher gives an overview of the challenges one can face in analysis using the mixed method of research. “ Perhaps the most unresolved challenges to mixed methods research relate to questions of data management, processing, and analysis,”( Lieber 2009). Mixing qualitative and quantitative data can pose dilemmas in how to merge the data to “create a single comprehensive data set,” (Driscoll 2007). Some of the more common methods include using a software program like Atlas or NVivo to generate reports from qualitative data, using coding these programs and others like them can create coded responses that are used to process the survey responses (Driscoll 2007). One of the more popular approaches to data analysis of mixed method research is Onwuegbuzie and Teddlie’s seven stage conceptualization of mixed method data analysis as cited by Migiro and Magangi (2011). The seven stages of the process are data reduction, data display, data transformation, data correlation, data consolidation, data comparison, and data integration (Migiro 2011). Data reduction is reducing the amount of data that needs to be analyzed. Data display involves the use of charts, graphs, pictures, matrices, and other diagrams or tables. Data is here converted from qualitative to quantitative or vice versa. Data is then correlated and consolidated variables are formed to allow comparison. Following this the data both qualitative and quantitative are integrated to create separate data sets or an integrated whole (Migiro 2011).