Workshop on 'Qualitative Data Analysis in Research'

Date: 25 July 2009
Venue: Auditorium Faculty of Education, UM
Presenter: Dr Samuel Moses

Denzin identified 4 basic types of triangulation:

1. Data - time, space n persons
2. investigator - multiple researchers in an investigation
3. theory - using more than one theoretical scheme in the interpretation of the phenomenon
4. methodological - involves using more than one method to gather data.

* In qualitative research - the researcher is the instrument of the research.

Do we need triangulation of data all the times?
Traditionally we need 3 sources of data, but in qualitative research triangulation just means the other ways we take to confirm the validity of the data. Not necessarily 3, 2 would be ok as well.

There is no question of balancing the two types of data: qualitative and quantitative. It depends on the purpose of your research. Sometimes, we need to clarify the reasons 'why' to explain the findings, so we need some amount of qualitative data to help.

When analysing your data, you need to be explicit/transparent in explaining your assumptions, research and findings. You need to be explicit why you are doing what you are doing in determining validity of your research.

The value of triangulation lies in providing evidence - wheteher convergent, inconsistent or contradictory - such that the researcher can construct good explanations of the social phenomena from which they arise. (p. 15 of handout).

'good explanation' will depend on the data that we collect.