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!