Qualitative data analysis and its nature: debates and discussion

Abstract

Qualitative data analysis (QDA) involves data collection and data analysis which comprises of coding, sorting, and sifting of qualitative data. QDA involves a style of data collection and analysis which is considered as non-scientific by some critics. It is believed that this challenges or weakens the robustness and the reliability of qualitative research. Critics frequently ignore the extraordinary set of strengths and potentiality that QDA has in the field of social science research. This paper aims to address this debate by analysing the nature and quality of the methods employed in qualitative research. It analyses and evaluates the different approaches and perspectives of QDA. The paper argues and establishes that QDA has significantly broader perspectives and research capacity, and involves more than coding, sorting, and sifting of qualitative data.