In their article titled "How to Analyze Data in a Primary Research Study," Denny and Clark provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamental aspects involved in understanding and analyzing data in a primary research study. From the outset, the authors emphasize that their article primarily focuses on qualitative methods that aim to explore individuals' behaviors, interpretations, and opinions. They begin by establishing the importance of acquiring foundational knowledge in relation to the topic under investigation, and subsequently delve into the specific content covered in their article. The authors highlight the utilization of data from reputable sources such as the Pew Research Center and draw a distinction between primary and secondary research. It then goes on to further explain the difference between secondary research and primary research.
It states that secondary research primarily relies on sources commonly found in libraries or online platforms such as books, journal articles, and magazines. In contrast, the authors introduce primary research as a distinct form of research that involves collecting data firsthand. Primary Research is defined as "any type of research you collect yourself." As we explore the article in more depth, the audience encounters a set of steps that are described as the fundamental framework of primary research. These steps include developing a research question, selecting a research method, collecting data, analyzing data, and reporting findings. It can be observed that these steps align with certain aspects of the scientific method, and it is emphasized that following these steps is crucial for ensuring reliability in research.
Continuing with the discussion, Jack Caulfield's article titled "How to Do Thematic Analysis" presents a comprehensive approach to analyzing qualitative data. The article provides further insights into this topic and emphasizes the existence of six consistent steps in this type of analysis. These steps include familiarization, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up. By following this process, researchers can mitigate confirmation bias in their study. Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to selectively search for or recall information that aligns with one's desired results. Continuing on, thematic analysis offers two main approaches: inductive and deductive. The inductive approach involves deriving themes directly from the data, while the deductive approach involves identifying themes that have been predetermined prior to the data analysis.