METHODS OF OUATITATM DATAANALY$S

. Successive Approximation

Researcherbeginswith a set of assumptionsand

concepts.Hq then probesinto the data to seehow
well the conceptsfit the evidencesand reveal
featuresof the data, He also createsnew concepts
to fit the evidencesbetter.

He then repeatsthe process,and by so doing let

the concepts and evidences successively
approximateeach other.

o lllustrative Method

A researcherappliestheory to a concretehistorical
situation or social setting,or organizesdata on the
basis of prior theory. Preexistingtheory provides
empty boxes,and he seesif the evidencescan be
^t gatheredto fill them.

. Analytic Comparison

He developsregularities or patterned relationships

from the preexistingtheories.He then focuseson a
few regularities and contrasts these with
alternative explanations. He does not seek
universal laws, only regularities within a social
context.

. Domain Analysis

Classifyingthe data into domains, which have

three parts: a cover term, a semanticrelationship,
and includedterms.

(from Neuman,W. Lawrence. 1997. Social ResearchMethads: