BEHL2020: The Core Skills of Qualitative Analysis Research Report Assessment

Assessment 

Aim

This assessment will give you skills and training in the core skills of qualitative analysis: coding and analysing interview transcripts. Furthermore, you will apply your skills of social contextual analysis with a small dataset to show off all everything you have learned in a research context.

Report Task

In this report you will be required to analyse five provided transcripts, these transcripts are discussing social relationships. You will be required to:

1. Familiarize yourself with all the transcripts.
2. Code the transcripts for the major elements that occur in them and how they connect.
3. Analyze these applying the knowledge you have gained about contexts (the course).

The analysis you carry out is like other applications you have seen in the course. Examples of contextual analysis in use can be found in the application videos as well as some of the provided theses that use social contextual analysis.

Further and more specific questions on your transcript and your process can be asked in drop-in sessions and the Assessment Muddiest point. Note that we cannot draft sections of your assessment and can only answer questions (avoid “is it right to say” instead pose a general question). You can all approach this in your own way and find different things out (this is one of the strengths of qualitative analysis). Because of the variation we cannot always give absolute answers instead we will pose suggestions based on the contexts you find yourself in.

The Data

The data you will be using in this assessment is the The TQRMUL Dataset (Teaching Qualitative Methods at Undergraduate Level)

In this dataset are 5 interviews generally on friendship. You will find two sets of transcripts:

1. Playscripts which are the simple form of what people said.
2. Jefferson Transcripts which notate every movement of vocal quality for hyper accurate and detailed analysis (language and conversational analysis we do in the 3^rd year specialty course).

You are free to use either, but at this level the playscript is best for Coding and Quoting. If you use the Jefferson transcript it is expected that something in that special notation feeds into your analysis otherwise it is more work for no good reason.

Brief Summary of the Assessment Requirements

The purpose of this assessment is to train students in the core skills of qualitative analysis, specifically:

1. Familiarising with the Dataset

Students must review all five interview transcripts from the TQRMUL dataset, which focus on friendship and social relationships.
Two transcript formats are provided:

• Playscripts (simpler, recommended for coding and quoting)
• Jefferson transcripts (more detailed; used only if vocal notations are relevant to analysis)

2. Coding the Transcripts

Students must:

• Identify key themes, patterns, repeated ideas, and relational dynamics
• Code major elements
• Map how different codes connect to each other
  This step requires analytical interpretation rather than descriptive listing.

3. Conducting Social Contextual Analysis

Students must apply course concepts and frameworks to interpret:

• How social, relational, and contextual factors shape what participants say
• How friendship is constructed, negotiated, or experienced in the data
  This mirrors the analysis shown in course examples, videos, and previous theses.

4. Producing a Structured Qualitative Report

The final report must:

• Integrate coded data
• Explain patterns using social contextual principles
• Provide relevant quotations from transcripts (primarily playscripts)
• Show original interpretive thinking
  Students may seek general guidance through drop-ins/Muddiest Point sessions but not draft approval.

How the Academic Mentor Guided the Student (Step-by-Step Process)

Step 1: Understanding the Aim of the Assessment

The mentor began by clarifying that the task is not simply descriptive but demonstrates:

• Ability to code, interpret, and contextualise qualitative data
• Understanding of social meanings and relational dynamics
  This helped the student see the purpose behind each requirement.

Step 2: Reviewing the Dataset

The mentor guided the student to:

• Read all five interviews fully before coding
• Compare the playscript vs. Jefferson formats
• Choose the playscript version to keep the analysis manageable
  The mentor emphasized the importance of immersion before developing codes.

Step 3: Beginning the Coding Process

The mentor explained how to:

• Start with open coding (identify recurring ideas, emotions, behaviours)
• Move to focused coding (grouping themes)
• Note relationships between codes (e.g., trust → disclosure → conflict resolution)
  The mentor showed examples from course materials to strengthen understanding.

Step 4: Connecting Codes to Social Contextual Concepts

The mentor helped the student link raw codes with broader concepts such as:

• Power dynamics
• Social norms
• Identity formation
• Friendship expectations
• Cultural influences
  This step moved the student from data-level description to analytical interpretation.

Step 5: Structuring the Analytical Report

The mentor outlined a clear structure:

1. Introduction Purpose, dataset, approach
2. Method Coding strategy, transcript type selected
3. Findings/Themes Key coded themes supported by excerpts
4. Contextual Interpretation Why these patterns matter socially
5. Conclusion Insights and implications

The mentor emphasized clarity, coherence, and evidence-backed claims.

Step 6: Refining Interpretation and Ensuring Originality

The mentor encouraged the student to:

• Avoid copying codes/themes from sample analyses
• Use their own interpretations supported by quotes
• Justify analytical claims with relevant context
• Keep analysis grounded in the dataset rather than personal assumptions

This ensured an academically sound and original submission.

Final Outcome Achieved

Through this guided process, the student successfully produced a qualitative analysis report that:

• Demonstrated understanding of coding, theme development, and contextualisation
• Used playscript transcripts appropriately for coding and quotation
• Presented well-supported interpretations tied to course concepts
• Maintained originality and academic integrity
• Provided a coherent structure aligned with qualitative research standards

The student was able to move from raw transcripts → coded themes → contextual analysis → final written report.

Learning Objectives Covered

By completing the assessment with mentor guidance, the student achieved the following learning outcomes:

1. Developed practical coding skills for qualitative data
2. Gained confidence in analysing interview transcripts using social contextual frameworks
3. Understood thematic relationships and how to group codes meaningfully
4. Learned to integrate data with theory to form deeper interpretations
5. Produced a structured qualitative research-style report
6. Applied course concepts to real data, strengthening analytical thinking
7. Demonstrated independence and originality, key to qualitative research practice

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