CSBS Methods Series – Fall 2020

January 20, 2020

In Fall 2020, the Center for Social and Behavioral Science hosted a Methods Series workshop, Crafting Qualitative Evidence for Impact: Insider Methods for Qualitative Data Analysis, Claim-Making, and Presentation, presented by Dr. Sarah J. Tracy.

This workshop provided clear step-by-step best practices for crafting evidence in qualitative research via organizing, coding, analyzing, interpreting, claim-making, and presentation. Dr. Tracy also presented practices of data analysis that make for theoretically and practically illuminating research.

Qualitative Data Analysis Basics
Dr. Tracy introduced how to organize and prepare qualitative data for analysis. She gave attention to the value and distinctive features of her phronetic iterative qualitative approach and how to choose a qualitative data analysis technique.

Coding Methods in Qualitative Research
Dr. Tracy explored primary level coding techniques, such as open coding and in-vivo coding and explained the process of moving toward second-level codes and interpretation as well as how to create a qualitative codebook.

Heuristics for Claim-Making and Theory-Building in Qualitative Research
Dr. Tracy addressed how to understand the difference between coding, interpretation, and claim-making and revealed how to make your qualitative research interesting. She introduced more than eight heuristic activities for claim-making and theory building including, jeopardy research questions, conceptual cocktail parties, abduction, negative case analysis, and more.

Presenting Qualitative Evidence for Impact
Dr. Tracy discussed how to format and present qualitative evidence and demonstrated how to craft specific claims that resonate and transfer to a variety of settings.

Meet the speaker, Dr. Sarah J. Tracy 

Dr. Sarah J. Tracy is a professor of qualitative methodology and organizational communication in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University. She has led over 20 qualitative workshops around the world in which participants go beyond learning about methods to practicing specific qualitative crafts and analytic techniques.

Dr. Tracy created the “eight big-tent criteria” model for an excellent qualitative research model and is the author of Qualitative Research Methods: Collecting Evidence, Crafting Analysis, Communicating Impact (2nd edition, 2020), a YouTube channel called “Get Your Qual On,” and more than 90 scholarly publications. She approaches research from a use-inspired standpoint and aims to craft scholarship that inspires wisdom, compassion, transformation, and well-being. For more information, please see her publications, blog, and YouTube channel: