Qualitative_data_analysis

84 QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS
Figure 6.2 Data stored in fields on a card-based filing system
The hierarchical file system will be familiar to anyone remotely acquainted with a
computer. Perhaps less familiar is an alternative method of storing data, based on
cards rather than files (Figure 6.2). Here data can also be stored ‘separately and yet
together’, with a case being held on a card and the data, facesheet variables, etc.,
stored on ‘fields’ within the card. The card is the equivalent of a folder, and the field
is the equivalent of a file. However, the card/field system is a very flat hierarchy, as
it is not possible to nest cards within cards, as one can nest folders within folders.
On the other hand, the card/field system has advantages which can make our
analysis much more efficient. Fields are designed for managing databases rather than
word processing. Compared with files, they allow the analyst to control and
manipulate information more effectively. For example, we can tell the computer to
display the information held at particular places in the field. Suppose we want to
check on the gender of the interviewer, and we have stored information about
gender on the third line of our field containing ‘facesheet’ variables. We can instruct
the computer to display the third line of the field, and it will tell us that in this case
the interviewer is male. We can make these instructions very specific, and we can
choose to do a variety of things with the data: for example, we can instruct the
computer to ‘copy the first character of the third word of the fourth line’. This gives
us a very powerful tool for managing information, because we can ask the computer
to do jobs (like looking up the information held on the third line of the ‘facesheet’
variables field) which we would otherwise have to do ourselves.
We have already touched on this facility in relation to data references, where we
can store reference information common to all cases in one file, and then instruct
the computer to display this information as required. Instructing the computer
perhaps sounds unduly intimidating, since it usually means nothing more
complicated than choosing from a menu list. The menu might contain an item