The hardest part of any research project is the analysis. Students often find data analysis difficult because they do not understand which type of tests to use to answer the questions they are asking, don’t know how to interpret the results, or don’t understand how the sample population affects the nature of hypothesis testing (Flick). Given that qualitative data analysis often requires the development of special coding schemes and training of coders to ensure agreement on categories, qualitative research is often viewed as more difficult and less understandable than quantitative research. In Shane, the Lone Ethnographer, the author provides a basic view of important areas involved in conducing qualitative data analysis in a user friendly manner (Hickson).
In this graphic novel, the author, a graduate student, demonstrates the various stages and difficulties involved in collecting data, organizing and categorizing it and analyzing it based on qualitative methods. Using analogies, metaphors and other literary techniques the material is presented in a non-threatening manner making it easy to understand and fun to read. It carefully shows how data is transformed from the raw stage of description to the exact steps the author goes through in deciding how to classify it then analyze it.
A strength of the book is that the comic book like presentation lets the reader follow along without feeling like they are bogged down in a bunch of technical jargon. Also, although the variety of qualitative data is diverse requiring different approaches to categorization and analysis, the author provides such a clear description of the decision making process she uses so the student will be able to apply what they have learned about analyzing data to many other qualitative research questions. Instead of just memorizing facts and formula’s, this book allows students to gain a true understanding of the qualitative research process, another strength. The main weakness of the book is that the author seems to avoid discussion of complex topics and aspects of qualitative research.
In my opinion, though I enjoyed the way the material was presented, I thought sometimes the author got lost in trying to be entertaining. It seemed like the graphic novel format used with different characters from history led to the author sometimes providing fictional information in an effort to make the topic fun. I felt like this made the explanations somewhat simplistic in places instead of providing a more comprehensive explanation.
In conclusion, the author of Ethan, the Lone Ethnographer, provides an easily accessible presentation of the process of qualitative research analysis. The material is presented in a way that is non-threatening and fun to read. The book provides enough background to understand the essentials of qualitative data analysis and provides an example through the real research of a graduate student struggling to understand her data.
Works Cited
Flick, Uwe. An introduction to qualitative research. Sage, 2014.
Galman, Sally C. "The good, the bad, and the data: Shane the lone ethnographer’s basic guide to
qualitative data analysis." (2013).
Hickson III, Mark. "Counting to one: The qualitative researcher's ‘magic’." Journal of Occupational and
Organizational Psychology 84.4 (2011): 651-655.
