Development and Use of the Alphabetical Analysis Technique in Qualitative Research

Abstract

Researchers utilize data analysis methods according to the questions they explore and analyze the data accordingly. However, current qualitative techniques may be insufficient, and many different research designs and techniques have been proposed in recent years. As Patton (1990) stated, if there is no existing method or technique suitable for the research, the researcher should develop and conceptualize one. This study first discusses the importance of choosing the appropriate qualitative research method for the research topic. It then explains which analysis technique should be used in qualitative research and depicts the development process of alphabetical analysis. Finally, the alphabetical analysis technique is introduced. Alphabetical analysis provides a framework for presenting content using the letters of the alphabet. The stages of alphabetical analysis consist of five steps: 1) reading the data multiple times and deciding how to analyze it; 2) preparing a table with the letters of the alphabet; 3) placing each feature under the relevant letter; 4) determining the frequency of each concept or word; 5) writing the features under each letter in a meaningful way. This technique aims to make data more understandable and offers a novel approach for qualitative researchers, increasing interest and readability by presenting characteristics of professions in a different format.