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DEVELOPMENTAL CRISIS IN EARLY ADULTHOOD: A ...

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similarities that bind clusters together should be made explicit in order for the validity<br />

of the cluster to be assessed.<br />

Data Display – Matrices and Diagrams<br />

Miles and Huberman’s approach to data analysis includes the use of matrices<br />

and diagrams to illustrate relationships between themes, cases or parts of a model.<br />

Matrices involve a set of rows and columns in which can be linked data codes,<br />

cases, quotes, summaries or paraphrases. A two dimensional grid can be used in a<br />

variety of ways to present data concisely, visually and accessibly. Rows or columns<br />

can represent segments of time, of an event, different cases, different pattern codes or<br />

superordinate themes. Miles and Huberman present an array of possibilities for<br />

constructing matrices, including time-ordered, case-ordered, concept-ordered and<br />

event-ordered. The key is to make sure that matrices display coded data in a form that<br />

is relevant to research questions, and takes one step toward synthesis.<br />

Diagrams link themes in visual networks of nodes and connectors. Nodes are<br />

circles, ellipses or boxes, and may represent any unit of information that emerges<br />

from the analysis. Connectors are lines or arrows that link the nodes and represent<br />

semantic, reciprocal, causal, contextual, temporal or hierarchical relationships.<br />

Examples of possible networks that Miles and Huberman describe are event networks<br />

(which chart complex events unfolding over time or the complex relations in a<br />

narrative plot), causal networks (which illustrate cause-effect relationships), context<br />

charts (which display key information about the context of an event or conceptual<br />

issue), and finally hierarchical networks (in which a hierarchical arrangement of ideas<br />

can be displayed – each higher layer subsuming the lower layers). Diagrams can be<br />

informal, if used just to aid analysis for viewing codes in relational and visual<br />

combination, or formal, if used as part of a final report.<br />

4.4 Validity and Quality Criteria<br />

IPA and the Interactive Model both agree that qualitative research can be<br />

assessed to establish validity and quality, but not by quantitative research standards.<br />

Miles and Huberman (1994) and Smith (2003) both outline processes specific to<br />

qualitative research that promote validity, quality, trustworthiness and credibility.<br />

Smith’s validity framework is based on articles by Yardley (2000) and Elliott, Fischer<br />

and Rennie (1990). An integration of criteria from these sources is summarised in<br />

58

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