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4.3.1 Generic methods for analyzing

Globally, a generic method for analyzing is used in many situations: How to analyze the data? To get the meaning of the data? It encompasses the technical and intellectual operations and manipulations helping the researcher to catch the meanings.

  • Technical operations for analyzing are processes, operations and management of the data such as transcriptions, cutting of the text, putting it in tables, etc.
  • Intellectual operations for analyzing consist of the transposition of terms in other terms, intuitive groupings, confrontation, induction …

Classically, 3 generic methods of analysis are used in qualitative health (care) research, each of them using specific tools

  • The phenomenological examination of the empirical data, aiming to report the authentic comprehension of the material
  • The thematic analysis, more specifically this is the creation and the refinement of categories to give a global picture of the material
  • Theanalysis using conceptualising categories, aiming at the creation and the refinement of categories to go further than the description, to reach conceptualization of