#7 Next steps after initial coding

I have now completed the first round of coding all fifteen of my transcripts – I have about 100 codes (preparedness characteristics) in my codebook as I have coded as thoroughly as possible!! Promisingly I only added a single code to the codebook when coding each of the last two transcripts so I’m satisfied that I reached saturation with my group interviews and performing more would not add significantly to the richness of the data.

I am now reading through all of the transcripts and coding again (stage 2b - see post #2). The aim here is to make sure that I still agree with everything I did a few weeks ago, and also to see if there are places that newer codes (added later) could be used. I am also jotting down mind maps of how codes are linked together in an attempt to draw up some candidate themes (preparing for stage 3). Now, that I’ve broken down the data into such small, granular preparedness characteristics, I need to start to build it back up again so that I can write about it!!

Meanwhile, one of my supervisors is reading through my coding of three of the transcripts (20%). Given my constructivist standpoint* and codebook approach, I am not necessarily interested in inter-coder repeatability and eliminating any bias I have, but I am hoping to use the discussions with her as opportunities to reflect on what the coding that I have done and to see if there’s anything that I haven’t considered.

* remember constructivism means that the ocean's colour is different to different people, in different locations and settings, as opposed to the positivism standpoint where the ocean is blue. In constructivism, there are multiple subjective realities, which are socially constructed and knowledge is individual.