CONTENT ANALYSIS FOR DATA ANALYSIS IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Abstract

Data analysis in qualitative research is different from data analysis in quantitative research as the major method used in qualitative data analysis is content analysis. Although content analysis is used in certain type of quantitative research the content analysis methods used in qualitative research are variety and different from the methods used in quantitative research. In addition, the computer programs used for content analysis in qualitative research are also different from those used in quantitative research. Due to the fact that at present qualitative research has been increasingly given more attention by the Thai research community and Thai society including education and research institutions including various research stakeholder groups, therefore, there is a need for more application of qualitative content analysis. At the same time, books, textbooks, articles and other types of documents published in Thai language is quite rare. This led to the decision by the authors to study and write this article to help promoting the widely use of qualitative research in Thailand. The objective of this academic paper is to present the nature of content analysis applied in qualitative research, including methods and procedures of qualitative content analysis for those who are interested in qualitative research to consider and apply in their qualitative research projects as appropriate.