ERIC Number: ED675430
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-03-621299-5
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 2025-06-11
A Thematic Analysis of Open-Ended Responses in a Small-Scale Study: Exploring Immigrants' Perceptions of Program Benefits. Sage Research Methods: Data and Research Literacy
Anna Zagrebina
Sage Research Methods Cases
Asking open-ended questions for research purposes might be very tempting because the answers can provide valuable authentic information not only about participants' responses to the asked questions but also about their unintentionally expressed feelings and emotions. However, analyzing answers to open-ended questions given in free form will very likely pose certain challenges. This case discusses the challenges encountered in applying thematic content analysis to the answers of adult immigrant students in a linguistic integration program to open-ended questions about the perceived benefits of the program. These challenges include the classification of items mentioned by participants, distinguishing irrelevant information provided in the answers, considering the specifics of participants' verbal expressions, and analyzing qualitative aspects of the data collected. Based on the experiences of overcoming these challenges discussed in the case, readers will be able to develop a research design aimed at avoiding complexities in subsequent content analysis of responses and developing the most appropriate analysis strategies. [This content is provided in the format of an e-book.]
Descriptors: Questioning Techniques, Adult Students, Immigrants, Program Effectiveness, Student Attitudes, Barriers, Content Analysis, Responses, Classification
Sage Research Methods Cases. 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; Web site: https://methods.sagepub.com/Cases
Publication Type: Books; Non-Print Media; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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