Describe and explain the process evaluators should use to code qualitative evaluation data, while keeping the evaluation questions front and center.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Coding data for a qualitative evaluation project requires discipline. It is vital to maintain the focus on the evaluation questions. Unforeseen codes typically surface during the process. While new codes are usually interesting and compelling, the evaluator must make sure the codes are relevant to the evaluation question. While evaluators may desire to pursue every new perspective in a qualitative evaluation, timelines and resources usually do not allow such a luxury. One of the virtues of a qualitative evaluation is the freedom to pursue an open structure when examining a service-related issue. The evaluator must balance this luxury with the challenge of accommodating information needs in a timely fashion. Additionally, the evaluation is usually driven by specific questions, and addressing those questions remains primary. When developing codes, the evaluator must constantly remain aware of the agency context. Once the evaluator develops a master list of codes (often called a codebook), it is helpful to organize those codes according to the most critical evaluation questions. The priority of the original evaluation questions can help to determine which codes receive the most attention in the analysis. The link between the codes and the evaluation questions is vital to maintaining the focus in an evaluation.