Saldaña J 2016 The Coding Manual For Qualitative Researchers

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Review chapters 1 and 2 of Saldaña’s "The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers" along with the Introduction to Coding and From Content to Coding media programs. Refer to your observational field notes from the Scholars of Change videos from Weeks 1–4, select one video, and review its transcript. Begin coding the transcript and your field notes, using one or two codes. By Day 3, provide a brief description of the chosen video, include an example of one or two codes with supporting quotes from your notes or transcript, and explain your reasoning for this coding, referencing your course resources and scholarly evidence in APA style.

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The process of qualitative data coding fundamentally involves systematically categorizing data to uncover patterns, themes, and insights relevant to the research questions. In this context, I chose the "Scholars of Change" video titled "Empowering Youth for Community Impact," which I observed and analyzed during Weeks 1 through 4. The primary focus was to understand how youth engagement fosters community development, as well as the challenges and motivations behind their involvement. My observational notes documented various spontaneous reactions, dialogue snippets, and behavioral cues, alongside the transcript of the video itself, which provided a rich textual data set for coding.

In the initial stages of coding, I identified a relevant code: "Community Empowerment." This code emerged from passages where the youth expressed feelings of agency and the importance of their contributions. For instance, a quote from the transcript supported this: "We feel like we're making a difference in our neighborhood, and that motivates us to keep trying." This quote exemplifies the core idea of empowerment—the sense of agency and impact that participants attribute to their actions. The reasoning behind using this code was based on Saldaña’s guidelines for identifying meaningful patterns and developing labels that accurately capture the essence of the data (Saldaña, 2016).

Another code I identified was "Challenges to Engagement," which was supported by observational notes noting moments where youths expressed frustration or obstacles, such as "Sometimes it’s hard to get others involved." Using this code helped to categorize instances where external barriers or internal doubts hindered participation. My reasoning was rooted in the qualitative need to recognize not only positive motivators but also contextual challenges that shape the overall narrative of community engagement.

Applying these codes facilitated a deeper understanding of the video's themes, aligning with Saldaña's emphasis on constructing analytical memos to explore the meaning behind coded data (Saldaña, 2016). Coding also allowed me to systematically compare data across different parts of the transcript and notes, thereby supporting a richer interpretation of how youth perceive their roles and the obstacles they face in community projects.

This approach highlights the importance of qualitative coding as a method to organize complex narratives into interpretable categories, which paves the way for further thematic analysis. It also demonstrates how combining transcript analysis with observational notes can enhance the depth and validity of findings in qualitative research, consistent with scholarly methodologies (Halcomb & Davidson, 2006; Miles & Huberman, 1994).

References

• Saldaña, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
• Halcomb, E., & Davidson, P. (2006). Is direct quotation more valid than paraphrase in qualitative research? Young researchers’ attitudes and methodological preferences. Nurse Researcher, 13(3), 7–16.
• Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage Publications.
• Richards, L., & Morse, J. M. (2013). Readme first for a user's guide to qualitative methods. Sage Publications.
• Saldana, J. (2013). Coding for qualitative researchers. Qualitative Inquiry, 19(6), 514–519.