1.  Phenomenology:  The purpose is to identify the essence of personal experiences.  The basic data analytical strategy is to group statements based on meanings (also called separating into themes); also to develop textual description.

2.  Life History:  The purpose is to provide a biographical account.  The basic data analytical strategy is to describe chronological events and to identify turning points.

3.  Ethnography:  The purpose is to describe and explain cultural patterns.  The basic analytical strategy is to identify themes and develop interpretative schema.

4.  Grounded Theory:  The purpose is to construct or modify theory.  The basic analytical strategy is to provide the constant comparative method to name and frame theoretical constructs and relationships.

        Some analytical strategies are more structured than others.  Each analytical approach provides a different understanding and reveals a distinct aspect of the field experience.  A researcher may use a combination of analytical strategies.  Even though each type of qualitative research design uses a different analytical strategy or combination of strategies, the process can be thought of as occurring in two overlapping stages.  The first stage of data analysis occurs at the exact time the researcher enters the field.  It immediately involves the researcher attempting to make sense of what is observed and heard. This is also called "learning the ropes".  The primary purpose of analysis is descriptive and the researcher may form "hunches" about what is going on.  The second stage follows the conclusion of fieldwork and involves a more formal review and analysis of all the information that has been collected.  Initial interpretations are refined or revised and recorded in a written report that is disseminated to the scientific community.

Stage One:  Analysis in the Field.  The process is iterative.  Data analysis occurs immediately when the researcher enters the field.  Analysis continues throughout the time the researcher is in the field.  It is the basis from which all decisions flow such as who to interview, what to observe, what information to explore further.  The initial understanding of the phenomenon shapes the next data collection strategy.  This continues to build upon previous decisions.  The researcher begins the process of systematically analyzing all of the data to obtain hunches. From this, comes a decision of where to go from here. The researcher also notes any personal biases and begins to group information into meaningful categories that describe the phenomenon of interest.  This involves 4 steps in the analytical process:  inductive and abductive thinking, developing categories, grouping categories into higher levels of abstractions, and discovering meanings and underlying themes.

    a. Inductive and abductive thinking process:  this is characterized by the development of an initial organizational system and the review of each datum (singular of data).  The organizational system emerges from the data itself.  The researcher must refrain from imposing theories before being involved in the study.  In an abductive approach, the researcher explores actions or behaviors and formulates a working hypothesis.  This is then examined in the context of the field to see of it fits.
   b.  Developing categories:  this is a way of organizing and making sense of a large amount of data.  one way to do this is to develop categories.  Categories emerge from the interactions between the researcher and the field and from the initial information that is obtained and synthesized.  This is also described as a process of classifying objects according to their similarities and differences.  New data either fit into existing categories or necessitate the development of a new category.  descriptive categories tend to answer the who, what, when, and where types of information or data.  More interpretive categories answer the how and why questions.  Computer software programs such as Nudist, Zyindex, or Ethnograph help facilitate the sorting process.
    c. Grouping categories in higher levels of abstraction or developing taxonomies:  This involves organizing information by grouping similar or related categories into larger categories and identifying differences between sets of subcategories.  Therefore, taxonomic analysis organizes categories and describes their relationships.
   d.  Discovering underlying themes:  this involves finding the underlying meanings or themes in the categories.  Categories are compared, contrasted, and sorted until a discernible thought or pattern becomes identifiable and the meaning is revealed.

Stage Two:  Formal Report Writing.  This intensive part of the process is more formal and the researcher enters into an intensive writing effort that furthers the interpretive process.  This consolidates the researcher's understandings and impressions.  This is highly self-reflective and interpretive.  An interpretation is formed. the researcher moves beyond the simple information to suggest a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of interest.

Grounded Theory:  the approach used here is the constant comparative method.  As information is obtained, it is compared and contrasted with previous information.  Patterns emerge.  Researchers search not only for themes to emerge but also code each piece of raw data according to categories.  There are different types of coding systems used.

Ethnography:  most researchers use a range of analytic approaches.

It is important to insure accuracy and rigor in qualitative research.  This can be accomplished through use of several techniques.  Triangulation refers to comparing information from one source to another such as interviews with journals.  Saturation refers to the point at which no new information is gathered.  Member checking is where the researcher checks an assumption or understanding with one or more of the participants.  Reflexivity is where the researcher purposely engages in a reflective process to examine his/her personal biases and how they may have impacted on the study.  Audit trail is the path the researcher leaves of his/her thinking process and coding decisions so that others may review the logic and decision making.  Peer debriefing is a process whereby the researcher involves peers in the analytical  process.  Areas of agreement and disagreement are identified.  This provides an opportunity for the researcher to reflect on other interpretations of the data.

Data analysis in qualitative research is a labor-intensive process that is different from that used in quantitative research but is equally rigorous.