Qualitative Workshops, Spring 2025

Scroll further down the page for workshop descriptions and registration links.
 
  • Preparing for Qualitative Data Analysis: Thursday, February 6, 2:00–3:00 p.m. (online); Wednesday, April 16, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (Extended Version, in person on campus)
  • Intro to NVivo (for Windows and Mac): Thursday, February 13, 12:30–1:30 p.m. (in person on campus); Friday, March 28, 11 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (in person on campus); and Tuesday, April 29, 4:00–5:00 p.m. (online)
  • Developing and Delivering Interview Questions: Wednesday, February 26, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (in person on campus); and Tuesday, March 25, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (in person on campus)
  • Introduction to Focus Groups: Wednesday, March 12, 3:00–4:00 p.m. (in person on campus); Friday, March 28, 12:45–2:15 p.m. (in person on campus)
  • Managing and Storing Qualitative Data: Thursday, April 10, 3:00–4:00 p.m. (online)

Full List of Workshops, Spring 2025

Preparing for Qualitative Data Analysis

Digging into data analysis can be intimidating. There are key decisions to make: whether or not to use data analysis software, how to navigate the myriad of methodological and theoretical approaches, etc. There are best practices to consider: how to maintain alignment or realign your process in the context of relevant literature that informs your study. If you're new to coding data, creating a codebook, querying, visualizing, and themeing your data, or simply want to compare notes with other qualitative researchers, please join us. You will discover how specific library collections, services, and tools can help guide you on your data analysis journey.

Intro to NVivo for Mac and Windows

We will explore the software using a variety of primary source materials including: interviews, focus groups, images, videos, surveys, and social media platforms. NVivo provides easy ways to code, analyze and visualize qualitative data. NVivo on the Windows operating system has somewhat different functionality than the version for the Mac, and we will address some of these differences.

Please bring your laptop. The software is available for download for Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) affiliates only. Faculty, students, staff, and researchers from other Harvard schools may download a 14-day trial here.

Developing and Delivering Interview Questions

Attend this workshop if you're beginning to draft a qualitative research interview guide, are ready to revise your first draft, or are poised to begin interviewing your participants. Together, we will explore the role of your purpose statement, central research question, review of the relevant literature, and theory questions to the development and operationalization of your interview questions. We will examine different types of questions and the kinds of responses they tend to elicit, as well as problematic question framing. Best practices for the interview conversation will also be introduced, including recommended literature on interviewing dynamics. Finally, you will experience a micro-interview from the perspective of both an interviewer and an interviewee. This class is built around the one-on-one ethnographic interviewing model, using an in-depth, semi-structured approach. While we won't be covering other models (e.g., focus groups, oral history), the content may be adapted. Consider a follow-up consultation with us if you are interested in a different format.

Introduction to Focus Groups

Focus groups are particularly useful for gathering insights into societal norms and the range of opinions or perspectives within a community. The value of the data obtained from focus groups comes from the interaction among participants and the group's diversity. This workshop will introduce you to the logistics of facilitating focus groups, from recruiting participants to documenting group dynamics. You will learn about the roles of the moderator and note-taker, question development and delivery, and how to effectively moderate meetings, record field notes, and capture your data.

Managing and Storing Qualitative Data

Learn how to ensure that your qualitative research practices comport with ethical guidelines where your data is concerned. This workshop, formatted as a panel discussion, features Harvard librarians and experts in data security and human subjects research (Hugh Truslow, Ramona Crawford, Megan Potterbusch, and Jonathan Girard). Panelists will share solutions to common pain points relative to managing, storing, and sharing qualitative data ethically and securely. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions relevant to your own research projects. Please note that while some of the information shared will be universally applicable, other aspects will be of particular relevance within the Harvard context. This Fall 2024 Lecture, which you may watch in advance, serves as an optional primer for the workshop.