Procedures for Reliable Cultural Model Analysis Using Semi-structured Interviews
Heather E. Price, Christian Smith
Abstract
To identify the dominant cultural models among parents transmitting faith to their children, we find few methodological guidelines to guide coding and analysis of semi-structured interviews. We thus developed a three-phase procedure for our research team. Phase-one follows Campbell et al. by unitizing on meanings rather than words/pages, including creating decision rules documents, keyword lists, and summary memos. We provide empirical support for the reliability of those procedures and contribute by adding final validity checks into phase one and a new set of second-order coding procedures as phase two and phase three, as suggested by Miles and Huberman, to transform theme analysis into patterned findings. Phase two codes the latent patterns underlying the phase-one thematic codes. Phase three quantifies phase-two codes into matrices. Although time intensive, other researchers can apply these procedures to produce transparent, auditable findings.