A New Realistic Evaluation Analysis Method

Linked Coding of Context, Mechanism, and Outcome Relationships

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12470772
AutoresSuzanne F Jackson (University of Toronto, autor correspondente), Gillian Kolla (0000-0002-5743-7153, University of Toronto)
Ano2012
Volume33
Fascículo3
Páginas339-349
Data de publicação2012-03-16
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAmerican Journal of Evaluation (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1098-2140 • E-ISSN: 1557-0878
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1098214012440030
OpenAlexW2120292430
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas40
Referências citadas20

In attempting to use a realistic evaluation approach to explore the role of Community Parents in early parenting programs in Toronto, a novel technique was developed to analyze the links between contexts (C), mechanisms (M) and outcomes (O) directly from experienced practitioner interviews. Rather than coding the interviews into themes in terms of context, intervention elements (mechanisms) and outcomes separately and which could be assembled into CMO configurations by the analyst, they were coded as linked dyads and triads directly from the practitioner narratives. Out of all of the linked codes entered, there were a maximum of three with the same combination, presenting challenges for typical qualitative data analysis. This article examines a novel technique that was developed in an attempt to expand this method beyond the circumstances described in the realistic evaluation literature to date. The bulk of the article focuses on the linked coding and analysis procedures, the challenges faced, and the original solutions that were developed to analyze the CMO relations and generate the mid-range theories necessary to move to the next stage of a realist evaluation approach. The features that distinguish this linked coding method from other methods (e.g. Qualitative Comparative Analysis), the major benefits and drawbacks, the utility of the approach within evaluation practice, and its application to realist synthesis and research are discussed

Coding (social sciences · Context (archaeology · Data science · Evaluation methods · Management science · Narrative · Qualitative analysis · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Community Health and Development · Computer Science · Engineering · Evaluation and Performance Assessment · Psychology · Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research