A New Realistic Evaluation Analysis Method

Linked Coding of Context, Mechanism, and Outcome Relationships

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12470772
AutoresSuzanne F Jackson (University of Toronto, autor de correspondencia), Gillian Kolla (0000-0002-5743-7153, University of Toronto)
Año2012
Volumen33
Número3
Páginas339-349
Fecha de publicación2012-03-16
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Journal of Evaluation (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1098-2140 • E-ISSN: 1557-0878
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1098214012440030
OpenAlexW2120292430
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas40
Referencias 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