Time-Series Analysis: An Exploration of an Uncommon Qualitative Case Study Technique in Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Revisiting Approaches to Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis

Abstract

Although time-series approaches to qualitative analysis have existed for many years, there is little guidance on how to do time-series analysis in a qualitative research. Yet, it has the potential to serve the same function as it does in quantitative research: to explore a phenomenon over time. Furthermore, a time-series analysis of qualitative case study data can lay the foundation for a strong causal argument. This paper provides a synthesis of available methodological literature on qualitative time-series analysis; presents a systematic review of published empirical research studies that have used a qualitative time-series approach; and describes two qualitative case studies that used different time-series approaches to demonstrate the utility of this design for qualitative inquiry.

Authors

• Monica Reid Kerrigan, Rowan University

• Ane Turner Johnson, Rowan University

• Jill Patterson, William Paterson University