Data Analysis and Representation

field notes and peer examination of the data. At the analysis stage, the consistency of the findings or “dependability” of the data can be promoted by having multiple researchers independently code a set of data and then meet together to come to consensus on the emerging codes and categories. Researchers may also choose to implement a process of double coding where a set of data are coded, and then after a period of time the researcher returns and codes the same data set and compares the results. Credibility of my study could be operationalized through the maintenance of prolonged engagement with the learners. After getting the permission letter, I was allowed to join the teaching learning process to get known the learners better since I was not accustomed to their speaking. It was not easy for me to understand them, especially when they tried to produce English words. After few meetings, I could get along with them and had close relationship with them. Besides, the maintenance of persistent observation also supported the credibility of this study. Observation was the best timing for focus our attention from the broad picture to a narrower one. Other way to maintain credibility was in the course of the triangulation of data of sources, methods, and investigators. For triangulation data int his study, I interpreted narrative data from three sources, namely observation, interview, and learners’ notebook. The term of authenticity always surrounds qualitative researches. I regard my study as authentic since my interaction with the learners was seen in my involvement during their English learning at school. First, I came and joined them in their English learning. I was introduced and directed to teach young learners with hearing difficulty by the principal. During my introducing self to the learners, I became not only a friend, but also a sister to them. I felt they started to fully trust and accept me. One example of their acceptance was everytime I had not come to the school as what had been scheduled, they sent me short messages and asked for my coming. When I got there, they enthusiastically called my name and waved their hands before I entered the school. This closeness was a proof that I had an authentic relationship with the learners. On the other hand, to arrive on transferability of this research, I should make sure that the knowledge from the research was transferable between the participants and me. I carefully chose the participants based on the appropriate criteria. Besides, Cresswell 2007 says that thick description was necessary. For this reason, I narrated the result of my study through elaboration of the steps I took to conduct this study. The next term proposed by Lincoln and Guba was dependability. To achieve dependability, I carefully design a suitable methodology. Careful designed methodology was expected to give clear shape for me to conduct the study since the results of qualitative study are subject to change and instable. It means there are possibilities the results of similar study are different when conducted in different settings and procedures. Confirmability of this study was the last term to maintain in order to establish the value of the data. Similar to dependability, confirmability was established through an auditing of the research process. To do so, I provided rich and thick description about the setting, program, participants, and procedures of the study. This is the part where the idea of triangulation is discussed to provide the accuracy of the findings. Creswell 2005 as cited in Pitaloka 2008 recommends some strategies available. The triangulation of different data sources of information by examining evidence from the sources and using it to build a coherent justification for themes is represented as follows. Triangulation for Logical Pattern Figure 3.3 Triangulation [McMillan Schumacher 2006 as adopted from Pitaloka 2008] The triangulation, at last, leads me to reflect the results of the study. the importance of being reflexive is acknowledged within social science research and there is widespread recognition that the interpretation of data is a reflexive exercise through which meanings are made rather than found. However, reflexivity has not been translated into data analysis practice in terms of the difficulties, practicalities and methods of doing it. Instead, there is an assumption built into many data analysis methods that the researcher, the method and the data are separate entities rather than reflexively interdependent and interconnected. Below is the summary of the study’s trustworthiness. Social scene or process Artifiact Collection Informants Field Observations