Table 1 Seven steps of analysis in phenomenography, with elaborations for this particular study
Step | Description [33] | Procedure in this particular study Note: Criteria to distinguish dimensions and conceptions were: a) being qualitatively distinctive. and b) covering the whole variety of meaning units [36]. |
|---|---|---|
1 Familiarization | Reading all transcripts | • All transcripts by MS • 5 transcripts by SEMB |
2 Condensation | Identifying and coding meaningful units in the transcripts | • Coding of 5 transcripts by MS and SEMB • Discussion between MS and SEMB • Agreement on codes to be used (dimensions of variation in the transcripts) • After agreement, coding of rest of the transcripts by MS • Note taking by MS of different ways of understanding clinical learning across codes |
3 Comparison | Comparing the units with regard to similarities and differences | Performed iteratively: • Refining dimensions of variation by looking for differences and similarities within codes by MS • Grouping similar ways of understanding clinical learning across codes in conceptions by MS • Looking for structural relationships between categories and dimensions and creating a draft outcome space of conceptions (rows) and dimensions of variation (columns) • Discussion and refinement of outcome space including labelling and hierarchy between MS and SEMB until consensus was reached • Discussion of outcome space, labels and hierarchy of categories within the research team until consensus was reached |
4 Grouping | Allocating answers expressing similar ways of understanding the phenomenon to the same conceptions | |
5 Articulating | Capturing the essential meaning of a certain conception | |
6 Labelling | Expressing the core meaning of the conception | |
7 Contrasting | Comparison of conceptions with regard to similarities and differences |