How to Do Pattern Coding in Qualitative Analysis
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What is pattern coding?
Pattern coding groups previously coded data into sets, themes, and constructs as a secondary step in the process of conducting qualitative data analysis. This filtering process assists with finding commonalities, similarities, or recurring patterns in study participants’ oral or written statements.
As a “second cycle” method of coding data, researchers apply pattern coding when “first cycle” coding methods—such as in vivo coding, process coding, or open coding, among others—are complete.
While the first round pass at coding data can be fast and loose, the following rounds of coding are about reanalyzing, finding patterns, and getting closer to developing your final theories and concepts. Pattern coding is a useful second cycle approach to facilitate this process of refinement.
More specifically, pattern coding aims to reduce the number of codes from your initial round of coding and decide how to best categorize your pre-existing codes. Pattern coding also helps create a guardrail to minimize cognitive changes during the research process—helping secure the reliability of your results.[1]
First versus second cycle coding methods
Saldaña (2016) separates coding into two stages: first cycle and second cycle coding. First cycle methods, such as those mentioned above, are used for the first pass at coding your data. Subsequently, second cycle methods—such as pattern coding—then help further categorize, consolidate, and filter your data.
In many ways, pattern coding is akin to a table of contents that outlines and helps finalize your research results. Think of first cycle coding as a first draft where you use broad strokes to capture relevant information. Then, pattern coding is one of several second cycle methods to help form an analytic framework to guide you through your research process en route to your final narrative conclusion.
During this second cycle (and preferably your third, or fourth pass—remember, coding is an iterative process!), you assign codes to various excerpts as you actively analyze and refine your data.
As this is the second iteration of your coding, the goal is to finalize your codes and group them into an overarching narrative. You continue to edit down your data until a lucid story arises from disparate, seemingly unconnected, pieces of information.
[Find more helpful resources for learning qualitative data analysis over in our Learning Center.]
When and why should I use pattern coding?
After your first cycle approach is complete, your finished “table of contents” from pattern coding becomes a kind of meta-code that helps filter your initial codes and themes.
These “meta-codes”—also called “umbrella coding” or “hierarchical coding”—help to clear up puzzling or conflicting observations in your research by grouping and regrouping codes and themes into categories and sub-categories.[3] In this way, pattern coding helps you confidently reinforce your ideas.
Now, these categories can be organized in a variety of ways. You can group together codes that are similar to each other, or pertain to the same topics or general concepts through pattern coding. Iterate on these categories and move the codes around until you find a structure that makes sense for your analysis.
Qualitative coding tools like Delve can simplify the pattern coding process, by allowing you to seamlessly group codes together:
Pattern coding is an appropriate method to facilitate this process and pull together the story of your data with a narrative that centers around an overarching category. The latent benefit is the reinforcement of ideas by analytically explaining other themes or categories that you may have unearthed along the way.
Because coding is always an iterative process, pattern coding essentially helps you to code your code. Through each iteration, the structure of your final narrative strengthens and rises to the surface. This helps you reaffirm that your methodology—and subsequent results—are sound, clear, and reliable.
Find a helpful explainer video of second cycle processes—including how to use Delve—here:
Conclusion
All coding is an iterative, cyclical process. You comb through and edit your data repeatedly to flesh out and extract meaning from your analysis. Through the iterative process of pattern coding, you carve out final results.
It is important to remember that pattern coding—rather, all coding—is not a precise or infallible science; it is an interpretive process that assists the researcher to compose their final message and results.
In the end, you still need to ask: what does my coded data say? Coding is an important part of the analysis but it also requires final interpretation when it's complete. All coding methods are a way to get to know your data better. They won’t do the analysis or interpretation for you but they are an important step.
Generally, researchers will have approaches they prefer and for which they have worked into a system that can be repeated. Conducting qualitative research is a time-consuming process so you may find it helpful to identify which coding method works best for you. If you’re using CAQDAS software like Delve, the coding software streamlines much of the heavy lifting of pattern coding for you.
Otherwise, the main purpose of creating such a system is to reduce the administrative aspects and general time commitment of coding—i.e. reduce the time you spend deciding how to code in order to grant yourself more time to actually analyze your data and write your final narrative conclusion.
We hope this has helped outline the meaning and applications for pattern coding your research!
Try Delve Software for Pattern Coding
Delve makes it easy to group, categorize, and edit your code through pattern coding—saving you hours of research hours at a cost-effective price. And because Delve was built with the user in mind, there’s no steep learning curve or upfront time commitment as there is with more expensive and complex CAQDAS software options. Start your free trial today or watch a demo of how easy it is to start coding with Delve.
References
Saldana, Johnny (2009). The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
Saldana, Johnny (2011). Fundamentals of Qualitative Data Analysis. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
Cite this blog post:
Delve, Ho, L., & Limpaecher, A. (2022c, November 11). How to do Pattern Coding in Qualitative Analysis. Practical Guide to Grounded Theory. https://delvetool.com/blog/patterncoding