Deductive Coding
Coding qualitative data with a predefined set of codes derived from theory, prior research, or the research questions.
Deductive coding applies a predefined set of codes to qualitative data. The codes are developed before analysis begins, usually from an existing theory, a prior study's framework, or the structure of the research questions, and are collected in a codebook. The researcher then works through the data assigning these codes, sometimes adding new ones when material clearly falls outside the scheme. It is often contrasted with inductive coding, and many projects combine both.
In a thesis, deductive coding is useful when you want to test or extend an established framework, or to compare your data directly with previous studies. It makes analysis faster and more consistent across coders, but you should say how you handled data that did not fit, since forcing material into preset categories is a common criticism.
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