Chapter 3: Methodology
3.7 Data Analysis Procedures
3.7.1 Case Study Architectural Analysis: Site, Building and Interpretation Levels
The architectural analysis was carried out on the four Historic Site Interpretation Centers at three levels. The first level attempted to evaluate the site and its contextual configuration. Here, the analysis looked at both the relationship between the historic site and its surrounding and the relationship between the historic site and the Historic Site Interpretation Centers in terms of architectural features, scale, proposed modes of accessibility to the context and proposed movement patterns between the two settings. The second level aimed to evaluate the architecture of the building focusing on the general appearance and spatial layout to assess its physical contribution to meaning-making. The last analytical level evaluated the interpretation generated by exhibits and presentation techniques. This level focused on the types of exhibits as archival records or display objects at small, medium, and large scales, as well as the site itself as the main object of interpretation. In addition, it focused on the presentation techniques either textual, technological (i.e. digital), or traditional techniques. As a multi-level approach, the architectural analysis attempted to evaluate the contribution of the physical features and the applied display strategies in conveying meaning from historic site to visitors.
3.7.2 Quantitative Data Analysis: Tabulation and Graphical Presentation Techniques
The quantitative data analysis covered the visitation records, the online survey results, and the field observational notes. Visitation records were graphically summarized using Microsoft Excel software. This descriptive analysis attempted to compare the number of visitors among the four case studies considering their popularity. The visitors’ records highlighting the visitation levels during a one-year period (3.4.2.1), helped to identify the relationships between the visiting patterns and
the weather condition.
Second, the online survey was conducted using Google Forms, an online survey platform. After receiving the participants’ responses, the data was automatically translated into percentages. However, there were two sets of survey;
the first was in English and the second in Arabic. 11 (84.6%) of the survey questions were fixed alternative questions as shown in the survey questions (Appendix B). For these questions, the online survey descriptive analysis attempted to compare the participants’ responses in relation to their visitation patterns, perception, experience, and concerns.
Third, after the completion of the observation sessions at the four case study locations, the results and field notes were tabulated and graphically presented again using Microsoft Excel software. The observation sessions were classified into three parts; a) information, including days of the week, time of day, season of the year, both with and without the existence of an event; b) numbers of visitors, gender and both being alone or in group in the historic site and the Historic Site Interpretation Centers, and c) a description of observations using field notes of site visits which focused on activities thought to contribute to the process of meaning-making.
Finally, the observation analysis compared the subjects in their natural setting without intervention and validated the information obtained from both visitors’
records and survey responses.
3.7.3 Qualitative Data Analysis: Thematic and Content Analysis
The qualitative data analysis covered the content analysis of the office account of Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and the photographs taken by the author, as well as the thematic analysis of the interview transcripts.
The content analysis of Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities official
Instagram account sought to know the current and the future events to plan an observational session accordingly, also to scan the different types of events that happens in the four case studies with an attempt to find links between the types of events and the visitation patterns as archived, reported and observed. While the photographs taken by the author during the observation are useful to analyze the visitors engagement and interaction during a visit, both in ‘in situ’ and ‘in context’, as well as to describe whether the visitors were male or female, nationals or expatriates alone or in group, self-guided or tour-guided.
The interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis focusing on meanings of text and on the linguistic expressions (Kvale, 2007a). The analysis procedure was carried out as follows: After finishing the interview transcription, the researcher analyzed, verified, and reported the findings following five steps. The first step was to read, reflect and get familiarized with the transcribed interviews; second, to assign codes describing the text content; third, to identify themes and patterns across the different interviews conducted; fourth, to review and define the themes and finally to produce the report (DiCicco-Bloom and Crabtree, 2006). In the first and second steps, the researcher identified repetition, transitional expressions, and similarities/differences to produce codes and prepare the data for thematic analysis.
In the third step, the researcher reviewed the codes, grouped them and then assigned them to appropriate and representative themes (Saldana et al., 2011). After completion of the data analysis, and interpretation, verification is sought to ensure the data reliability and generalization within the context of the study. The data was first validated internally by re-listening to the recorded interviews, re-reading the transcripts, and lastly by re-checking the analysis findings, while external validation was sought by the participants themselves (mainly service providers), as it was
difficult to reach the visitors. Finally, the last part of the interview findings were reported, using quotes and excerpts from the original interview as evidences to support the research argument, and considering the similarities / contrasting ideas in relation to the participants category to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon under study.