In looking at the relationships between coding categories, the relation “X is a place in Y; X is part of Y” in Spradley’s taxonomy of semantic relations is labeled:

In looking at the relationships between coding categories, the relation “X is a place in Y; X is part of Y” in Spradley’s taxonomy of semantic relations is labeled: Options: (a) Spatial (b) Rationale (c) Means-end (d) Strict inclusion ✅ Correct Option: (a) Spatial Explanation (200+ words): In Spradley’s taxonomy of semantic relations, different types of relationships are used to understand how concepts are connected in qualitative data. The spatial relationship is used when one concept represents a location, place, or part of another concept. The relation “X is a place in Y; X is part of Y” clearly refers to spatial organization. For example, in an educational study, “classroom” is a place in “school,” or “library” is part of “college.” These relationships help researchers understand how participants organize their experiences in physical or conceptual space. Spradley emphasized that spatial relations are especially important in ethnographic and qualitative research because they reveal how people perceive environments and social settings. This type of relation does not describe cause, purpose, or sequence but rather location and inclusion in space, which is why it is labeled spatial. Understanding such relationships improves the organization of qualitative categories and helps researchers develop more meaningful interpretations of data. 10 PPSC-Related Facts: 1. Spradley developed semantic relations 2. Spatial relations involve location 3. “Part of” indicates spatial meaning 4. Used in ethnographic studies 5. Helps organize qualitative data 6. Common in fieldwork analysis 7. Focuses on place and setting 8. Improves category clarity 9. Important in taxonomy building 10. Frequently tested in PPSC research MCQs