What's data coding?

So what's data coding?
I have to sit and stare at all those 49 interviews that I transcribed into my computer. I then have to find little interesting bits of info. And those little bits are going to form a theory that nobody has come up with yet, at least not in immigration and identity studies. That would then be a good doctoral thesis.

Or maybe those little snippets and titbits of text are just going to build on what somebody else already said, somewhere in that weird and wonderful world of academia. And then I write it all down and explain it in my own words. That would make a good masters dissertation.

49 interviews of an average of about 1,000 numbered lines per transcribed interview equals 49,000 lines to read and code. I'm supposed to go over them several times to get deeper insights. I keep my little labels of interesting insights about what my research participants said in a code book. I divide the interesting things in my code book into a family tree where some labels are parents and some are babies.

I'm supposed to stay alert and keep track of all of this because I have to write it all down and explain it to someone else, namely my supervisor.

I could practice by threading my daughter's beads to make interesting little bracelets and necklaces. At least I could wear them on the outside.