computer aided qualitaitive data analysis software
DESCRIPTION
These are the slides I use in a short presentation introducing the idea of using software for data analysis to doctoral studentsTRANSCRIPT
CAQDAS software CAQDAS software (and one oddity!)(and one oddity!)
Julian BecktonJulian Beckton
Qualitative dataQualitative data
Qualitative data includes text, Qualitative data includes text, visual,and multimedia information.visual,and multimedia information.– Background information Background information – Primary dataPrimary data– Secondary dataSecondary data– Relevant supporting informationRelevant supporting information
AllAll of this data has to be managed of this data has to be managed and some of it has to be analysed. and some of it has to be analysed.
Software typologySoftware typology
Text retrievers/Textbase managersText retrievers/Textbase managers Code and retrieve packages/theory Code and retrieve packages/theory
builders/conceptual network buildersbuilders/conceptual network builders
Based on Lewis & Silver, (2007) Using software in Qualitative Based on Lewis & Silver, (2007) Using software in Qualitative Research. - SageResearch. - Sage
Code based theory buildersCode based theory builders
Enable thematic coding of chunks of Enable thematic coding of chunks of datadata
Allow reduction of data along thematic Allow reduction of data along thematic lineslines
Can search text, and codesCan search text, and codes Can record relationships between issues Can record relationships between issues
concepts and themesconcepts and themes Can develop more detailed codes where Can develop more detailed codes where
certain conditions combine in the data.certain conditions combine in the data.
Text based toolsText based tools
Essentially allow sophisticated Essentially allow sophisticated searching of text and languagesearching of text and language
Use thesauri to find words with Use thesauri to find words with similar meaningsimilar meaning
Provide word frequency tablesProvide word frequency tables Provide easy KWIC retrievalProvide easy KWIC retrieval Aimed at researchers who are Aimed at researchers who are
focused on textual analysisfocused on textual analysis
Implications of using Implications of using softwaresoftware
Data preparation is very important.Data preparation is very important. Not all data is computer readable!Not all data is computer readable! Not necessary to use every feature Not necessary to use every feature
available in a software packageavailable in a software package Most functional not necessarily the Most functional not necessarily the
best for youbest for you
Structure of a CAQDAS Structure of a CAQDAS packagepackage
All your files are contained in a All your files are contained in a “Project”“Project”
All packages maintain a database of All packages maintain a database of your files.your files.
Most packages designed to handle Most packages designed to handle text which means that the format of text which means that the format of imported text matters.imported text matters.
Some packages can handle Some packages can handle multimedia.multimedia.
BenefitsBenefits
Researcher is much closer to dataResearcher is much closer to data Easy to “explore” data.Easy to “explore” data. Many packages allow annotations of Many packages allow annotations of
texttext Text can be coded – multiple codes Text can be coded – multiple codes
can be applied to one piece of textcan be applied to one piece of text
Writing and outputWriting and output
Many CAQDAS packages offer writing Many CAQDAS packages offer writing tools.tools.
Many offer different ways to sort and Many offer different ways to sort and retrieve content.retrieve content.
Most offer output to Word, Excel or Most offer output to Word, Excel or SPSS SPSS
Many offer graphic representations of Many offer graphic representations of your coding schema.your coding schema.
Working with a CADQAS Working with a CADQAS packagepackage
Know your methodological approach Know your methodological approach first!first!
Don’t expect it to work for you from the Don’t expect it to work for you from the startstart
Keep Keep oneone project for each research project for each research project. project.
Do thoroughly familiarise yourself with Do thoroughly familiarise yourself with writing and memo toolswriting and memo tools
Come out of the software when you need Come out of the software when you need
Some packagesSome packages
Nvivo (Very expensive, but market Nvivo (Very expensive, but market leader)leader)
The Ethnograph (Slightly cheaper, The Ethnograph (Slightly cheaper, and well featured)and well featured)
Weft (Free, but very limited Weft (Free, but very limited functionality)functionality)
There are others but we don’t have There are others but we don’t have time to go through them.time to go through them.
NvivoNvivo
Off campus you Off campus you need to buy a need to buy a personal license personal license (£130 for a student (£130 for a student 12 month license. 12 month license. A full license is A full license is £330.00 ) £330.00 )
http://www.qsrintehttp://www.qsrinternational.com/rnational.com/
• Available to students on campus only
The EthnographThe Ethnograph
Full license is Full license is ($299.00)($299.00)
http://www.quhttp://www.qualisresearch.calisresearch.com/om/
•Not supported by the university•Student license available for $99.00
WeftWeft
Very limited Very limited functionality – functionality – essentially essentially coding, coding, retrieval and retrieval and memo only.memo only.
http://www.prehttp://www.pressure.to/qda/ssure.to/qda/
•Completely free!
And the oddity!And the oddity!
ZoteroZotero Helps you collect manage and cite Helps you collect manage and cite
your resources. (Not ideal for data)your resources. (Not ideal for data) An extension to the Firefox internet An extension to the Firefox internet
browser. browser. Free. Free. http://www.zotero.org/http://www.zotero.org/ (But, (But,
you MUST be using Firefox)you MUST be using Firefox)