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)