1. Qualitative Data Analysis Systems
Analytical Methods
Qualitative Data Analysis Systems

2. Concepts to be covered this lecture
Intro to QDAS Software
N5: a "grounded theory"-based QDAS

3. What is Qualitative Research
Focus groups
Case Studies
Delphi Method
Content Analysis
Action Research

4. Grounded theory: the process
Initial reading and analysis accomanied by “open coding” of the text (attributing subjects and making annotations as the text is read)
Progressively more complex coding and annotation of the text as ideas and initial theories are explored

5. Grounded Theory: the process
Axial coding: building relationships between codes
The role of QDAS systems: enhancing the process of coding and researching the material
The risks: reification of the coding: the coding takes on a life and meaning of its own
The benefits: the theories are at all times “grounded” in the underlying text, and the annotations are open to scrutiny

6. The role of QDAS software
Follow a disciplined approach obtaining the research data
Follow a disciplined approach to coding the results
Free-form exploration of themes and ideas will then be easy
QDAS is valuable in handling large document collections

7. Coding
The importance of thinking through the coding strategy is important
QDAS software like N5 allow free-form exploration of content
Nevertheless, the larger the body of text, the more likely a consistent coding approach will yield valuable results

8. TEXT UNIT You can choose the underlying annotation unit at Lines
Sentences *
Paragraphs

9. VITAL DISTINCTIONS Whole-document coding Single text unit coding
A category is assigned to the "whole contents" of a document
Single text unit coding
A category is assigned to a single text unit only (ie the category is really only relevant to that text unit only)

10. Coding & Analysis Phases:
Phase 1: Open Coding
Review: Building categories
Phase 2: Coding and analysing by categories: "thematising"
Review: Start building/reviewing against hypothesis
Phase 3: Detailed analysis & conclusions

11. Thematising The coding of the key concepts
Using a tools such as N5 allows the building of conceptual models above the original content, but grounded in that content
Visual implementation of "boolean" logic helps build concepts

12. Types of codes - Descriptive
"I think that copyright is a waste of time. I don't have to worry anyway because no one is prosecuted for what they do at home. I put lots of stuff up on Napster."
This might be coded:
ANTI
PRONAPSTER

13. Types of codes - Interpretive
Your analysis/judgement comes into play:
"I think that copyright is a waste of time. I don't have to worry anyway because no one is prosecuted for what they do at home. I put lots of stuff up on Napster."
Could be coded:
NAÏVE-ANTI

14. Ways of coding Reading and coding each individual item
Using search /find functions to locate documents and code them

15. Postulating a hypothesis
Eg: Students favour freedom of copying over copyright restrictions
But: our coding process is also about building our sense of the data and patterns of opinion and expression

16. Changing our hypothesis
Our research focus and direction may change based on the data we have at hand. This is why the initial coding should be entirely freeform
At an early stage, review the coding and look for consistent "categories" and labels
Possibly: start tying in coding to relevant socially constructed codes

17. For example Our hypothesis might change to:
"Students favour copyright protection but continue to use copyright-avoidance systems".

18. "Closure" Saving and using results: system closure
The fact that QSR NUD*IST makes a new node with the answer to your search is an important feature of the program. It is designed to allow you to ask the question you wanted to ask, in the data context you want to focus on, and to save the answer so you can ask another question based on it.
This ability to save answers as more data in your analysis system is a valuable aspect of QDAS software

19. Common Themes
Information Retrieval concepts apply here: specificity and exhaustivity
Boolean logic to refine your search for codes and concepts
QDAS shares many concepts with contact management systems and Data Mining systems

20. Context: Grounded Theory
The objective of QDAS software is to provide a record of the "process" through which the qualitative analysis has been arrived at
Because the coding from ground up is visible, it can be interpreted and analysed to "prove" the hypothesis by others as well
Risks: reification - we do not know our own inherent assumptions as we do the codification: eg what is the meaning of "black" and "white".

21. Popular systems
Atlas/TI
NUD*IST (N5/N6)

22. ATLAS/TI
More intuitive user interface & hyperlinking between coding
Better visualisation
Can process audio and video data
NUD*IST
Flexible hierarchical structure
Mutability & flexibility in coding: all structures (memos, codes) can form part of new conceptual structures.
Total text based.
Some limitations on coding (eg 1 memo per document)

23. N5 WALK THROUGH