Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software

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Computer-assisted (or aided) qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) offers tools that assist with qualitative research such as transcription analysis, coding and text interpretation, recursive abstraction, content analysis, discourse analysis, [1] grounded theory methodology, etc.

Contents

Definition

CAQDAS is used in psychology, marketing research, ethnography, public health and other social sciences. The CAQDAS networking project lists the following tools a CAQDAS [2] program should have:

Comparison of CAQDAS software

ApplicationTypeLicenseSourceLast ReleaseAnalysesOS SupportedTools
Aquad ClientFree – GPLOpen2017-02Text, Audio, Video, GraphicsWindowsCoding, Sequence Analysis, Exploratory Data Analysis
Atlas.ti ClientProprietaryClosed2022-07 [4] Text, Audio, Video, Graphic, Social NetworksWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Cloud (web-based)Coding, Aggregation, Query, Visualisation
Cassandre Web-based/serverFree – GPLOpen2018-10-09TextAll (java-based)Coding
CLAN ClientFree – GPLOpen2019-06-10TextWindows, macOS, LinuxCoding
Coding Analysis Toolkit (CAT) Web-basedFree – GPLOpen2014-06-28 [5] TextAll (web browser)Coding
Compendium ClientFree – LGPLOpen2014-02TextAll (java-based)Coding
Dovetail Web-basedProprietaryClosed2024-10-14Text, Audio, VideoAll (web browser)Coding, Query, Visualisation
Dedoose Web-basedProprietaryClosed2022-06-07 [6] Text, Audio, VideoAll (web browser)Coding, Query, Visualisation, Statistical Tools
ELAN ClientFree – GPLOpen2018-12-12 [7] Audio, VideoWindows, macOS, LinuxCoding
KH Coder ClientFree – GPLOpen2015-12-29 [8] TextWindows, macOS, Linux
MAXQDA ClientProprietaryClosed2019-02-05Text, audio, video, pictures, webpages, social networksWindows, macOSCoding, Aggregation, Query, Visualisation, Statistical Tools
NVivo ClientProprietaryClosed2023-04 [9] Text, audio, video, pictures, webpagesWindows, macOSCoding, Aggregation, Query, Visualisation
OpenCode 4.03 ClientFree-GPLOpen2015-06TextWindowsCoding, Aggregation, Query
QDAcity Web-basedProprietaryClosed2024-04-05Text, PDFAllCoding
QDA Miner ClientProprietaryClosed2016-11Windows
QDA Miner Lite ClientProprietaryClosed2017-01-12TextWindowsCoding
Qiqqa ClientProprietaryClosed2016-09Windows, Android
QualCoder ClientFree – MIT LicenseOpen2023-01-19 [10] Text, audio, video, picturesWindows, macOS, LinuxCoding, Query, Visualization, Analysis
Quantitative Discourse Analysis Package (qdap) (R package)ClientFree – GPLOpen2019-01-02 [11] TextWindows, macOS, LinuxWord extracting, statistical analysis, visualization
Quirkos Client / Web-basedProprietaryClosed2023-01 [12] TextWindows, macOS, Linux, [13] All (web browser)Coding, Query, Visualisation
Requal (R package)Client / Web-basedFree – MIT LicenseOpen2025-03 [14] TextAll (web browser)Coding, Intercoder Agreement, Log
RQDA (R package)ClientFree – GPLOpen2018-03 [15] TextWindows, macOS, LinuxCoding, Aggregation, Query, Visualisation
Taguette Client / Web-basedFreeOpen2024-04 [16] TextWindows, macOSCoding
Transana ClientProprietary, used to be GPL [17] Closed2017-11 [18] Text, Audio, VideoWindows, macOSCoding
XSight ClientProprietaryClosed2006 (abandoned)Windows

Project Exchange Format

In 2019, the Rotterdam Exchange Format Initiative (REFI) launched a new open exchange standard for qualitative data called QDA-XML, [19] however, the Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS) Network Project had been formally established in 1994. [2] The aim is to allow users to bring coded qualitative data from one software package to another. Support was initially adopted by Atlas.ti, QDA Miner, Quirkos and Transana, and has since been implemented into Dedoose, MAXQDA, NVivo and more. [20] Although this was not the first standard to be proposed, it was the first to be implemented by more than one software package, and came as the result of a collaboration between vendors and community representatives from the research community. Previously there was very little capability to bring data in from other software packages.

Training

The CAQDAS Network Project hosts events on the use of CAQDAS packages for qualitative and mixed-methods analysis. They include: [2]

Pros and cons

Such software helps to organize, manage and analyse information. [21] The advantages of using this software include saving time, managing huge amounts of qualitative data, having increased flexibility, having improved validity and auditability of qualitative research, and being freed from manual and clerical tasks. Concerns include increasingly deterministic and rigid processes, privileging of coding, and retrieval methods; reification of data, increased pressure on researchers to focus on volume and breadth rather than on depth and meaning, time and energy spent learning to use computer packages, increased commercialism, and distraction from the real work of analysis. [22]

See also

References

  1. Paulus, Trena M.; Lester, Jessica Nina (2016). "ATLAS.ti for conversation and discourse analysis studies". International Journal of Social Research Methodology. 19 (4): 405–428. doi:10.1080/13645579.2015.1021949. S2CID   144482072.
  2. 1 2 3 "CAQDAS networking project | University of Surrey". www.surrey.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  3. "Analytic tasks and CAQDAS tools | University of Surrey". www.surrey.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  4. "Updates". ATLAS.ti – The Qualitative Data Analysis & Research Software. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  5. "Coding Analysis Toolkit". 28 June 2014.
  6. "Dedoose - Latest Dedoose Patch Notes". www.dedoose.com. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  7. "ELAN Release Notes – The Language Archive". tla.mpi.nl. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
  8. "KH Coder download site" . Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  9. "NVivo". Lumivero. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  10. "QualCoder GitHub website". GitHub . January 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  11. "qdap GitHub website". GitHub . Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  12. "Quirkos 2.5.2 is released".
  13. "Quirkos for Linux". 27 August 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  14. "RE-QDA/Requal". GitHub .
  15. http://rqda.r-forge.r-project.org/
  16. "Taguette, the free and open-source qualitative data analysis tool" . Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  17. "Transana website" . Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  18. "Transana website". Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  19. Evers, Jeanine (May 2020). "What is the REFI-QDA Standard: Experimenting With the Transfer of Analyzed Research Projects Between QDA Software". Forum: Qualitative Social Research. 21 (2): 22.
  20. "Choosing a CAQDAS package | University of Surrey". www.surrey.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  21. Banner, DJ; Albarrran, JW (2009). "Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software: a review". Canadian Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. 19 (3): 24–31. PMID   19694114.
  22. St John, W; Johnson, P (2000). "The pros and cons of data analysis software for qualitative research". Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 32 (4): 393–7. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2000.00393.x. PMID   11140204.