About the Book
Using Software in Qualitative Research is an essential introduction to the practice and principles of Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS). The book will help you to choose the most appropriate package for your needs and get the most out of the software once you are using it.
This book considers a wide range of tasks and processes in the data management and analysis process, and shows how software can help you at each stage. In the new edition, the authors present three case studies with different forms of data (text, video and mixed data) and show how each step in the analysis process for each project could be supported by software.
The new edition is accompanied by an extensive companion website with step-by-step instructions produced by the software developers themselves. Software programmes covered in second edition include the latest versions of:
- ATLAS.ti
- DEDOOSE
- HyperRESEARCH
- MAXQDA
- NVivo
- QDA Miner
- TRANSANA
Ann Lewins and Christina Silver are leading experts in the field of CAQDAS and have trained thousands of students and researchers in using software. Reading this book is like having Ann and Christina at your shoulder as you analyse your data!
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Qualitative Data Analysis and CAQDAS
The Nature of Software Support for Research Projects
Software Summaries
Data and Their Preparation for CAQDAS Packages
Early Steps in Software: Practical Tasks and Familiarisation
Exploration and Data-level Work
Qualitative Coding in Software: Principles and Processes
Basic Retrieval of Coded Data
Working with Coding Schemes
Managing Processes and Interpretations by Writing
Mapping Ideas and Linking Concepts
Organising Data by Known Characteristics
Interrogating the Dataset
Convergence, Closeness, Choice
About the Author :
Christina Silver, Ph.D. SFHEA, FAcSS is Associate Professor (Teaching) in the Faculty of Social Sciences (Sociology) at the University of Surrey, UK, and since 2023 Director of the CAQDAS Networking Project (CNP). She joined the CNP in 1998, which from 1994 has provided impartial information, advice and training in software designed for qualitative data analysis. Christina also co-founded, with Ann Lewins, Qualitative Data Analysis Services (QDAS), which provides customised analytic consultancy for teams and individuals. Christina’s interests are in the relationship between technology and methodology, and the teaching of computer-assisted qualitative analysis. She has published widely on these topics, including co-developing the CAQDAS pedagogy: Five-Level QDA with Nicholas Woolf. She is experienced in using a range of digital tools to enact methods across academic disciplines, and in applied, government and commercial contexts. Christina’s recent work has focused on enabling researchers to navigate the terrain of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in qualitative research encouraging balanced and critical perspectives about its potential role. This includes when the use of AI, particularly generative forms, is not appropriate, and when it might be. Christina is widely seen as a leading voice on methodologically-informed use of CAQDAS-packages and balanced and critical engagement with the implications of Generative-AI on qualitative research.
For much of her working life Ann Lewins was not an academic. She held a commission in the Royal Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller and later ran a growing sports business with her husband until his death in 1988. In 1992, at the age of 45, having just gained a first class honours degree in Modern History & Politics, she started postgraduate study. Two years later she was appointed to a sole, part-time Research post at the University of Surrey with the newly formed CAQDAS Networking Project (Computer Assisted Qualitative AnalysiS). The project, conceived by Nigel Fielding and Ray Lee was born out of a ground-breaking international Research Methods conference convened at Surrey in 1989, a key moment in the coalescing of a new awareness of a small range of early qualitative data analysis software programs. Ann set up online support resources and began hosting a vigorous program of seminars and training workshops to help researchers know the different software programs available and to teach their use. By 2000, Ann, together with Christina Silver had ensured that the CAQDAS Networking Project was reaching thousands of researchers who visited Surrey for support. Their specialist joint initiative, QDAS (Qualitative Data Analysis Services), was created to widen customised teaching and project support on-site at many other universities and research institutions worldwide.
Review :
This book is essential reading for anyone navigating the complex and exciting terrain of qualitative data analysis software. Silver and Lewins emphasize the importance of data preparation; being familiar with one’s software program before starting analysis; and being reflective, methodologically purposeful, and fluid in how one uses the available features of a given program.
This is a timely update to the best volume of its kind. Christina Silver and Anne Lewins have brought their detailed and uniquely balanced account of the landscape of qualitative research, and the functions of software therein, into sharp contemporary focus. This is not only an invaluable practical guidebook for newcomers to CAQDAS, but also an essential reference text for the more seasoned qualitative researcher.
The new edition is extraordinarily authoritative and seriously useful, detailed yet unfailingly interesting. It brings methodological goals and software possibilities together in a more accessible and lively way. With thorough and practical website resources it will be an essential reference for anyone wondering about software use - and that of course is everyone doing qualitative research.! It confronts the reader firmly with the challenges and complexities of qualitative work and the power, mixed offerings and sometimes considerable limitations of existing software. It′s so carefully written, and the authors′ voices are so clear, that it encourages, steadily explains and assists. The authors′ enthusiasm and unique experience and knowledge of the field shine through, so against all odds for such a technical work, this book is a bloody good read!
This book is recommendable for all researchers and practitioners in different scientific fields – psychology, sociology, literature, etc. – for all who deal with qualitative and mixed methods for data processing, interpretation and presentation.
This publication is an impressive and exhaustive undertaking (with a book, three data sets consisting of many different types of data, and detailed instructions for seven CAQDAS programs), particularly given the depth, breadth, and ever changing nature of this field. The authors are to be commended for tackling this very challenging topic... Researchers who choose to both immerse themselves in the book and take advantage of the online resources and related exercises will be richly rewarded.
Very helpful for qualitative research and analysis
This is a very useful text for anyone using computer software in their research. The authors have written a detailed account of the types of qualitative research, and the functions of software to aid with this. It is a good practical guidebook for newcomers to CAQDAS and research students, as well as an essential reference text for more experienced qualitative researchers.
Dr Helen Liebling
Lecturer-Practitioner in Clinical Psychology
Coventry and Warwick Universities
A ′must′ text for all qualitative researchers, practitioners and students.
Good guidance for qualitative analysis supported by software. Useful for researchers and students engaged in qualitative surveys.
An incredibly detailed resource text, yielding nuggets of new information on every reading as the book systematically works through the key stages of qualitative data analysis. Coverage of a range of software programmes is useful, but also serves to highlight what you are missing in your chosen package! The companion website was a convenient link to the step-by-step instructions for the various software packages.
well-written and rigorous.great for under- and postgraduate students
This is an excellent textbook providing an in-depth orientation to and working with CAQDAS.
A useful detailed text for those professional doctorate students who choose to use software in qualitative research. At first I thought the attempt to incorporate coverage of a number of packages in a single text would be confusing, but this has proved not to be the case so far.
Interesting book for an overview but it requires frequent updates to be an useful tool for research
Practical, sound advice. Essential reading for those undertaking qualitative research
I recommend this publication to my students for several reasons: It is well structured, firstly introducing general issues and ideas of using software in qualitative research processes, subsequently focusing on concrete data to illustrate the respective potential of the presented CAQDAS programs. Being provided with example material from the companion website helps acquiring a basic understanding of these software programs by self-studying. I really appreciate the third chapter which – giving the reader a short overview about several programs – serves as helpful starting point for your own decision making process, whether you want to use software packages or not and if so which package may fit individual or project specific needs best. Having worked with MAXQDA for several years now, I feel the potentials of MAXQDA well represented in this book.
A useful book covering essential tools for qualitative research, very useful for students completing their own qualitative research.
There is a lot of good content in this book, but it is poorly ordered. The book shows how three different qualitative research software packages can be used. The problem is, the content is separated by functions, not packages, hence a single page mught feature three explanations of one function. If you are using one package alone, exactly one third of this book will be relevant. This book is better used as a side-by-side evaluation of the most popular qualitative data analysis software available. Used as a guide to one package, it will be less effective. It will help researchers at the outset of their qualitative project decide which package is best for their purposes. Also, because software versions change so frequently, this book loses value as time passes.
Good introduction to using software applications in assessing qualitative data
This text provides a good introduction of using CAQDAS in qualitative research. There is some good chapters on coding as well as summaries of different CAQDAS packages.
This is a fantastic resource book for engaging in using QDA software that is not bound to one programme but shows their continuities. Excellent companion site and resources make it an ideal teaching book too. May yet become "essential for purchase""
This is a very good book in guiding students in the process of using software techniques in qualitative analysis
Very interesting and very detailled description of the matter. Was very good received by the stundents.
Okay for what its purpose is but limited for Dedoose.
Good to have a clear, concise text on qualitative research.
This updated version now features a broader range of software programs for analyzing qualitative research. I believe this text, like the previous version, provides students with a practical approach to using software for qualitative analysis.
This is an outstanding introduction to an integral aspect of doing qualitative research using a range of software. Critical, engaging, challenging but ultimately informative and supportive.
Decided to use different book in class. However, I recommend the book to our grad students.
A useful resource for students who are undertaking qualitative research. It is clearly set out with many useful examples.
Qualitative research is a strong element of the research projects conducted by WBL students and this book will introduce them to the consideration of using software to conduct their qualitative research.
This second edition is much improved in that the material very specific to the software (which dates readily) has been removed to a website. The text is simplified to a slightly more general level without losing its essence as a step-by-step guide to using software for qualitative data analysis. Anne Lewins has worked in this area for many years and I cannot think of a better person to author such a book.
The volume offers a comprehensive introduction to software use in qualitative research. By its clear didactic build-up it guides both, the adavanced student, who works on his/her own and is in need of support in his/her step-by-step data analysis and likewise the experienced researcher, who is familiar with ′by-hand′ data analysis and is now surprised by the systematic support CAQDAS approaches can offer alternatively to meaningful data analysis.
The volume opens perspectives from first steps into software supported research projects to coping principles to systematic approaches to working with coding schemes. Parallel and linked to this various software tools comprised in CAQDAS packages are presented and comparatively discussed.
The volume is highly recommended!
