Software to analyse (qualitative) field work material
If you consider using software for analysing field work material, it is useful to read the article by Barry (1998): "Choosing Qualitative Data Analysis Software". She discusses the pros and cons of doing computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS). In addition, she compares two software packages (Atlas.ti and Nudist) and she offers suggestions as to how to choose.
There are several software packages available for analysing transcripts and other forms of qualitative data. For an overview of these packages, the page by David Fetterman provides useful information. Below is a list of the packages used most often.
- Atlas.ti. ATLAS.ti is a powerful software package for the visual qualitative analysis of large bodies of textual, graphical and audio or video material. It offers a variety of tools for accomplishing the tasks associated with any systematic approach to field work material.
ATLAS.ti helps you to uncover the complex phenomena hidden in your qualitative data, offers a powerful and intuitive environment for coping with the inherent complexity of tasks and data, and keeps you focused on the data under analysis.
For a comparison between Atlas.ti and N6, read the article by Barry (1998). - The Ethnograph. The Ethnograph v5.0 is a versatile computer program designed to make the analysis of field work material easier, more efficient, and more effective. You can import your text-based qualitative material, typed up in any word processor, straight into the program. The Ethnograph helps you search and note segments of interest within your field work material, mark them with code words and run analyses which can be retrieved for inclusion in reports or for further analysis.
- N6 by QSR. N6 is the latest version of the NUD*IST software. It combines efficient management of field work material with powerful processes of Indexing Searching and Theorizing.
Designed for researchers making sense of complex material, N6 offers a complete toolkit for rapid coding, thorough exploration and rigorous management and analysis. With a full command language for automating coding and searching, and a Command Assistant that formats the command for you, N6 powerfully supports a wide range of methods. Its command files and import procedures make project set up very rapid, and link qualitative and quantitative data. Tolerant of large data sets, it ships with QSR Merge, which seamlessly merges two or more projects (N4, N5 or N6) for teams or multi-site research.
For a comparison between Atlas.ti and N6, read the article by Barry (1998). - NVivo 7 by QSR. NVivo 7 is a combination of the features of N6 and NViVO 2. It opens projects from previous versions of QSR software – N4, N5, N6, NVivo 1 and NVivo 2.