Qualitative Data and QualCoder
- Qualitative data can take many forms, but text or transcribed audio-visual data are among the most common
- Reusing existing qualitative data can help plan studies more efficiently and effectively
- The Qualitative Data Repository is a source for vetted qualitative and mixed methods data
- QualCoder’s interface has sections for managing various aspects of projects and uses a mix of icons, menus, and pop-up windows to perform actions
Best Practices for Qualitative Coding
- Qualitative code protocols are developed based on research goals and philosophies
- Inductive research focuses on discovering or exploring themes and often uses open or in vivo coding
- Deductive research focuses on testing hypotheses and typically applies a predefined coding scheme based on theory
- In QualCoder, codes are labels applied to highlighted excerpts of text
Qualitative Data Analysis
- Case analysis focuses on the unique situation of each person or group
- Theme analysis focuses on how the study population perceives or discusses themes or ideas
- Framework matrices are a formal method to combine case and theme analysis using a visual organizer
- Information on sentiment, degree, or quantity can also be encoded for qualitative analysis
Saving and Sharing Qualitative Data
- Archiving and sharing qualitative data can help you, your collaborators, and other researchers
- QualCoder’s import and export options can help you share key components of your work
- There are many resources available to continue learning about qualitative research and finding, reusing and sharing qualitative data