21 Apr
2004
21 Apr
'04
4:30 p.m.
This article may be useful: Christine A. Barry (1998) 'Choosing Qualitative Data Analysis Software: Atlas/ti and Nudist Compared' http://www.socresonline.org.uk/3/3/4.html
The decision on what program to use depends not only of the data being analyzed but also on the methodological inclination of the researcher. Those are take a more positivistic approach to qualitative research (a la Grounded Theory) would find software such as Nvivo and (in the border between qualitative and quantitative) N5 a better fit because of their emphasis on structured coding. Those with a more interpretive approach to qualitative research are better off with software such as Atlas.ti where coding is a more open ended task.
-Joao