Patricia
Depends on what type of coding you want to do...IMO you may not need software and at least should consider your options.
If you want to look for very numerous or multiple layers of themes or compare the perspectives of individuals across a large number of interviews / focus groups, qualitative analysis software is useful to organize and support you to make comparisons. Of course, the analyst does all the mental work and you have to learn all the wonderful idiosyncrasies of these programs.
For 8 different groups (albeit 3 hours long), I would probably use a word processor and spider diagrams...I am a relatively experienced (10 plus years) qual. researcher though. This would mean no steep learning curve. A useful textbook such as Miles and Huberman would help you a lot to think about what coding is...
(link here: http://www.amazon.com/Qualitative-Data-Analysis-Expanded-Sourcebook/dp/0803955405)
If you don't feel confident, I recommend you link your project to an experienced qualitative researcher.
Alex
AM Clark PhD BA (Hons) RN
Associate Professor, AHFMR Population Health Investigator, CIHR New Investigator
Room CSB 4-112
Faculty of Nursing University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Canada
T6R2G3
Tel: 001 780 492 8347
Fax: 001 780 492 2551
-----Original Message-----
From: Social Determinants of Health on behalf of Dr. Lester Spence
Sent: Tue 2/19/2008 4:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: software recommendations
i'd second support for Nvivo, and Nvivo 8 is only a few weeks away from
release. Another options is AtlasTi.
On Feb 19, 2008 12:43 PM, Patricia P. Lillquist <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Hello - In the next several months, I will be getting transcripts from 8
> community forums scheduled to last 3 hours each. Can this group provide
> me
> with recommendations on software for qualitatitive identification and
> analysis of themes? There are many out there, but last time I looked, the
> learning curve seemed steep. Thanks in advance for your collective
> advice.
>
> Pat
>
> Patricia P. Lillquist, MSW, PhD
> Director, Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias Registry
> New York State Department of Health
> Corning Tower, Room 565
> Albany, NY 12237-0679
>
>
>
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