Using Computers in Qualitative Research

"The book offers communication researchers some of the best recent work on qualitative inquiry in the human disciplines. . . . Published by Sage, the leading publisher of qualitative research in the social sciences today. . . . [This] collection is of great value to those researchers drawn to computer assisted forms of ′data analysis.′ The leading figures in this field (including authors of many of the best known programs) are represented. The strengths (retrieval, coding, locating negative cases, building theory) and limitations (endless variable analysis, analytic madness) of these methods are presented. . . . This work brings the communication scholar up-to-date on where qualitative methods are in current sociological and educational discourse." --Norman K. Denzin in Journal of Communication "The title of the book summarizes its content succinctly. Using Computers in Qualitative research pursues an important topic in social science reseach and provides an informative update on the use of computers in field research." --Social Science Computer Review "This book presents a comprehensive analysis as well as practical information about the use of computers in qualitative research. . . . [It] indulges the reader in in-depth critical discussion about theory and technical aspects of qualitative analysis through the use of existing software programs." --Rehabilitation Nursing Research "This book stands as one of the must read books for qualitative and would be qualitative researchers. . . . Using Computers in Qualitative Research deserves reading because of the important issues and themes presented." --Qualitative Health Research Computer software for the management and analysis of qualitative data--such as interviews, field notes, and documents--has only recently emerged. Written by an international group of leading experts in the field, this timely review is a comprehensive assessment of recent developments in the use of computers in qualitative research, profiling and comparing the principal programs available. The editors outline research problems that existing and forthcoming software can and cannot handle, consider whether systematic and formal techniques will change the nature of qualitative research, and consider whether the new techniques offer the prospect of achieving a generic theory of qualitative analysis. Using Computers in Qualitative Research is an invaluable resource for those already using the new programs in analysis of qualitative data and an essential tool for researchers with limited computing experience, offering sufficient background to enable readers to select programs. This informative volume will be of interest to academics, researchers and graduate students using qualitative research methods across the social sciences.