Category Archives: basic terms & concepts of QDA

These articles are introductory and explain basic concepts of QDA.

From QDA to XML: The REFI-QDA project exchange standard

With the continuing implementation of the new REFI-QDA project exchange standard by many developers of qualitative data analysis software, it now becomes possible to transfer projects from one software to another using an XML exchange format. This allows the use of multiple QDA tools on the same database and breaks open many of the limitations of proprietary software. Although some specialised functions can be lost in the transformation process, this finally opens the door to move projects from one software to another and to access them as XML files.

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What is Mixed Methods? A brief introduction

Mixed Methods is a methodology that attempts to breach the qualitative-quantitative divide by integrating aspects of both approaches. However, both methods are not just juxtaposed, but rather used to create combined results. In this, Mixed Methods Research (MMR) often follows a pragmatic doctrine that puts the research question above epistemological or methodological considerations.

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Sampling Unit, Coding Unit, Context Unit? Analytical Units in QDA

Analytical units force us to be specific about what we do. How much text do we code? What context do we take into consideration? What documents or text segments do we include or exclude from our analysis? Thinking about them can definitely help us improve the quality of our analysis. Continue reading Sampling Unit, Coding Unit, Context Unit? Analytical Units in QDA

2 Ways Towards a Proper System of Categories

Unlike a simple code, categories need a good definition, proper examples and precise coding rules. There are two different ways of coding: start with general codes and become more granular later (Qualitative Content Analysis & MAXQDA) or start with many specific codes and summarize them in sophisticated categories later (Grounded Theory & ATLAS.ti).

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