Encounters with CAQDAS: Advice for Beginner Users of Computer Software for Qualitative Research

Authors

Jakub Niedbalski, University of Lodz, PolandFollow
Izabela Ślęzak, University of Lodz. Poland

Abstract

We intend this article to be predominantly for researchers who would like to use software of the CAQDAS family in their research projects. Our experience as researchers and CAQDAS instructors shows that the introduction of software into the analytic process often poses a challenge. This is true for both novice and more seasoned researchers with entrenched habits of conducting research in a traditional manner. The literature available provides few answers to the questions preoccupying inexperienced users; our aim is to close this gap by providing useful information. We discerned major problem areas for scholars who are just setting off on their journey with CAQDAS. We tackle these issues in our article by providing replies to key questions: Is CAQDAS for me? How can I effectively search for and identify a suitable program? What should I bear in mind when using CAQDAS? By pitting benefits against limitations of CAQDAS implementation, we intend to address the expectations of using software in research.

Keywords

computer assisted qualitative data analysis software, CAQDAS/QDAS, qualitative research

Author Bio(s)

Jakub Niedbalski, Ph.D., Associate Professor in The Sociology of Organization and Management Department, Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, Poland. Author, editor, and co-editor of 13 books and about 90 articles and book chapters in Polish and English related to his main research interests: sociology of disability, sociology of sport, qualitative methods, and computer analysis of qualitative data. Please direct correspondence to jakub.niedbalski@gmail.com.

Izabela Ślęzak, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in The Sociology of Organization and Management Department, Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, Poland. Main research interests: symbolic interactionism, qualitative research, sociology of sex work.

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend our thanks to all those who joined our study and devoted their time to recount their experiences with CAQDA. We would also like to express our appreciation for fellow colleagues who have contributed to the advancement of the concept of computer analysis of qualitative data in Poland over the years. Last but not least, we would like to thank anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and indications.

Publication Date

4-22-2022

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2022.4770

Recommended APA Citation

Niedbalski, J., & Ślęzak, I. (2022). Encounters with CAQDAS: Advice for Beginner Users of Computer Software for Qualitative Research. The Qualitative Report, 27(4), 1114-1132. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.4770

ORCID ID

0000-0002-2803-7628 / 0000-0001-5489-0481

ResearcherID

Adding the ORCID number of the co-author