Description

Rigor and flexibility in computer-based qualitative research: Introducing the Coding Analysis Toolkit

CHI-JUNG LU

Department of Library Information Sciences, School of Information Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA

STUART W SHULMAN

Director, Qualitative Data Analysis Program, University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA

ABSTRACT

Software to support qualitative research is both revered and reviled. Over the last few decades, users and skeptics have made competing claims about the utility, usability and ultimate impact of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software packages. This paper provides an overview of the debate and introduces a new web-based Coding Analysis Toolkit (CAT). It argues that knowledgeable, well-designed research using qualitative software is a pathway to increasing rigor and flexibility in research.

Keywords: qualitative research; data analysis software; content analysis; multiple coders; annotation; adjudication; inter-rater reliability; tools