atlas.ti: the qualitative data analysis workbench · atlas.ti: the qualitative data analysis...
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www.atlasti.com
ATLAS.ti:
The Qualitative Data Analysis Workbench
Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Applied cultural anthropologist
Director ATLAS.ti Americas
Training & Partnership Development
(541) 286-4391 (Pacific time zone, USA)
www.atlasti.com
The Software
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Based in Berlin, Germany
First commercial release in 1993
Currently in version 7
ATLAS.ti for Mac by mid 2014
ATLAS.ti Mobile for iPad at Apple Store
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What is ATLAS.ti? What are some of its
properties?
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Software that facilitates the process of description, analysis and interpretation of
research data collected through unstructured or semi-structured methods of data
collection
Work with multiple
methods of data
collection and analysis
Multiple file
formats
• Text
• Graphic
• Audio
• Video
Earth
Close to the point of
view of the
participant and
always in context
Facilitates
serendipity
Allows
comparative
analysis
Allows for
collaboration
in analysis
Integration of the
qualitative and
the quantitative
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What are the elements that constitute the
structure of an analysis project with ATLAS.ti?
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Primary documents
Quotations Memos Families Networks
The Hermeneutic Unit
Codes
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Primary documents: Sources of information
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Text
Word
RTF
Excel
TXT
Etc.
Graphic
JPEG
PNG
GIF
Etc.
Multimedia
MPEG-2, MPG
WMV
AVI
MP4
WAV
Etc.
Google Earth
The multiple file
formats accepted
allows for rich
triangulation.
HU
PDs
Quotes
Codes
Memos
Families
Networks
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Quotations
• Segments of the text selected by researcher or automatically (auto-coding).
• Quotations can be created in all kinds of primary documents.
• The quotation constitutes the basic unit of the analysis project. They can be
linked to other objects, they can be left unlinked, they can be described in-
depth, and their linkages can be visualized as rich graphic representations.
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
HU
PDs
Quotes
Codes
Memos
Families
Networks
Quotations always
shown in context
Codes that are linked
to quotations show on
margin
Interactive list of quotations
shown in the “Quotation
Manager”, each one identified
by unique ID
“Comment” space where
each quotation can be
described
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Codes
• Concepts that can either derive from external frameworks (deductively
created) or emerge from the text (inductively created).
• Codes can be linked to quotations, memos, arranged in families, and
represented in networks. They can also be left alone, unlinked.
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
HU
PDs
Quotes
Codes
Memos
Families
Networks
Codes shown
on an
optional side
panel
Codes that are
linked to
quotations
shown on the
margin
Codes shown in the “Code
Manager” specifying how
grounded in the evidence they
are, how connected they are to
other codes (density), their
authors, and their definitions.
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Memos
• Spaces for reflection, analysis, integration, and interpretation.
• Spaces where to make sense of the data.
• Writing memos should accompany the process of coding.
• Memos can be linked to quotations, codes, and other memos.
• If memos are systematically linked to supporting quotations, it follows that
the reflections, analyses, and interpretations contained in them are grounded
in evidence.
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
HU
PDs
Quotes
Codes
Memos
Families
Networks
Memo that is linked to
quotation is shown on
the margin
Memos shown in “Memo
Manager”. This shows how
grounded the memo is in the
evidence (number of
quotations linked to it)
The memo text
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Families
• Grouping of primary documents, codes, and memos according to shared
characteristics.
• Families allow for comparison across cases, conceptual categories, themes,
etc.
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
HU
PDs
Quotes
Codes
Memos
Families
Networks
Network view of
primary
document family
Network view of memo
family
Network view of code family
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Networks
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Weak-link Network
Linkages between elements
created through the normal
analytical process.
Strong-link Network
Graphical representations of a
semantic type linking codes to codes
and quotations to quotations through
specific meanings. Researcher’s
understanding of the problem.
HU
PDs
Quotes
Codes
Memos
Families
Networks
Weak link network showing quotations
linked to codes as well as the primary
document from which some of the
quotations originate
Code-to-code network
showing semantic
relations between
codes
Quotation-to-quotation network
(hyperlinks) showing semantic
relations between quotations
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Analysis tools: Qualitative
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Data retrieval:
The Query Tool Associations between concepts:
The Co-occurrence Tool
Keywords in context:
The Auto-Coding Tool, the Object Crawler and the Text Search Tool
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Analysis tools: Quantitative
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Content analysis:
The Word Cruncher
Code frequencies:
The Code-Primary Document Table Associations between concepts: The Co-occurrence Table
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Outputs and export formats
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Excel
Rich Text Format (RTF) PDF HTML
XML
SPSS
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Team Work
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
Paul
Mary + Peter
Susan + Paul
Final
HU
Mary
Peter
Susan
Base
HU
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ATLAS.ti Home Page
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
www.atlasti.com
Training Services
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD
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Thank you! ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH
Hardenbergstr. 7
D-10623 Berlin
Germany
© 2012 Ricardo B. Contreras, PhD