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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Qualitative Data Analysis: Free Tools for QDA

Resources on conducting qualitative data analysis

Most recent workshop slides

Most recent workshop recording

Workshop Information

Workshop Description 

In this workshop, we’ll discuss free tools that are available for conducting qualitative data analysis, with a focus on Taguette and spreadsheet tools.

This workshop does not assume any previous knowledge of Taguette or other QDA software, but does expect that you know how to work with data in spreadsheet format.

If you’d like to explore Taguette before the workshop, you can create an account on the Taguette website or explore their guide

Learning Outcomes 

By the end of the workshop, we expect that you’ll be able to:

  1. Use the features of Taguette for qualitative data analysis, including:
    • Create a project in Taguette and add research collaborators
    • Upload text data to Taguette
    • Building a code book with a hierarchical structure
    • Coding text data using codes
    • Export coded data from Tageutte to a spreadsheet
  2. Describe which spreadsheet tools can be used in qualitative data analysis
  3. Describe how Taguette and spreadsheet software can be used in your own research project
  4. List other free tools for qualitative data analysis and assess their use for your own work, including QualCoder and R.

 

 

Free QDA Software Comparison

  License Devices/access Data capabilities  Analysis capabilities Collaborative analysis options Help/how-to Other notes
Taguette open source

PC, Mac, Linux devices 

Or, via web browser for projects stored on Taguette or own server 

Import: text files (.pdf, .docx, .txt, .odt, .md, or .html) and codebook (.qdc) 

Export: codebook (.qdc) 

Export: coded data (.docx, .html, .html, .pdf) 

Code data 

View and export coded data for single documents or for each tag. 

Project stored on a server can be shared with other account holders. 

Multiple access options are available, from full permission to view only. 

Get started guide 

@TaguetteProject

 

Taguette is the easiest of these tools to get started with and is great for projects using just text data. 
CATMA open source web browser access only 

Import: text files 

Export: annotations (TEI-XML), queries (.csv) 

Text annotation (coding). 

Quieries used for viewing data for each code as well as complex text search results. 

Text search query results can be automatically coded. 

Projects can be shared with other account holders. 

Permission options 

Compact manual 

Tutorials 

 
QDA MinerLite free to use Windows devices only 

Import: Text (MS Word, .rtf, plain text, .html) 

Import: tables (MS Excel and Access, tab-delimited) 

Import: images (.bmp, .jpg, .png, .emf) 

Export tables in QDA Miner to Excel format. 

Export: project documents to RTF and plain text 

Coding, manual 

Memos 

Cases

Variables 

Coding frequency reports 

None 

Manuals 

Tutorials 

A limited-features version of the full QDA Miner software, but has sufficient features for some projects. 

QualCoder

QualCoder wiki 

open source Windows, Mac and Linux devices 

Import: text (plain text, .docx, epub, .md, .odt, and .pdf) 

Import: survey (.csv or .xlsx) 

Import: image (.jpg, .jpeg, and .png) 

Import: video (.mov, .mp4, .wmv) and audio (.wav, .mp3) 

Export: codebook, 

Data coding (manual, for text, images, audio and video

Data coding, automatic (based on word search) 

Transcription tool 

Text annotation 

Cases and attributes 

Coding comparison (multiple researchers)

Code frequency reports  

Node graphs 

Working from the same file, coder name can be changed for comparison report 

Report issues on GitHub 

Blog with videos 

Installation may be a challenge, but this open source tool offers a wider range of features than other open source or free options. 
QCAmap free to use 

web browser access only 

Import: text only 

Data coding, manual 

Facilitation of Qualitative Content Analysis method 

Coder agreement comparison 

Projects can be shared with other account holders.  via email  Intended for use with the Qualitative Content Analysis methodology (Mayring, 2000) 

 

Taguette How-To Videos