Qualitative analysis with ATLAS.ti, 2 cr

During the course the following topics will be addressed:

• ATLAS.ti licences, different versions, and use with other software

• Main ideology, basic concepts, and the interface of ATLAS.ti

• Preparation of the research material and adding it to the software

• Various types of research materials in ATLAS.ti

• Basic tools and functions of the software

• Various ways of doing the analysis and making interpretations

• Benefits and limitations of the usage of the software.

There are various kinds of computer software available for qualitative data analysis. They enable the handling, organising, and analysing large textual research materials as well as various forms of images and audio and video files. University of Tampere provides all students and staff members with an ATLAS.ti campus licence. This course aims to assist researchers in the start and basic usage of ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software.

During the training the current Windows version of ATLAS.ti available at the University of Tampere will be used for demonstrations. Also Mac users are welcome to participate and the demonstrations will offer some guidance to Mac usage as well. However, the Mac interface and some of the tools differ from the ones in Windows.

Participants can bring their own qualitative research material with them or do the practical training with ready-made research material provided by the lecturers during the training.

The course consists of a pre-assignment, lectures, demonstrations,  practical training and a task returned after course.

PRE-ASSIGNMENTS

1) Please, read beforehand the following articles:

Evers, J. C. (2011). From the past into the future: How technological developments change our ways of data collection, transcription and analysis. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research 12 (1), Art. 38. https://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1636

Soratto, J., Pires, D. E. P. & Friese, S. (2019). Thematic content analysis using ATLAS.ti software: Potentialities for researchers in health. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem 73 (3), 1–5.

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reben/v73n3/0034-7167-reben-73-03-e20190250.pdf

2) Please, write short answers to the following questions before the course:

• What is your name and major subject? In which university do you study?

• What is the topic of your research? What is the aim and research method of your study?

• What kind of qualitative data you are analysing or planning to analyse with ATLAS.ti?

• How are you going to analyse your data (e.g., content analysis, discourse analysis, narrative analysis...)?

• Have you been using qualitative data analysis software before this course? If so, what can you already do with these software?

• Please, give a notice if you are analysing your data with the Mac version of ATLAS.ti software and you will bring your own laptop with you.

• What are your expectations and learning goals for the course? Do you have any specific questions you would like to be answered during the course?

The answers will help lecturers to adjust the content of the course to better meet the needs of the participants and to prepare themselves for possible questions.