| CODE | SOC3039 | ||||||
| TITLE | Computer Assisted Qualitative Analysis | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 2 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Sociology | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit gives basic exposure to possibilities, strengths and weaknesses related to the use of qualitative software such as NVivo in social science research. Topics covered include: - Accessing the software; - Importing qualitative data (including data generated through social media); - Coding and analysis of qualitative data (including data generated through social media); - Text search, word frequency and coding queries; - Development of outputs (charts, word clouds, matrices); - Exporting and disseminating outputs, - Making sociological inferences from outputs of qualitative data software. The above will be discussed in the light of considerations that one needs to make when opting to analyze qualitative data using software, related strengths and weaknesses. Study-Unit Aims: The aims of the study-unit are that students gain exposure to: - main possibilities of software for qualitative data analysis; - considerations related to using software for qualitative data analysis; - strengths and weaknesses of using software to analyze qualitative data; - making sociological inferences from outputs of qualitative data software. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - identify procedures required to analyze qualitative data using the available software; - explain sociological inferences from the outputs of qualitative data software; - list basic methodological considerations, strengths and weaknesses related to the use of qualitative data software. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - compute qualitative data analysis using the available qualitative data analysis software; - assess outputs of qualitative data analysis software from a sociological perspective; - implement basic sociological considerations when using qualitative data analysis software that factor in strengths and weaknesses of using such software. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - AlYahmady H. H. & Saleh Said A. (2013). Using NVIVO for Data analysis in Qualitative Research. International Interdisciplinary Journal of Education 2(2). Retrieved from http://www.iijoe.org/v2/IIJOE_06_02_02_2013.pdf - Bazeley, P. & Jackson, K. (2013). Qualitative data analysis with NVIVO. London: SAGE. - Matei, S. (2011). Analyzing Social Media Networks with NodeXL: Insights from a Connected World by Derek Hansen, Ben Shneiderman, and Marc A. Smith. International Journal Of Human-Computer Interaction, 27(4), 405-408. doi:10.1080/10447318.2011.544971 - QSR International. (1999-2014). NVIVO Support (online link). N/A: QSR International Pty Ltd. Retrieved from http://www.qsrinternational.com/support - QSR International. (n.d.). NVIVO10 for Windows (open access document). N/A: QSR International Pty Ltd. Retrieved from http://download.qsrinternational.com/Document/NVivo10/NVivo10-Getting-Started-Guide.pdf Supplementary Readings: - Bonsignore, E.M. (2009). First Steps to NetViz Nirvana: Evaluating Social Network Analysis with NodeXL. International Conference on Computational Science and Engineering. - Gibbs, G. (2002). Qualitative data analysis : exploring with NVivo. Buckingham/Philadelphia: Open University Press. - Richards, L. (1999). Data Alive! The Thinking Behind NVivo. Qualitative Health Research, 9(3), 412-428. - Social Media Research Group. (2016). Using social media for social research: An introduction (open access report). United Kingdom: Government Social Research & Social Media Research Group. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524750/GSR_Social_Media_Research_Guidance_-_Using_social_media_for_social_research.pdf - Welsh, E. (2002). Dealing with Data: Using NVivo in the Qualitative Data Analysis Process. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/865/1880 - Wiltshier, F. (2011). Researching with NVivo. Forum : Qualitative Social Research, 12(1) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ejournals.um.edu.mt/docview/870465599?accountid=27934 |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Maria M. Brown |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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