Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis

For those interested in finding a computer application well-suited for their own qualitative research or just learning more about the capabilities of the latest generation of computer software designed with text, Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis by Eben A. Weitzman and Matthew B. Miles probably represents the single investment they can make. . . . In Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis, Weitzman and Miles . . . provide a critical, in-depth look at 24 separate applications. The authors make an impressive team: Weitzman is a professor of social and organizational psychology with an extensive computer background, and Miles is a social psychologist who is well-known in the field of qualitative research for co-authoring a popular book on qualitative data analysis with A. Michael Huberman. Together, the two researchers have produced an informative, user-friendly sourcebook that can save readers a significant amount of time and money when shopping for a software program for qualitative data analysis. Weitzman and Miles clearly put a tremendous amount of work into Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis; they write their reviews of each application in remarkably lucid and jargon-free language in a format reminiscent of Consumer Reports. The level of detail in the reviews reflects their careful and thoughtful field-testing of 24 software programs. Reviews average about 10 pages each and actually show you what each application can do, and every review includes a series of realistic visuals (complete with helpful captions) that display what the computer screen looks like when performing various functions with that specific computer program. In addition to describing the special features of each computer program, Weitzman and Miles discuss the strengths and weaknesses of every application and make explicit comparisons with other applications in the same ′family.′ "Sage Publications deserves special credit for their role in publishing Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis. Instead of issuing this book in hardcover and attaching a hefty price tag, they released it as an oversized (81/2-by-11-inch) paperback and made this valuable information available at a modest cost. Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis is the most comprehensive resource on its subject currently available, and is an excellent starting point for qualitative researchers interested in integrating computer technology more fully into their own data analysis strategies." --Harvard...