This master-class provides a comprehensive introduction to the use of MAXQDA for qualitative analysis, focusing on harnessing its tools appropriately within methodological contexts. Combining discussion, demonstration and guided instruction participants gain hands-on experience of using tools for analytic tasks.
Course timetable:
This course will run across 2 x 1/2 days from:
- 9.30am - 11.00am
- 12.00pm - 2.00 pm
(6 hours @ 4 x 90 mins sessions)
This course is being held online via Zoom and run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)
Co-Instructor:
Dr Anuja Cabraal is an experienced qualitative researcher, and has extensive experience training researchers on how to use qualitative research software to assist with data analysis. Dr Cabraal has close to 20 years of research experience, has been a trainer for over a decade, and has taught qualitative research methods at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. She has worked and consulted on projects in a wide variety of sectors including, Royal Commissions, Not-For-Profit, Business, Government, Higher Education as well as across a variety of disciplines including, (but not limited to), business, sociology, development, architecture, law and learning and teaching.
Christina Silver Phd, SFHEA, FAcSS, is Director of the CAQDAS Networking Project, which raises awareness about and builds capacity in the range of digital tools designed to facilitate the analysis of qualitative and mixed data, including MAXQDA. Christina’s particular interests relate to the relationship between technology and methodology, CAQDAS pedagogy and the role of AI in qualitative analysis. She is co-author with Ann Lewins of Using Software in Qualitative Research (Sage publications, 2007, 2014) and Qualitative Analysis using MAXQDA: The Five-Level QDA method (Routledge 2018) with Nicholas Woolf. Christina is also Co-Director of the University of Surrey’s Short Courses in Social Research and the Co-Founder of Qualitative Data Analysis Services (QDAS), which provides customised training, analysis and consultancy services for individuals and groups engaged in qualitative analysis.
This master-class equips participants with a comprehensive understanding of the logic and workings of MAXQDA and practical experience of using its tools for analytic tasks common to many qualitative research projects. The course combines discussion, demonstration and hands-on practice, using sample data and (optionally) participant’s own research data so tasks can be put into practice. It follows the principles described in Woolf & Silver (2018) Qualitative Analysis using MAXQDA, the Five-Level QDA method which focuses on ensuring the use of MAXQDA is driven by the analytic needs of each individual research project.
The course is divided into 4 sessions over 2 days, and includes
- Contextual illustrations – methodological and analytical principles, uses of MAXQDA in different contexts (e.g. for literature reviewing, for analysis of empirical data collected for a specific study, for secondary analysis of qualitative materials)
- Software Overview – interface, architecture, components, actions and tools
- Guided Instruction – step-by-step teaching in the operation of MAXQDA and the use of tools for analytic tasks
- Group discussions and feedback - small-group breakouts to work on exercises together, discuss tasks and feedback
- Individual work - to consolidate understandings and put learning into practice
The course is relevant to those working with any form of qualitative materials (text, audio/video, images etc.), for example primary materials gathered via interviews / focus-groups / observations / surveys and/or secondary materials such as literature / reports / archival / online materials etc. Content covered is relevant across methodologies and disciplines.
Day 1, Session 1: Orientation and familiarisation with MAXQDA
- Architectural structure and core software components
- Data preparation and project set-up
- Importing qualitative materials from different sources
Day 1, Session 2: Exploring, familiarising and coding
- Data-level note-taking and (manual and AI assisted) summarising
- Searching text and auto-coding based on content (including AI assisted coding)
- Inductive and deductive approaches to qualitative coding
- Retrieving, reviewing and refining coded data
Day 2, Session 3: Organising factual characteristics (e.g. socio-demographics)
- Document & participant variables
- Grouping data using Sets
- Activating sub-sets for focused retrieval
Day 2, Session 4: Interrogating patterns and relationships
- Matrix browsers and crosstabs for making comparisons
- Using the query tool
- Maps and models for data visualisation
This workshop will take place online via Zoom.
Participants will need a laptop (PC or Mac) with the 14 day trial version of MAXQDA 24 installed. In addition, in order to be able to experiment with the new AI Assist features of MAXQDA, participants will need to create a free MAXQDA account.
There are no pre-requisites to attend this workshop, although participants will benefit from having at least a broad awareness of the principles of qualitative data analysis.
This workshop is based on the principles contained in the following two text books:
- Silver C & Lewins A (2014) Using Software in Qualitative Research: A Step-by-Step Guide. Sage Publications.
- Woolf, N & Silver, C. (2018) Qualitative analysis using MAXQDA: The Five-Level QDA Method, Routledge.
In addition those new to computer-assisted qualitative analysis are encouraged to read
- Silver C, Lewins A & Bulloch S (2024) MAXQDA: Distinguishing features. CAQDAS Networking Project Software Review.