Computer-Based Analysis of Qualitative Data: Kwalitan

Conceptual Overview and Discussion

It is becoming inconceivable to perform a qualitative analysis without the use of a computer, especially when having to deal with qualitative material from various sources, as in many case studies. Doing a qualitative analysis implies that a researcher discovers relevant aspects in the material, processes these aspects on a conceptual level, checks the results of this conceptualization against the original material, and makes comparisons between documents/cases. And this process is iterated many times before the researcher is convinced that he or she has captured the content of the empirical material sufficiently on the conceptual level.

In other words, the researcher must constantly switch between the empirical level of the (raw) material and the conceptual level. During this process several techniques are applied, such as several types of coding, summarizing, rephrasing, clustering, categorizing, searching for underlying dimensions, and pattern recognition. These activities can be compared to quantitative techniques such as cluster analysis, factor analysis, or regression analysis, but at a conceptual level, without statistics to help the researcher in interpreting and making decisions. Most researchers would not consider doing these quantitative techniques without the use of appropriate computer support. In the same way, in the case of qualitative analysis, where these analytical processes take place in the minds of the researcher, computer support is indispensable.

Several computer programs have been developed to support the researcher in doing these types of qualitative procedures. Some of these programs are described and illustrated in this encyclopedia. This contribution focuses on one of these computer programs, Kwalitan.