Weft QDA: getting what you pay for?

February 21, 2010 10:07 AM

Will Weft QDA help me do what I want to do (that is, perform a content analysis of threaded discussion transcripts with multiple coders)? If not what will? An impoverished grad student needs to know!

I'm working on my dissertation proposal right now, planning for the content analysis of several discussion board transcripts; not terribly long or complicated, but there are many transcripts.

I need a piece of software in which to code segments of the transcripts with a relatively simple coding template. I know that NVIVO would do what I want, but it's also way more software than I need. Also, the only kinda affordable license for that application needs to be tied to a single computer, and I'll be be enlisting the help of other coders, so that type of license is not ideal.

Will I regret struggling with the open-source Weft QDA? What are your experiences with it? Are there other recommendations from the learned peoples of AskMe?

Though it pains me to say it, it's likely this work will take place on PCs, so Windows software is what I need.

posted by activitystory to Computers & Internet (1 answer total)

I cannot directly answer the question, but I would recommend that you look into seeing if your university, library, or another department already owns an institutional or departmental license to NVIVO or similar qualitative data analysis software. Your department may also provide small grants for software that are infrequently used, it may be worth asking your graduate program coordinator about it.
posted by proj at 10:26 AM on February 21, 2010