For each document individual variables can be defined.
Everything is sorted into well defined categories. MAXQDA works like a classification system.
WHAT IS MAXQDA 12 SOFTWARE
While MAXQDA follows the structure of a relational data basis, ATLAS.ti is organized like a graph data base and this strongly influences the way each software is used. Differences: Table or Network logicĪlthough both basically use SQL-databases, there is a striking difference in their internal logic. The interfaces look very similar, yet strong differences lay bellow the surface. Furthermore, they count the segments and offer many options to visualize and explore the structured data. By this, they bring together segments of different documents and/or data types under one keyword (usually called: code). They belong to the group of QDAS, qualitative data analysis software, a type of software that is primarily used to structure text by manually assigning labels to individual segments (also images, audio or video are possible). Commonalities: Twins on the SurfaceĪTLAS.ti and MAXQDA are both around since the 1990s and quite prominent in qualitative sociology. Soon, I noticed major differences that had strong methodological implications. Yet strangely enough, this proved difficult to do and seemed not to make much sense. To familiarize myself with ATLAS.ti, I rebuilt the data base of my master thesis within it. As a freelancing software trainer, I was time and again asked to offer ATLAS.ti as well, so I moved on from a software I already knew well, to another one that looked very similar. However, I never noticed, how MAXQDA structured my research too. It’s core function is to structure text by segmenting it with labels. Since my master thesis ( Müller 2017), I am using MAXQDA. The implicit potentials and constrains of each (and any) software commonly drive our research because we too often follow the road that we already know best. Yet when we look under the hood, we see strong differences: one follows the logic of a relational data base and sorts everything into neat categories and the other operates like a graph data base that links different entities to form a large network. On the surface MAXQDA and ATLAS.ti seem almost identical.
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