Analysing qualitative data: computerized and other approaches

Analysis of qualitative data can be done 'manually' using a variety of tech niques such as 'cut and paste' and use of coloured pens to categorize data and develop theoretical explanations. More recently a number of computer so ftware packages have been developed to mechanize this 'coding' process as w ell as to search and retrieve data. This article reviews the background to and advantages and disadvantages of computerized approaches, and compares t hese with manual techniques used in a number of recent nursing PhD studies. It is concluded that beginning researchers conducting small-scale studies would be best recommended to use a manual approach in order to gain insight into the intuitive aspects of analysis which are the essential basis of an y method of analysis, including computerized forms.