One of the key struggles of collaborative qualitative analysis is managing each person’s unique perspective on the data while also aligning on a shared understanding of it.
Online software for qualitative data analysis simplifies the organization and differentiation of each team member’s coding, letting everyone compare and gradually align on a shared codebook.
Here are three more ways that online qualitative software helps facilitate collaborative qualitative coding.
1. Makes researcher triangulation easier by enabling multiple people to be on a project
Researcher triangulation involves multiple researchers interpreting the same data set to verify their analytical results. However, the process can be particularly challenging if your team members are in different locations.
Online coding software lets researchers view, analyze, and compare data in real-time, regardless of their location. This streamlines researcher triangulation, especially for those working remotely.
2. Enables peer debriefing and member checks by enabling others to view your data
Qualified peers offer guidance through peer debriefing to enhance the validity of your research. They provide critiques on data collection, analysis, coding, and memos, contributing to the robustness of your project.
Online qualitative data analysis software streamlines the peer debrieing process. You can share your project with full access if you want your peers to code alongside you, or share your project with limited access if you just want them to view and comment on your data.
There are various points in your research where you may want a peer to see your process: after creating codes, making themes, and/or writing your research narrative. In all these cases, online coding software makes it easy to share your project with peer debriefers.
The software also streamlines member checks. Member checking, also called respondent validation, is where researchers and study respondents collaborate to ensure data accuracy. The technique is used to help verify qualitative data gathered from interviews, semi-structured interviews, or focus groups.
Coding tools make it easy to allow or revoke access by email address so that you can give data back to respondents to cross-check the accuracy of your initial transcripts or data analysis.
3. Helps calculate intercoder reliability efficiently
Intercoder reliability measures the agreement among co-researchers when applying the same codebook to the data. It calculates a numeric score that conveys how likely the team is to achieve consistent coding results. Intercoder reliability has three core benefits:
- Some journals may request intercoder reliability details as a form of evidence to demonstrate the reliability of your qualitative research paper.
- You can use intercoder reliability as a training tool for your research team to check that everyone is applying the codebook in more or less the same way. It is also helpful for training novice researchers.
- Once you are confident that your team is applying the codebook consistently, you can divide and conquer a large corpus of data by having each team member code different documents.
Online coding software supports intercoder reliability by allowing one project to be shared among multiple researchers. Each researcher codes independently and compares their coding. The software calculates the reliability score automatically, saving time compared to manual calculations.
Below, we’ll go into detail on how to use intercoder reliability as part of deductive qualitative coding.