Delve Blog
Guides, research, and case studies on qualitative data analysis.
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AI Prompts for Qualitative Research: How to Get More from Delve's AI Features
Learn how to write AI prompts for qualitative research in Delve. Practical prompts for brainstorming codes, summarizing, and refining your analysis.
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Best Software for Grounded Theory: NVivo, ATLAS.ti, MAXQDA, Delve Compared
This article compares some of the top qualitative data analysis software options. We tested each tool to show which one handles the back and forth of grounded theory the best.
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How to Get More Accurate Results from AI in Qualitative Research
This guide shares how to get more accurate results from AI in qualitative research.
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Should I use NVivo for my dissertation?
This article walks through what NVivo qualitative coding software for dissertation students. Learn what it does well, when it makes sense to use it, and when a more accessible qualitative tool like Delve is worth considering instead.
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Top Alternatives to NVivo for Dissertation Students
NVivo is a legacy qualitative coding software used by researchers and dissertation for decades. The learning curve and price are real obstacles to new users and first time researchers. This article looks at why, and at how Delve is a more user-friendly alternative and a favorite of dissertation students across the globe.
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Manual Coding vs. Qualitative Coding Software: When to Make the Switch
This article introduces the most popular methods and approaches for doing qualitative research, from manual methods to qualitative coding software like Delve.
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How to Build and Apply a Thematic Analysis Codebook Using AI
This guide shows how AI can help build your thematic analysis codebook from the first code to the final theme. Learn when, where, and why to trust AI tools versus your own human judgement.
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Can You Use ChatGPT for Thematic Analysis?
This article looks at the limitations with the “dump and done” approach of using AI in qualitative analysis, then highlights a few ways ChatGPT and Delve’s AI-assistant still save you time for thematic analysis.
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How to Use AI for Thematic Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide
This step-by-step guide walks through each phase of Braun and Clarke's six-step approach, showing exactly how AI supports thematic analysis and where you need to stay in the driver's seat.
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The Ultimate Guide to Qualitative Coding Software
This article compares the most popular qualitative coding software available today, including Delve, NVivo, MAXQDA, ATLAS.ti, Quirkos, Dedoose, and Taguette. Covering learning curves, AI-assisted coding, collaborative features, and more.
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The Best QDA Software for Teaching Qualitative Research
A guide for educators choosing QDA software students can use in week one. Compare setup time, access, workflow, and real classroom experience.
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Comparing the Best Software for Thematic Analysis
Compare the best software for thematic analysis. See how NVivo, ATLAS.ti, MAXQDA, Quirkos, Taguette, Dedoose, and Delve handle coding, theme-building, and workflows.
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How a National Science Foundation-funded researcher used Delve to study AI and STEM identity
Struggling with complex qualitative analysis software? See how Dr. Garcia Ramos simplified her workflow and published NSF-funded research using Delve.
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Qualitative Survey Analysis: A Practical Guide
This article walks through modern methods for survey analysis and explores how tools like Delve's survey analysis software make the qualitative coding process much easier to manage.
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AI Features in QDA Software (2026): NVivo, Delve, MAXQDA, ATLAS.ti, Dedoose, Quirkos & Taguette Compared
This article compares AI features that are now part of many qualitative data analysis (QDA) software platforms. We tested the top AI-assisted QDA platforms to see how they stack up based on what matters most researchers.
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Which QDA Software Support Actually Helps When You Need It?
This article compares seven of the top qualitative data analysis software options to see which tool offers the most helpful customer and software support.
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What's the Best QDA Software for Collaborative Qualitative Research?
This article compares seven top qualitative data analysis (QDA) software programs available today. Learn what sets one online tool apart from the next and how to choose the best option for your research needs.
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Which Qualitative Data Analysis Software is Easiest to Learn?
Learn about seven top coding tools as we compare them on one core question: Which software is easiest to learn and start coding with?
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How a University of Pennsylvania graduate researcher used Delve to organize her qualitative analysis process
Learn how a University of Pennsylvania research used Delve to analyze 19 hours of qualitative data and create a practical framework for teaching data literacy. Discover how her work empowers educators and how Delve streamlined her dissertation process.
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Process Coding in Qualitative Research
This article covers process coding, where you use codes to communicate an action in the data. Codes will typically be gerunds that end with “ing”. Learn what it is, when to use it, and how to use it for your qualitative research.
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Practical Guide to Grounded Theory Research
Learn how to do grounded theory, a popular qualitative research methodology where data collection and analysis happen together in cycles.
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7 Proven Ways to Use AI in Qualitative Research
Explore how Delve’s AI tools streamline coding and analysis in qualitative research—saving time while keeping humans at the center.
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How to Do Values Coding in Qualitative Research
Values coding is a method of qualitative coding that deals with labeling the values, attitudes and belief systems that are expressed by participants.
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How to Do Emotion Coding in Qualitative Research
Emotion coding in qualitative research is about detecting and categorizing emotions in data like interviews or focus groups. This article introduces emotion coding and offers a guide on using it effectively.
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How To Do Descriptive Coding in Qualitative Research
Descriptive coding is a first cycle coding method that labels data according to topic. Descriptive codes are often in the form of a noun, and summarizes the topic of the data. Read our guide to learn more.
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How to Do Line-by-Line Coding in Qualitative Research
Line-by-line coding in qualitative research is where you assign codes to each line of your data and identify themes and concepts. This article sheds light on how this coding method works and provides a step-by-step guide
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Abductive Coding in Qualitative Research: A Practical Guide
Explore how abductive coding blends deductive and inductive approaches in qualitative research. Learn when and how to use it with real examples and a step-by-step guide.
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How to Do In Vivo Coding in Qualitative Research
This article covers in vivo coding, a first cycle coding method in qualitative analysis where you derive codes from the data itself. Read our guide to see when and how to use in vivo coding.
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How To Do Axial Coding with Examples
Axial coding is a crucial step in qualitative analysis that organizes initial codes into meaningful categories, revealing deeper insights in your data.
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Team-Based Qualitative Analysis: A Guide to Consensus and Split Coding
This article covers split coding and consensus coding, used by research teams to enhance the trustworthiness of their qualitative data analysis.
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Intercoder Reliability in Qualitative Research
Learn how to calculate intercoder reliability in qualitative research. A practical guide to measuring coding consistency across research teams, with steps, examples, and best practices.
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How to Do Thematic Analysis in Qualitative Research
Discover the power of thematic analysis: Learn how to sift through qualitative data to spot key patterns and meaningful insights. Ideal for researchers eager to deepen their understanding.
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Inductive Thematic Analysis vs. Deductive Thematic Analysis in Qualitative Research
This article delves into inductive thematic analysis and deductive thematic analysis.
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Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) in Qualitative Research
This article introduces reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) in qualitative research, a flexible yet systematic approach to thematic analysis that values the researcher’s subjectivity as the primary way to discern meaning from data.
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Deductive and Inductive Coding in Qualitative Research
This article covers how to decide if you want to use an inductive or a deductive approach to qualitative coding. Read our guide to learn about both approaches.
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Open, Axial, and Selective Coding in Qualitative Research: A Practical Guide
Open, axial, and selective coding are interconnected steps in qualitative data analysis. This article shows how to use them at different stages of your analysis to progressively crack the code of grounded theory.
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How to Do Pattern Coding in Qualitative Research
Pattern coding is a second cycle coding method where codes are grouped into sets, themes, and “bigger picture” constructs in order to uncover a larger, overarching research narrative.
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How To Do Structural Coding
Structural coding when you to take a large set of semi-structured data, and structure it into smaller pieces for further analysis.
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How To Do Initial Coding
Initial coding, also known as “open coding,” is the first step of the coding process, particularly in qualitative methods such as grounded theory. Read our guide for how to do initial coding.
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How to Create A Codebook for Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide
This guide covers how to create a codebook in thematic analysis, including best practices and tools to improve the quality of your research.
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Grounded Theory vs. Qualitative Content Analysis: What's the Difference?
Grounded theory and qualitative content analysis analyze textual data differently. This article explores these differences, highlighting the strengths and uses of these popular qualitative research methods.
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Grounded Theory vs. Thematic Analysis: What's the Difference?
Grounded theory and thematic analysis are two popular qualitative research methods. This article explores the strengths, differences and uses cases of these two methods.
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Practical Guide to Qualitative Research Paper Formats
This article explores citation styles, structural formats, and other formatting details, providing an overview and tips for creating effective and efficient qualitative research papers.
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Understanding Qualitative Research in Education
This article covers all things qualitative educational research, including how it helps improve our educational systems from the top down. We'll also show some examples of what qualitative research in education looks like in the field.
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NVivo vs. Quirkos vs. Delve: Comparing QDA Software
This article compares three popular QDA tools: NVivo, Quirkos, and Delve. Learn about features, strengths, and weaknesses to help you choose the best software for your research needs.
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AI in Qualitative Data Analysis
This article explores the role of AI within qualitative research, considering the current and future opportunities of using AI in qualitative data analysis.
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What is Coding Reliability in Thematic Analysis?
This article explores coding reliability thematic analysis, which focuses on how accurately different coders can objectively apply the same codes to a dataset.
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In-Depth Interviews for Qualitative Analysis
This article covers in-depth interviews in qualitative research, offers a step–by–step guide, and highlights tips and tools that can help organize the overall process.
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Ethnographic Content Analysis: A Practical Introduction & Guide
Ethnographic content analysis (ECA) is a qualitative research method that blends the in-depth, contextual insights of ethnography with the systematic approach of content analysis.
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How to Create a Qualitative Codebook
Qualitative codebooks are essential in the process of coding qualitative data. Read our step by step guide on how to create a codebook, decide on codes, and see examples of codebooks.
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Codebooks in Qualitative Content Analysis
This article offers qualitative codebook examples with practical guidance on creating them for your own qualitative research.
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Triangulation in Qualitative Research
This article explores triangulation in qualitative research, a method that involves cross-verifying findings in different ways to enhance the reliability and validity of your study.
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Is Content Analysis Qualitative or Quantitative?
After discovering that content analysis relies on numbers for data analysis, many new researchers usually ask the same question: Is content analysis qualitative or quantitative? This article answers that question.
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MAXQDA vs. NVivo vs. Delve: Comparing Top QDA Software
This article introduces qualitative data analysis (QDA) software and compares three popular qualitative data analysis (QDA) software options available today: NVivo, MAXQDA, and Delve.
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ATLAS.ti vs. Dedoose vs. Delve: Comparing Top Qualitative Coding Tools
This article introduces three popular qualitative data analysis software: ATLAS.ti, Dedoose, and Delve. Pros, cons, pricing, and information to help you decide which option is right for your next research project.
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MAXQDA vs. ATLAS.ti vs. Delve: What's the Best Qualitative Coding Software?
This article compares the advantages and disadvantages of NVivo, Dedoose, and Delve, three well-established coding tools for qualitative data analysis.
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What is Discourse Analysis? An Introduction & Guide
This article provides an introduction to discourse analysis (DA), a qualitative research method for studying language in context. A step-by-step guide and other supplemental resources are also included.
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Dedoose vs. NVivo vs. Delve: What's The Best Qualitative Data Analysis Software?
Finding the best qualitative data analysis (QDA) software can be daunting. The types of data to analyze, research methodology, collaborative expectations, and budget all matter. This article compares these variables for three well-known QDA software options: NVivo, Dedoose, and Delve.
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Comparing Qualitative Coding Software: ATLAS.ti vs. NVivo vs. Delve
Many factors go into picking the right qualitative data analysis (QDA) software. The types of data to analyze, research methodology, collaborative expectations, and budget usually all come into play. This article compares these variables for three popular QDA software options: ATLAS.ti, Dedoose, and Delve.
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Guide to Collaborative Qualitative Analysis
Learn how to conduct collaborative qualitative research with online coding tools for effective researcher triangulation, peer debriefing, and intercoder reliability.
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MAXQDA Alternative: Meet Delve Coding Software
While both MAXQDA and Delve coding software offer robust features, they also have key differences. This article compares Delve and MAXQDA using direct feedback from real-life researchers.
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Dedoose Alternative: Delve Coding Software
Dedoose alternatives? Opt for Delve – the intuitive, customer-centric CAQDAS. More convenient, more productive, and no more worrying about lost work.
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What is Holistic Coding in Qualitative Research? A Guide
Holistic coding is a first-cycle coding method, the initial stage of coding where the researcher identifies the main themes or concepts in the data, providing a high-level understanding of the data. It sets the stage for more organized second-cycle coding in later stages of research.
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What is Magnitude Coding in Qualitative Analysis? A Guide
Magnitude coding is a qualitative data analysis technique that allows researchers to explore the details of their data by considering varying degrees of intensity, strength, or significance. This article explores how to use this method to gain richer insights and observations from your data.
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Elaborative Coding in Qualitative Analysis
Elaborative coding is a qualitative coding approach that helps researchers build upon the codes, categories, and themes generated from previous studies. This article explores the use cases of this method and provides a step-by-step guide.
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Thematic Analysis vs. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in Qualitative Research
Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and thematic analysis (TA) are two qualitative methods that help researchers analyze data and find themes or interpretations from it. Although they have similarities, there are also important differences in their philosophies and techniques.
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Collaborative Thematic Analysis in Qualitative Research
This article covers all things collaborative thematic analysis (CTA), including its benefits, challenges, and best practices. The article concludes with a step-by-step guide for collaborative thematic analysis.
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What is Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)?
This article explores Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a qualitative research methodology that explores how individuals make sense of their experiences.
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NVivo Collaboration Cloud: Worth the Price Tag?
NVivo Cloud Collaboration is an add-on module for NVivo CAQDAS (Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis). This article explores the features, benefits, limitations, and pricing of the cloud-based collaboration research tool.
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Member Check and Respondent Validation in Qualitative Research
Learn the what and how of member checking. Also called respondent validation, member checks are a qualitative research technique where researchers and study respondents collaborate to ensure data accuracy.
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What Is Researcher Triangulation in Qualitative Analysis?
Qualitative researchers use triangulation because their work is inherently interpretive in nature. Therefore, the idea of researcher triangulation is that if different researchers use the same research technique and arrive at the same results, the reliability of that data increases.
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The Practical Guide to Qualitative Content Analysis
Qualitative content analysis is a research method used to analyze and interpret the content of textual data, such as written documents, interview transcripts, or other forms of communication. This guide introduces qualitative content analysis, explains the different types of qualitative content analysis, and provides a step-by-step guide for your research.
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Inductive Content Analysis & Deductive Content Analysis in Qualitative Research
In qualitative content analysis, there are three ways to isolate your data: through inductive content analysis which starts by examining the data, deductive content analysis which organizes data based on pre-existing ideas and research, or a by using a combination of both approaches.
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What Is Thematic Content Analysis in Qualitative Research?
Various definitions of thematic content analysis (TCA) have been offered by an array of qualified researchers. In this article, we offer our interpretation of several qualitative analysis-focused works to organize and then present these ambiguous representations of thematic content analysis.
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Content Analysis vs Thematic Analysis: What's the Difference?
Thematic analysis and qualitative content analysis are two popular approaches used to analyze qualitative data. Confusingly, the two research approaches are often defined in similar ways or even used interchangeably in defining literature. We clarify the difference between thematic analysis and the common forms of qualitative content analysis.
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What is Relational Content Analysis in Qualitative Research? Step-by-Step Guide
Like other methods of content analysis, relational content analysis begins by choosing concepts to examine and counting their frequency. The unique aspect of the relational method is that concepts signify no meaning in and of themselves. Instead, relational analysis analyzes the relationships between concepts.
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What is Conceptual Content Analysis in Qualitative Research? Step-by-Step Guide
The goal of conceptual analysis is to explore the occurrence—or frequency—of concepts (i.e. keywords) that represent larger ideas in textual data. By reducing the text to concepts, the researcher can focus code for specific words or patterns that help answer their research question.
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What is summative content analysis in qualitative research?
Summative content analysis starts with the counting of pre-defined keywords before applying several iterations of manifest content analysis that are quantitative in the early stages. But the goal is to explore the usage of specific language and concepts in textual data through a deductive, top-down approach.
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What is Conventional Content Analysis in Qualitative Research? Step-by-Step Guide
Inductive research methods like conventional content analysis—where you develop codes as you analyze textual data by tracking the frequency of specific words, phrases, and concepts—are used when there are no existing theories on a topic, when they are fractured, or when you plan to study a new phenomenon.
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Manifest Content Analysis vs. Latent Content Analysis in Qualitative Research
We examine two prototypical methods of qualitative content analysis. First, manifest content analysis, which explains the visible and literal meaning of specific words or phrases within textual data. The second method is latent content analysis where you apply a deeper, interpretive analysis that seeks to infer meaning and context from how words or phrases are used.
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What is Bracketing in Qualitative Research?
For qualitative researchers, bracketing is the setting aside of one’s own beliefs and a priori assumptions in order to avoid misrepresenting other people’s intended meaning, perception, or experience.
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Unstructured Interviews
An unstructured interview is a type of interview in which the questions are not predetermined. Learn more about unstructured interviews here.
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What is Ethnographic Research?
Ethnographic research is the study of people in their natural environment to understand their culture. Learn more about ethnographic research here.
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What is the Institutional Review Board?
The institutional Board Review is a group established to review and monitor research involving human participants. Learn more about IRBs here.
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What is Symbolic Interaction Theory?
Symbolic interaction theory seeks to understand human conduct by analyzing social interactions. Read more on symbolic interactionist perspective here.
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Examples of Qualitative Data
Qualitative data is non-numerical data that is produced from qualitative research methods. See our examples of qualitative data that can be used for analysis in research.
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What are Semi-structured Interviews?
A semi-structured interview allows researchers to ask participants predetermined open-ended questions and probing follow-up questions. Learn more here.
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What is Mixed Methods Research?
Mixed methods research combines and integrates qualitative and quantitative research methods in a single study. Click here to learn more.
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What is Phenomenological Research Design?
Phenomenological research seeks to understand a phenomenon by exploring lived experiences of people. Learn more about phenomenological design here.
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The Importance of Reflexivity in Qualitative Research
Reflexivity involves examining the qualitative analysis process as it relates to the subjects. Learn about reflexivity in our article.
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What is Qualitative Program Evaluation?
Qualitative program evaluation is the systematic assessment of a program to determine its effectiveness. Learn more about program evaluation here.
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What Is Participatory Action Research?
Participatory action research is a research method involving researchers and participants collaborating to understand social issues. Learn more here.
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What is Qualitative Observation?
Qualitative observation is a subjective research method in which researchers collect data using their five senses. Read to learn more.
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What is Theoretical Saturation?
Theoretical saturation is the point in grounded theory analysis where collecting and analyzing additional data does not teach you more about your topic. Learn more about theoretical saturation.
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What is Constant Comparative Method?
Learn about the fundamentals of constant comparative method and how researchers can use it to collect and analyze data when using grounded theory methods.
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The History of Grounded Theory
Grounded theory was first mentioned in the 1965 work of Glaser & Strauss. Learn more about the history of grounded and how the three versions evolved.
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What is Qualitative Comparative Analysis?
Qualitative Comparative Analysis is a research method that seeks to explain the relationship between causal conditions & outcomes. Learn more here.
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Analytical Memos
Analytical memos are brief write-ups of the researcher's thoughts and ideas about the research data. Read on to learn more about analytical memos.
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Understanding Framework Analysis: An Introductory Guide
Framework analysis is a qualitative method uniquely suited for applied research. Read more about framework analysis in our guide.
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What is Constructivist Grounded Theory?
Constructivist grounded theory is a research method that focuses on generating theories for complex social processes. Read to learn more.
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Negative Case Analysis
Negative case analysis involves searching and analyzing data that refutes your theory or the data pattern emerging from your qualitative research. Read our article to learn more.
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What is Peer Debriefing in Qualitative Research?
Peer debriefing involves working with qualified peers to enhance the validity of your qualitative research. Learn more about peer debriefing here.
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How to Do Simultaneous Coding
Simultaneous coding is a method of qualitative coding where a single excerpt of data is coded with multiple codes. Read our guide to see when and how to simultaneous coding.
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How to Write a Qualitative Research Objective
How to you write a research objective for a qualitative study? Follow our simple how-to-guide to learn how to create your own qualitative research objectives.
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What is observational research?
When you conduct observational research, you can observe what happens in a natural setting. This allows you to discover insights that you normally couldn’t glean from other research methods. Read our guide to observational research.
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What is Narrative Analysis in Qualitative Research?
Researchers use narrative analysis to understand how research participants construct story and narrative from their own personal experience. Read our post on narrative analysis in qualitative research.
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When to Use Theoretical Sampling
Theoretical sampling in grounded theory, as defined by Glaser and Strauss (1967) is a way of collecting data, and deciding what data to collect based on the theory and categories that emerge from your data. Read our guide on theoretical sampling.
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What is Directed Content Analysis (DQICA) in Qualitative Research?
As a deductive approach, a directed approach to qualitative content analysis seeks to build upon a theoretical framework or conceptual theory. Building upon existing theory or research in this deductive manner helps researchers prove—or disprove—evidence for the phenomenon in question.
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How ADM Insights & Strategy Uses Delve
With Delve qualitative analysis tool in their toolset, Autumn and the team at ADM Insights & Strategy are able to work with one another, no matter where they are in the world, shave hours off their analysis time, showcase to clients the robustness of their analysis, and create powerful findings that enable client decision making.
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Delve's Review by the CAQDAS Networking Project
The CAQDAS networking project is an independent resource at the University of Surrey for anyone undertaking qualitative or mixed methods analysis using dedicated Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS) packages. They wrote a comprehensive review of Delve, which you can read here.
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NVivo Alternative: Delve
Check out this easy to learn, simple to use and cloud-based collaborative alternative to NVivo.
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How DonorsChoose Uses Delve
Josh Rosenberg and Liam Cates, two user experience researchers at DonorsChoose, recently went into schools to find out what the end of the school year looks like for teachers. Using Delve they were able to analyze and organize their in-depth conversations with teachers, and uncover opportunities for DonorsChoose to increase its impact.
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How to get research interviews transcribed
After conducting interviews, get transcripts of your audio files in order to analyze and find insights. Use this chart to find the best way to get transcripts.
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How to uncover unconscious needs of your users
Unconscious needs influence how users look for solutions to their problems, and how they evaluate the options they have.