atlas qualitative research software

The Sheridan Libraries

• Qualitative Data Analysis Software (nVivo, Atlas.TI, and more)
• Sheridan Libraries

Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) overview

Choosing qda software, core qdas functions.

• Other QDAS Software
• Qualitative Data Sources

For direct assistance

Contact us , JHU Data Services   for assistance with access to nVivo and ATLAS.ti at the Data Services offices on A level, JHU Eisenhower Library.

Visit our website for more info and our upcoming training workshops !

Qualitative research has benefited from a range of software tools facilitating most qualitative methodological techniques, particularly those involving multimedia digital data. These guides focus on two major QDAS products, nVivo and ATLAS.ti.  Both programs can be found on the workstations at the Data Services computer lab on A-level, Eisenhower Library, and nVivo is available through JHU's SAFE Desktop . This guide also lists other QDA software and linked resources.

Many university libraries have produced comprehensive guides on nVivo, ATLAS.ti, and other QDA software, to which we will provide links with our gratitude

Schmider, Christian. n.d. What Qualitative Data Analysis Software Can and Can’t Do for You – an Intro Video . MERIT Library at the School of Education: School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Accessed January 7, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLKfaCiHVic .

• Supported Methods
• Decision Factors
• Compare QDA Software

Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) Software supports a variety of qualitative techniques and methodologies

Qualitative techniques supported by  QDAS

• Coding and Classifying
• Writing: analysis, description, memos
• Relating: finding and annotating connections, relationships, patterns
• Audio/Visual analysis: marking, clipping, transcribing, annotating
• Text mining: computer-aided discovery in large amounts of unstructured text
• Visualization: diagramming, relationship and network patterns, quantitative summary 

QDAS  supported methodologies

• Ethnography
• Case studies
• Grounded theory/ phenomenology
• Discourse/narrative analysis
• Sociolinguistic analysis
• Collaborative qualitative research
• Text analysis & text mining

Overview of qualitative methods from ATLAS.ti:  https://atlasti.com/qualitative-research-methods/

Decision factors for your research

• Methods to feature facilitation (in disciplinary context): How many features directly support your methodology?
• Interface for collection, analysis, reports: Do features accommodate most phases of your research workflow?
• Visualization and outputs: Does it produce and successfully export needed visualization without extensive modification?
• Cost and access to software: Is it worth the investment cost as well as in learning to use it? Look for education discounts.
• Software Comparisons: Commercial & Free. (George Mason University) Lists of flagship software, free software, and tools for converting codebooks among QDA software.
• QDA Software Comparison Chart (NYU Libraries) Comparison chart of QDA software from NYU Library's LibGuide
• Top 14 Qualitative Data Analysis Software Guide with descriptive summaries of the main QDA software, several with business focus.
• Dueling CAQDAS using ATLAS.ti and NVivo Webinar comparing features and use of ATLAS.ti and NVIvo for qualitative data analysis. Includes live demos.

Basic functions common to most QDA programs, and to NVivo and ATLAS.ti in particular:

• Application of a maintained set of terms and short phrases linked to segments of text or audio/video that can be queried and gathered for comparative analysis. 
• Longer narrative notes attached to text or a/v segments, or to codes
• Quick access to codes and segments that can be brought together in panel views for comparison, advanced Boolean search options, and flexible interlinking of segments, codes, and annotation
• Most QDAS facilitates transcribing audio and video, ideally maintaining the links between transcript and A/V segments. 
• Gathering codes, segments, and annotations facilitates pattern discovery and further description of relationships. Some QDAS support social network analysis techniques and visualization
• A range of reports using queries and filters to assemble data and annotations facilitates analysis and writing results.
• ​ Typically includes code tables, social network graphs, and annotated A/V clips.
• Shared access to data & analysis, facilitating comments and discussion, and tracking contributor actions and changes.
• Next: NVivo >>
• Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 3:54 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.jhu.edu/QDAS

• Technical Support
• Find My Rep

You are here

Qualitative Data Analysis with ATLAS.ti

• Susanne Friese - Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
• Description

Now updated to cover latest versions and featuring instructions for both Mac and Windows users, this book is still  the  go-to source of support for getting to grips with qualitative data analysis using ATLAS.ti.

With over twenty years of experience using, developing, and teaching ATLAS.ti, Susanne Friese is the perfect data analysis tour guide. Aware of common challenges and sticking points, she eases readers from readying and organizing data into coding and querying it, providing not only tips on how to prepare for analysis, but also the tools and technical know-how needed to observe, examine, and discuss data. Placing quick software ‘skills training’ tutorials alongside different stages of the data analysis process, she gives readers the opportunity to integrate software training with their actual analysis. 

See what’s new to this edition by selecting the Features tab on this page. Should you need additional information or have questions regarding the HEOA information provided for this title, including what is new to this edition, please email [email protected] . Please include your name, contact information, and the name of the title for which you would like more information. For information on the HEOA, please go to http://ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html .

For assistance with your order: Please email us at [email protected] or connect with your SAGE representative.

SAGE 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 www.sagepub.com

Supplements

Susanne Friese has produced an up to date, must-read guide full of useful information for students and early-career researchers considering using ATLAS.ti for data analysis. Read this book and learn about computer assisted NCT from the best.

This is a wonderful, easy to read and pragmatic introduction to using one of the most frequently used and best developed software packages in qualitative research at all levels. At the same time, it introduces to a method of data analysis of its own right for people who are still on their journey to acquire a deeper understanding of software assisted qualitative research or social research in general, while not promising full salvation in handling data without further in-depth study of overall social research methodology and more specific methods. The book can help software users and data handlers far beyond just academic work context, but also in more professional areas such as data/information management, library work, criminalist practice, data mining – or simply for people who want to process lots of information for reading or professional writing. With every sentence, you feel the author has developed the book out of a long standing practice of teaching the same subject matter to people directly all-over the world – with a sense of humour and user needs. 

This book provides an informative guide for students, researchers and educators to uncover and systematically analyze complex phenomena hidden in unstructured data. It provides analytical and visualization tools designed to open new interpretative views on qualitative data. 

Friese clearly articulates her approach to using ATLAS.ti for analysing qualitative data thematically and developing from the descriptive through to the conceptual with invaluable tips on how to then write this up in a report.

This book gives practical insight and encouragement for everyone interested in computer-assisted qualitative data analysis with ATLAS.ti. It is also an essential read for those commencing exploring the world of qualitative research methods or seeking to make sense of rich data in a meaningful way.

Susanne Friese provides both practitioners and researchers with a handy guide full of important information on making most effective use of ATLAS.ti. It’s a ‘must have’ in the field of qualitative data analysis.

This book is an excellent tool supporting novice and experienced researchers as they develop the capability to utilize ATLAS.ti in qualitative or mixed methods research.

Just like Atlas, the mythic Greek Titan, this book can hold the weight of your qualitative data analysis using ATLAS.ti software. Enlightening, extensive and detailed, the book is a precious guide for both experts and novices in the field of software-supported analysis of  qualitative data.

This is a very engrossing and practical text, which explains the qualitative research project using a step-by-step use of Atlas.Ti. The use Atlas.TI serves as the main tool for meeting the project needs of the readers, and the chapters on teamwork etc. are a great help for collaborative projects as well.

As currently, my university does not currently have an Atlas.TI licence, I will not be using this text as an essential reading, but will put it as an additional reading to understand qualitative project process by use of a specific tool such as Atlas.TI.

I am really impressed with the ease and practically of the book, while never sacrificing the theoretical basis of qualitative research. I look forward to be able make full use of the text as an essential reading material in a semester or two.

"Qualitative data analysis with ATLAS.Ti 3rd edition" is a definite must have for qualitative researchers working with ATLAS software.

Preview this book

Sample materials & chapters.

Chapter 1: Overview of the process of computer-assisted analysis

For instructors

Select a purchasing option, related products.

Qualitative Data Analysis

• Choosing QDA software
• Free QDA tools
• Transcription tools
• Social media research
• Mixed and multi-method research
• Network Diagrams
• Publishing qualitative data
• Student specialists

General Information

For assistance, please submit a request .  You can also reach us via the chat below, email [email protected] , or join Discord server .

If you've met with us before,                        tell us how we're doing .

Service Desk and Chat

Bobst Library , 5th floor

Staffed Hours: Spring 2024

Mondays:  12pm - 5pm         Tuesdays:  12pm - 5pm         Wednesdays:  12pm - 5pm         Thursdays:  12pm - 5pm         Fridays:  12pm - 5pm        

Data Services closes for winter break at the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. We will reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.

ATLAS.ti Software Access

ATLAS.ti is a qualitative research tool that can be used for  coding and analyzing transcripts & field notes,  building literature reviews,  creating network diagrams, and  data visualization.

NYU Students are able to access  ATLAS.ti for free via the  the  Virtual Computing Lab  (VCL).

Warning regarding the VCL:  Please be sure you are familiar with successfully saving your when working on the VCL before you begin coding.  We have several incidents of loss to data due to issues in saving materials, therefore it is best for users to export the project bundle if they want a copy on their personal computer. We recommend you access the VCL using Chrome or Firefox, given we have had issues with the Safari browser.

NYU community members can access ATLAS.ti for free on the 5th floor of Bobst Library in the  Data Services Lab .

For Comprehensive information, please see the NYU IT ATLAS.ti page .

Data Services ATLAS.ti Tutorials

• Featured Tutorials
• ATLAS.ti Slides and Data
• Digital Tools for Qualitative Data Analysis A side-by-side overview of software platforms for qualitative data analysis
• Introduction to Atlas.ti Start a QDA project from uploading text, classify and code transcripts, and produce analyses
• Social Media Scraping for Qualitative Research Learn small scale web scraping using Twitter, ATLAS.ti, and MAXQDA.
• Intro to Atlas.ti Google Slides tutorial to Atlas.ti
• ATLAS.ti Practice Dataset 1 2 interview transcripts and 2 photos of New York Chefs.

ATLAS.ti Resources

• Learning Resources
• Working in Teams
• Transfering project
• Working with Audio Files
• ATLAS.ti 9 Handbook The complete PDF handbook describing the features of ATLAS.ti.
• What's new in ATLAS.ti 9? Documentation on the features updated for this version of ATLAS.ti.
• ATLAS.ti 9 Video Tutorials ATLAS.ti curated video tutorials for learning the features of the tool.

Please see Atlas 9 Instructions

The project administrator sets up a  Master project . See  Creating a New Project .

The project administrator  adds documents  to the project and possibly a list of codes.

The project administrator saves the project and exports it. This means creating a  project bundle file  .

All team members  import  the project bundle file and begin their work.

To combine the work of all team members, each team member creates a  project bundle file  and sends it to the project administrator.

The project administrator  merges  all sub projects and creates a new Master file.

Mary exports the new Master file and distributes it to all team members. See  Transfer Projects .

The team members continue their work.

This cycle continues. If new documents need to be added to the project, this needs to be done by the project administrator. A good time for doing this is after merging and before creating the new Master file.

You find step-by-step instructions here:

for project administrators

for team members

Important to Know

If all team members should work on the same documents, it is essential that only the project administrator is setting up the project adding all documents. Otherwise, the documents are duplicated or multiplied during the process of merging. See  Adding Documents.

Team members  must not edit  documents. If they do, the edited documents cannot be merged, and you end up with duplicates. If document editing is necessary, this needs to be done by the project administrator in the Master project!

The location of where ATLAS.ti stores project related data can be determined by each user. See  Working with ATLAS.ti Libraries.

Document libraries CANNOT be shared. Each person always works with her/his own copy of the data set within her/his own environment of ATLAS.ti.

To import your project from Atlas 8 into ATLAS.ti 9,

In ATLAS.ti 8 select Project  Export --> Project Bundle or QDPX Project Bundle. This creates a single-file copy of your project.

In ATLAS.ti 9, select “Import Project” from the start screen.

IMPORTANT: While project transfer from ATLAS.ti 8 Windows to ATLAS.ti 9 is fully supported, backwards compatibility is limited to .QDPX files.

To transfer your project to another computer with either ATLAS.ti 9 installed, simply export it via File --> Export and select either .atlproj or .qdpx project bundles.

Import iTunes Voice Memos as (.M4A) files into Atlas! According to the Atlas software we have installed in Data Services, these are the audio/video file types that Atlas supports: *.AIF, *.AIFC, *.AIFF, *.ASF, *.AU, *.AVI, *.DVR-MS, *.IVF, *.M1V, *.M2V, *.M4A, *.M4B, *.M4V, *.MID, *.MIDI, *.MOV, *.MP2, *.MP2V, *.MP3, *.MP4, *.MP4V, *.MPA, *.MPE, *.MPEG, *.MPG, *.MPV2, *.RMI, *.SND, *.WAV, *.WM, *.WMA, *.WMV

ATLAS.ti 22 Resources

• ATLAS.ti 22 Handbook Instruction manual for the windows version of ATLAS.ti 22
• What's new in ATLAS.ti 22? Documentation on the newly introduced features in ATLAS.ti 22
• ATLAS.ti 22 Video Tutorials ATLAS.ti curated video tutorials for learning the features of the tool.

• << Previous: Taguette
• Next: MAXQDA >>
• Last Updated: Jan 26, 2024 10:22 AM
• URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/QDA

Qualitative Methods and Data Analysis Using ATLAS.ti

A Comprehensive Researchers’ Manual

• © 2023
• Ajay Gupta 0

Human Resource Management, VES Business School, Mumbai, India

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

• Covers research methods and field challenges
• Uses primary and secondary data including Twitter, audio, and video
• Includes over 300 figures and tables

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Social Sciences (STSS)

2604 Accesses

1 Citations

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (15 chapters)

Front matter, introduction, types of data, data collection, and storage methods, challenges in data collection, codes and coding, data analysis methods, using networks and hyperlinks, discovering themes in atlas.ti, generating themes from smart codes and smart groups, group creation for entities and report generation, survey data analysis, social network comments and twitter data analysis, analysis of focus group data, multimedia and geo data analysis, team projects in atlas.ti, literature review and referencing, back matter.

• Qualitative data anlysis
• Grounded theory
• narrative analysis
• social media analysis
• Twitter data analysis
• audio video data analysis
• Mixed methods
• Phenomenology
• Case study methods
• ethnography
• Qualitative research methods
• Thematic analysis
• Qualitative research imperatives
• Preliminary and field data collection
• Methods and frameworks for qualitative research
• Interpretation and delineation of concepts
• Working with survey data
• Coding smart codes and smart groups

About this book

This book provides an in-depth roadmap for qualitative research methods and data analysis across disciplines using ATLAS.ti. It encompasses and rationalizes key qualitative research concepts and methods with innovative frameworks to enrich the reader’s understanding of qualitative research methods and data analysis. The book contains multiple real-world projects that assist readers in developing conceptual and theoretical knowledge, as well as gaining insights from fieldwork, visualizing data collection, analysis, and methodological interpretations.

This easy to use book provides a pragmatic approach to qualitative methods, proficiency in capturing field observations, user-friendly steps to data analysis starting from transcription, preparation of data, reading and identification of quotations, coding, memoing, commenting, code groups, creating smart codes and groups using set, semantic, and proximity operators resulting in generating numerous insightful thematic reports in avariety of formats.

More notable features:

- Demonstrates systematic roots to research from begin to end

- Provides practical advice on how to overcome field challenges during data collection, ethical considerations, and step-by-step procedures for gaining access to participants and capturing holistic data

- Includes numerous numerical arguments, interpretations, and explanations for concepts, themes, variables, networks, and emerging concepts

- Includes several research frameworks and data analysis guideposts on real-world research projects with thorough procedures covering 267 images and 38 tables

- Compelling for quantitative research and mixed methods approaches

The book's straightforward and user-friendly format makes it simple and easy to use, comprehend, and interpret for anyone working with ATLAS.ti. 

Authors and Affiliations

About the author.

Dr. Ajay Gupta is a Professor of Human Resource Management and Organisational Behavior, Business Ethics, and Business Research Methods at VES Business School, India. He is Erasmus Mundus Fellow from the University of Milan, Italy. He holds a Ph.D. in Organisational Psychology from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and a Master in Management from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, Philippines. He has extended experience in business management teaching and research and is Professional ATLAS.ti, Senior Trainer, and Consultant. His research interests include organizational psychology, employee morale, organizational culture, and management practices across industries, disciplines, and hierarchies.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Qualitative Methods and Data Analysis Using ATLAS.ti

Book Subtitle : A Comprehensive Researchers’ Manual

Authors : Ajay Gupta

Series Title : Springer Texts in Social Sciences

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49650-9

Publisher : Springer Cham

eBook Packages : Social Sciences , Social Sciences (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-031-49649-3 Published: 27 January 2024

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-49650-9 Published: 26 January 2024

Series ISSN : 2730-6135

Series E-ISSN : 2730-6143

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XXXII, 427

Number of Illustrations : 8 b/w illustrations, 266 illustrations in colour

Topics : Social Sciences, general , Statistics, general

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• Request new password
• Create a new account

Using Software in Qualitative Research

A step-by-step guide, student resources.

We thank Susanne Friese of Scientific Software and QUARC for contributing to these companion website pages.

ATLAS.ti  provides a flexible range of different ways to handle the analysis of qualitative data - good coding tools and other ways to connect ‘quotations’, memoing, data organisation, in-context retrieval, interrogation and mapping functions are applicable to  multiple media of data. Get started

Getting started in ATLAS.ti.  As you will see in the subsequent pages – there are various types of data which can be imported and some of them are auto-processed as they are imported.

• You can create an empty project and later import multiple media data types
• You can import a spreadsheet of mixed quantitative and qualitative data and the software auto-processes the information on import.

These pages are followed by other tasks of data import, data preparation, organisation, coding and analysis.

As with other ATLAS.ti step by step options written by Susanne Friese she has oriented exercises around the c ase study B data (Financial Downturn) . She  provides a selection of ideas for analytic actions using focus group data and survey data from a spread sheet.   Note that once you are working in a software ‘project’ there is no clear linearity or set sequence in the way things have to be achieved and consequently chapter references do not always appear in numerical order. See downloadable working projects and data

In Chapter 5 to help get you started, we talk about productive things you can do in the early stages of setting up a ‘project’ in software. Experimenting with these processes where relevant in your chosen software will help to become familiar with useful entities in the software.We keep the subject matter of other chapters in mind as the step by step tasks in these pages get deeper into the interpretive and interrogation processes of analysing different media. Varied approaches to qualitative data analysis inform how we discuss the functions of software. Get Started!

http://www.atlasti.com/

If you need further tutorial support, visit: http://www.atlasti.com/supportmain.htm

About ATLAS.ti

Awards and recognition, atlas.ti pricing.

One ATLAS.ti Desktop+Web annual license includes access to all features and platforms: Windows, Mac, & Web. We offer discounted licenses for students, academics, and non-profit researchers. ATLAS.ti Web-only monthly licenses are also available. Further discounts can be obtained for larger groups of users and institutional licenses. Payment frequency: Per Month & Per Year (depending on the license type)

Starting price: 

$10.00   per month

Free trial: 

Free version: 

ATLAS.ti Reviews

Overall rating, ratings breakdown, secondary ratings.

Ease-of-use

Customer Support

Value for money

Functionality

4.78/5 out of 129 Reviews

Most Helpful Reviews for ATLAS.ti

1 - 5 of 130 Reviews

Verified reviewer

Education Management , 1,001-5,000 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

OVERALL RATING :

EASE OF USE

VALUE FOR MONEY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

FUNCTIONALITY

Reviewed July 2022

Power of ATLAS.ti

The software allows you to analyze different types of documents such as PDF, .DOC, videos and audios. Furthermore, its use can be applied both in the business world and in the academic environment.

In the offline version (Pc or MAC) it saves the files inside a hidden directory. Integration between the offline and online versions (cloud)

Vendor Response

Thank you for your feedback, Pablo! Our goal is indeed to provide an easy-to-use yet powerful software that facilitates analyses of any kind of qualitative data in any kind of project. In addition, ATLAS.ti is the only software that offers full functionality (including many powerful tools that use artificial intelligence to automatically code your data) and cross-platform access (Windows, Mac, and Web) in all of our ATLAS.ti Desktop+Web licenses. With an active license subscription, you can also count on all upgrades to new generations of the software completely free of charge. It is very important for us to always be available to help all our users, because our mission is to make qualitative analysis easier for everyone, everywhere in the world. That's why we offer free support 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, via chat, phone, and email. Given all this, we believe that your rating of the value for money is unfair. However, we want to make sure ATLAS.ti is meeting all researchers' needs, and if you ever have any further questions or comments, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We also hear you loud and clear about the need for storing projects online to effortlessly access them across computers, and we're glad to say that our latest release includes a cloud storage options for ATLAS.ti Windows and Mac projects! With version 23, it is now possible to save your projects directly in the cloud, and you can access them again when you log into your ATLAS.ti account on any other computer (Windows or Mac). In other words, there is never any need for you to enter the ATLAS.ti directory stored on your computer, because you can simply upload your projects to the cloud storage and work on ATLAS.ti Windows or Mac with 100% transferability back and forth. If you ever want to work in ATLAS.ti Web, you can also import your ATLAS.ti Windows/Mac or vice versa. The upgrade to version 23 is free for everyone with an active ATLAS.ti subscription, just log in to my.atlasti.com to enjoy the latest generation of the software. If you don't have an ATLAS.ti license subscription yet, you can already get started with version 23 for free with the trial version. We wish you all the best in your work with ATLAS.ti!

Replied March 2023

Financial Services , 1,001-5,000 employees

Reviewed November 2023

Automated data analysis in research

As an ATLAS.ti user who uses the tool often in his professional work, and also in the academic field, I consider it to be one of the most valuable tools for data analysis. I have a high level of satisfaction with this software, with the support of the ATLAS.ti academy and its customer service department.

By way of context, I can mention that I am an experienced user of ATLAS.ti, with more than 10 years using the tool, and teaching and advising researchers from very different disciplines on how to perform data analysis with the support of software. This experience allows me to affirm that version 23 of ATLAS.ti represents one of the most important and innovative advances in software for qualitative data analysis. Before version 23, ATLAS.ti was the leading tool in data analysis due to its intuitive interface, the integration of different data formats in the same project, and the data visualization possibilities. Version 23 made an important leap in at least three aspects. First, the incorporation of automatic coding tools and preparation of data summaries using artificial intelligence. I consider that this is a substantial change in this version, and that it represents valuable support for the analyst. Second, interoperability between the different versions of ATLAS.ti (MAC, Windows, IOS, Android and Web) has improved significantly. The versions are now more similar, and the ease of sharing projects between different platforms has improved substantially. Third, we are at a time of prolific development of artificial intelligence tools and ATLAS.ti has put two into production this year, and it is highly likely that in the coming months we will see new developments, which will facilitate and enhance data analysis. Finally, I must mention that one of the things I like most about ATLAS.ti is the positive impression it generates on students and researchers who have never used data analysis software, and when they see a demonstration or listen to a class, they get excited due to the characteristics and robustness of ATLAS.ti, which motivates them to learn and use it in their own research. This is an impression that has been constant in my ten years as a research teacher.

I think one of the aspects of improvement in ATLAS.ti is networking. Usually, when a code is networked with its citations, the citations cannot be seen completely. Adding this functionality as optional could allow you to explore the data in greater detail using networks. However, creating the networks and exporting them in graphic format is very simple.

Dear Marvin, thank you very much for your feedback! We are thrilled to learn about your 10+ years of experience with the software. Our developers are continuously working to incorporate powerful features with intuitive design, including the latest developments in AI, such as Conversational AI, AI Coding, AI Summaries, AI code suggestions, and more. We are delighted that you find the latest version to be the most important and innovative software for qualitative data analysis. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the networks in ATLAS.ti, and in case you didn't know, it is indeed possible to view full quotations in networks (by selecting the "preview" option). We are grateful for all your comments, being in close contact with our users helps us make sure we continue growing and meeting all researchers' needs. If you ever have any questions, count on our support 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, via live chat, email, and telephone. We wish you all the best in your research!

Replied November 2023

Human Resources , 1,001-5,000 employees

Used daily for less than 12 months

Reviewed January 2023

Desktop version is great, but stay away from the web version

Important product to perform literature research or qualitative analysis. Desktop version is good and helps especially with scientific work. Just do not use the web version, then you can be sure that you can work well on your project.

Files are easy to import and you also save time on literature searches because you only have to read books once and then you can easily search for statements within all books.

Web version works too slowly and errors occur when encoding PDF files. There are also problems when exporting projects, so that it is not even possible to continue working in the desktop version. Customer service definitely handles such cases too slowly.

Hello Adrian, thank you for sharing your feedback. I checked the communication between you and ATLAS.ti. After your first inquiry on Friday December 16th , I can see our user support team asked you to invite our technicians to your ATLAS.ti Web project the following workday on Monday, December 19th, but we didn't receive a confirmation from you until Friday, January 6th. That same day, our user support team immediately followed up with our technicians to confirm everything was received correctly, then the following workday Monday January 9th one of our senior technicians wrote you that he is working on it, and we received no further communications from you. Upon investigating (between January 9th and 12th), we saw that the huge PDF you used was "corrupt" and when it was technically translated so that it could be used in the Web version, it created errors because of the characters in your PDF. We then fixed these characters in the translated ATLAS.ti PDF and everything was resolved by Thursday, January 12th. As you can see, we were very responsive (at latest we responded the next day, but mostly during the very same day), and we fixed your problem, which occured because of the characteristics of the PDF that you uploaded, within 3 days which also is a very good time. If PDFs that have these kind of "corrupt" characters are uploaded in ATLAS.ti (or any other web-software) they create problems and this is not our fault and we do not have to solve that problem. Since we try to help every user we nevertheless have taken care of the problem and solved it. Your comments that the Web version creates errors, that the conversion to the Desktop version does not work, or that our support is too slow is just not true and millions of users have no problem with their projects in any way. Of course we know that people can get angry if they face such problems but this is not due to ATLAS.ti as described above. Our user support team is always available 24 hours a day, 5 days a week via live chat, telephone, and email. Please always feel free to reach out to them if you ever have more questions or comments. In the past year, our user support team has received 95% positive ratings from ATLAS.ti Web users, which suggests that ATLAS.ti Web has been successfully facilitating qualitative research and users have been largely satisfied with the support they've received from us. And last but not least, ATLAS.ti is the only software package in that field that offers FREE support 24/5 with not extra costs, with no extra maintenance to pay for etc. no matter if our users are students or researchers in a big company. We were happy to help. See here also the other unique advantages of ATLAS.ti: https://atlasti.com/why-atlas-ti

Replied February 2023

Juan Manuel

Higher Education , 1,001-5,000 employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Navigate through all academia stages with Atlas T.I.

My experience with Atlas T.I. has been excellent. I use the software every single day: as a student, professor and researcher.

Atlas T.I. is a software that ease all type of academic work. Users can read, codify and analyze their course materials, develop literature reviews or conduct entire empirical or theoretical research. Atlas T.I. allows to work with different types of materials: documents, videos, images, news, media, social networks, etc. Furthermore, its analytical and visualization tools permit to arrive in relevant conclusions.

I would like that Atlas would include tools like translations and transcriptions. This will make the workflow easier.

Dear Juan Manuel, thank you very much for your feedback! We're happy to hear that ATLAS.ti has made it easy for you to conduct your literature reviews, empirical analyses, and theoretical research. Our developers are continuously working to incorporate powerful features with intuitive design, including the latest developments in AI, such as Conversational AI, AI Coding, AI Summaries, AI code suggestions, and more. We also appreciate your feedback regarding translation and transcription features. You can indeed use ATLAS.ti to transcribe your data, and you can even synchronise your transcript with the video/audio recording. In addition, ATLAS.ti is one of the only CAQDAS that is fully unicode compatible, so you can work in the original language of your data, whether that is Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, or any other language. If you ever have any questions, count on our support 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, via live chat, email, and telephone. We wish you all the best in your research!

Research , 501-1,000 employees

Used monthly for more than 2 years

Reviewed October 2023

A great contribution to qualitative research

In general it is a tool that I have found very useful in qualitative research with large numbers of data and with research teams and networks developing analyses simultaneously.

It is a very useful tool when working with large amounts of data. It provides very good assistance for the systematization of analysis and collaborative work. It also provides useful outputs to continue with quantitative analysis, and visuals for the representation of the results.

There is still room for improvement in user friendliness, visualization and integration of AI tools. Also in maintaining a price range more suitable for non-commercial uses, e.g. educational and social research. In terms of data, further development of audiovisual data analysis would be interesting.

Dear José, thank you very much for sharing your feedback. We are delighted to hear that ATLAS.ti has assisted you with systematizing your analysis for collaborative work. We strive to meet all qualitative researchers' needs, which is why ATLAS.ti has supported mixed methods research for many years. ATLAS.ti has been serving researchers for more than 30 years, and today we are the leading qualitative research software in the market. We appreciate your feedback regarding the usability, visualization features, and AI integrations. Our mission is to make qualitative researcher for everyone, everywhere, and that is why our AI Lab is continuously working to bring the latest that AI has to offer to everyone's fingertips -- including AI Summaries, AI Coding, and automatically coding for sentiments, concepts, opinions, entities, and more. In addition, ATLAS.ti offers many powerful data visualization possibilities, including networks, Sankey diagrams, force-directed graphs, TreeMaps, clouds, bar charts, and more. Finally, in our 2022 user survey, we found that 97% of users valued how easy it is to use ATLAS.ti. In case you are not seeing any of these latest developments in the interface, visualization options, or AI tools, we kindly ask you to check that you are working with the latest version of the software so that you can enjoy the full host of features (ATLAS.ti licenses offer access to all features on all platforms for one flat fee). Moreover, everyone with an active license subscription can upgrade to the latest version of the software for free. ATLAS.ti is the only qualitative data analysis software to offer all features in one package, so that one flat fee is paid and there are no hidden costs or surprises. In case it helps, we offer student licenses that come with a significantly reduced cost. Moreover, if an ATLAS.ti Desktop+Web license is still too steep, students and other users can work with just ATLAS.ti Web, which has a very low monthly subscription that can be canceled as soon as they are finished utilizing ATLAS.ti. If you ever have any specific questions about how to do something in your project, you can always count on our support. We are here for you 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, via live chat, telephone, and email. A member of our team will always be happy to guide you through any parts of your research process. If you ever have any specific suggestions or questions, we would love to hear from you: https://atlasti.com/support We wish you all the best in your research!

Replied October 2023

Popular Comparisons

Style Intelligence

Main navigation - English

Qualitative research data analysis with atlas.ti.

ATLAS.ti is a computer program that can be very useful for research. It is mostly used to analyze qualitative research data, for example to analyze written interviews or for literature research.

The current version is ATLAS.ti 24. Read more in this ATLAS.ti FAQ: students / staff . Page 2 also lists the invite code needed for access. The licence that expires at the end of March will be renewed automatically. But it is necessary to use the new invite code mentioned in the FAQ.

General information

ATLAS.ti is a computer program that can be very useful for students and staff conducting research. It is mostly used to assist the analysis of qualitative research data, for example an analysis of interviews or literature. SPSS is a widely used program to assist quantitative research while ATLAS.ti supports qualitative research.

ATLAS.ti is software supporting the analysis of qualitative data e.g.:

• Literature research
• Document analysis
• Analysis of (transcripts of) interviews

The number of users is increasing every year. ATLAS.ti is being used:

• by researchers and graduate students in the research group teams
• by lecturers teaching on subjects involving qualitative research, research methodology, interview analysis, or during graduation preparation
• by students in various courses and during research for their theses

The Hague University of Applied Sciences has a campus licence for ATLAS.ti. The licence allows all students and staff to use the complete version of ATLAS.ti on fixed THUAS computers, laptops, in PC rooms as well as on computers at home. Personal licences do not need to be purchased.

The  desktop  versions of ATLAS.ti for Windows and Mac have equal functionality. There is also a simplified  Web  version and there are tablet versions for the iPad and Android. See this  comparison  between the desktop and Web versions. The THUAS campus license allows for unlimited use of all available versions. Updates are available frequently.

The current version is ATLAS.ti 23 . All THUAS desktop and laptop computers version 22 installed.

Starting the program:  Windows start menu  ->  ATLAS.ti

 ATLAS.ti is  64-bit  software and requires a minimum of 4 GB internal memory, which means that it cannot be installed on older 32-bit computers. (Windows see: Settings -> System -> About: Device specifications).

Attention:  projects can be transferred from an older version of ATLAS.ti to a newer version, but the other way around is not possible! There is only backward compatibility. So projects created in version 23 cannot be used in version 2.

All users of ATLAS.ti are required to create a personal account at  https://my.atlasti.com/  where the valid licence code (invite key) must be entered. This applies to THUAS computers as well as private computers. Please note that you can use any email address and password to create an account. For this, choose a unique new password, not the same as for your THUAS login account.

University computers (desktops and laptops) ATLAS.ti is standard software and installed on all desktop computers at THUAS. The licence is renewed annually at the beginning of April. Staff members do not need to do anything and can continue to use the program, even if a warning appears towards the end of the licence period that the licence will expire. Note: with these IT managed computers, the automatic update function is disabled, unlike software that you install yourself. If ATLAS.ti is not yet on your THUAS laptop, you can install it yourself; see the ATLAS.ti FAQ at the top of this page.

Private computers Staff members and students can download ATLAS.ti for Windows or Mac. See this  explanation . The required invite key is on page 3 of the ATLAS.ti FAQ (see at the top of this webpage).

Using ATLAS.ti on laptops and computers that are not managed by the THUAS is at the risk of the user. The university offers no technical support. For the technical requirements, see:  https://atlasti.com/product/technical-info/

• Do not process privacy-sensitive data on private computers and ensure appropriate security measures.
• Use THUAS computers, where the hard disk is protected with BitLocker.
• First anonymise research data before analysing it with ATLAS.ti.
• Use for the my.atlasti.com account a unique new password, not the same as for your THUAS login account.
• Projects can possibly be password -protected (but if you lose the password, you also lose access to the project!)
• Make a backup after each longer work session by exporting the project (File → Export → Project bundle). The backup file with the so-called project bundle has the extension: .atlproj22 or .atlproj23
• Save the file externally e.g. OneDrive; researchers can also use Research Drive .
• You can import project bundles (home screen ATLAS.ti → Import Project) and thus work on other computers as well.
• Also check that the default storage locations are set correctly.

Working with ATLAS.ti

Open: Windows Start menu  -  ATLAS.ti

1. Create a new project Starting screen or File - New: Create New Project Give a project name e.g. the title and date of the research conducted

2. Import the documents Tab Home – Add documents Small triangle: Add files or Add folder contents Select the files and click open

3. Create Document groups Tab Home – Documents – Small triangle: Document Groups New Group; give a name and click on Create

For example: - Scientific articles - Newspaper articles - Interviews

Select the files at the right hand side and click on the left arrow in the Document Group Manager

4. Saving the project without research data File – Save (hidden file)

5. Saving the entire project including research data File - Export - Project Bundle (file extentension:   .atlproj )

We recommend saving a Project bundle regularly as backup! See the online  product tutorial  for projects exchange and mixed Windows / Mac teams

1. Coding document fragments Select a fragment of the document (= quotation). You can add one or more codes using the icons or the right mouse button:

• Apply Codes : use codes on quotation; shortcut Ctrl + J • Code in Vivo: use quotation text as code name; shortcut Shift + Ctrl + V • Quick Coding: use the last applied code; shortcut Ctrl + L • Create Free Quotation: create quotation without codes • Create Link Source / Target: hyperlink between quotations • Copy: copy quotation text

2. Drag and drop • When coding from an existing code list, you can drag and drop codes to the quotations. • You can do this from the Project Explorer or (preferably) from the Code manager

3. Comments • At the right margin of a document you can see the quotations and codes applied. You can add a Comment (displayed as a small yellow marking) to them using the right mouse button. • Comments can be added to documents or the entire project as well.

4. The codes appear in the Code Manager (Tab Home – Codes)

1. You can access the fragments by code in the Code Manager • Go to the Code Manager (Tab Home – Codes) and doubleclick on a code

2. How often do codes occur? • Go to the Code Manager: check the number at “groundedness” next to the code name

3. Compiling reports, output • Create a report of all the marked quotations • Tab Home – Quotations – Report – All items – Grouping: none

• Create a report of all quotations sorted by document order • Tab Home – Quotations – Report – All items – Grouping: documents

• Create a report of all quotation by code • Tab Home – Quotations – Report – All items – Grouping: codes

4. How often do themes occur? • Tab Analyze – Code Document Table • Select Codes or Code groups and Documents or Document groups • You can export to Excel

5. WordCloud and Word List • Open a document and click on Word Frequencies in the Document tab • To omit non-relevant words: click on a stop word list next to Exclude. • Add stop word list: click on the icon "Edit Stop and Go Lists" next to Exclude. • Click on Import Lists, select the Excel file with the desired language and click Open:  Dutch   English   French   German   Spanish

• In ATLAS.ti itself: Windows Start / ATLAS.ti at Resources and Tutorials. From a project: tab Help
• Online user manuals and documents:  https://atlasti.com/manuals-and-documents  
• Video tutorials:  https://atlasti.com/video-tutorials
• Research Hub  with tutorials, best practices and more
• Free and premium  trainings
• YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/ATLASti01
• Friese, S. (2019).  Qualitative data analysis with ATLAS.ti . Third edition. London: Sage. Central location university library, shelf mark 527.9/FRIE Accompanying website
• ATLAS.ti  video blog  Susanne Friese
• Woolf, N.H. & Silver, S.  Qualitative Analysis Using ATLAS.ti: The Five-Level QDA™ Method . London: Routledge. central location university library, shelf mark 527.9/WOOL and as  e-book

Introduction ATLAS.ti  - THUAS library presentation with audio

ATLAS.ti  example projects  a.o. Children and Happiness Example documents Sea Turtles:  newspaper ,  WWF ,  article1 ,  article2 ,  article3 ,  video Example transcripts from Dutch  master thesis :  Annabelle ,  Lisa ,  Maaike ,  Petra ,  Roos Example Dutch project Pedagogy:  zipfile

Users can contact the THUAS Library, functional administrators Niloufar Soekhai and Francesco Izzo with questions about the content and problems in using ATLAS.ti. Helpdesk ground floor library / [email protected] / tel: (070) 445 7888. In case of technical problems, please contact the FrontOffice FZ&IT, Counter Oval 1. iFrontOffice on intranet / tel: (070) 445 7777.

The library also offers support by giving  presentations and workshops  about ATLAS.ti. Target groups are students who come into contact with qualitative research in the run-up to and during their graduation research; teachers/researchers; assessors and PhD students. The ATLAS.ti introduction presentation with audio comments can be  downloaded .

Questions or tips?

Send them to the E-helpdesk

• Research Guides
• Topic Guides

Qualitative Data Analysis and QDA Tools

• Choose QDA software
• Access QDA software
• Find qualitative data
• Share qualitative data
• Teach with qualitative data
• Transcription

What is QDA?

Qualitative research takes many forms but often involves the collection, processing, and analysis of unstructured data, such as interviews, article text, online content, open-ended survey questions, recordings, focus group observations, etc.

Qualitative data analysis (QDA) can be supported by specialized tools and software that help manage, transcribe, organize, code, analyze, and visualize this data to yield insights.

Qualitative Data Support at Temple Libraries

We offer help via email or appointment. We can provide support for NVivo, ATLAS.ti, and some open-source qualitative data tools.

We can help with:

Learning about qualitative data analysis

Choosing QDA software

Conducting qualitative data and mixed methods analyses and using QDA software

Finding qualitative datasets and example studies

Managing and sharing qualitative data

Identifying transcription tools and services

An instruction session on any of these topics for your students or research group

Recommendations for teaching with qualitative data

QDA Software Access at Temple

Temple does not have a university-wide site license for NVivo, ATLAS.ti, MAXQDA, Dedoose, or any other commercial qualitative data analysis (QDA) software.

Options at Charles Library: The Duckworth Scholars Studio computer lab provides on-site access to NVivo and Qualcoder, and both on-site and remote access to ATLAS.ti. Contact the Scholars Studio for more information.

Options at The Tech Center: The computers in the Tech Center have ATLAS.ti installed. A license key is needed to open and use the program. Contact your professor, or your School or College's ITS ( tuhelp.temple.edu or call 215-204-8000) to inquire about getting an ATLAS.ti license.

Additional options: Students may take advantage of discounted pricing for some qualitative data analysis platforms directly from the platform websites. There are also open-source QDA platforms. Temple ITS' Educational Discounts page in TUPortal (login required) also links to third party vendor OnTheHub , which offers discounted pricing on NVivo and MAXQDA.

Olivia Given Castello Head of Business, Social Sciences and Education [email protected]

Will Dean Research and Data Services Librarian Ginsburg Health Sciences Library [email protected]

Van Tran Public Health and Social Sciences Librarian [email protected]

Kristina De Voe English & Communications Librarian [email protected]

Fred Rowland Humanities Librarian [email protected]

H. Alex Wermer-Colan , Ph.D. Digital Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow Loretta C. Duckworth Scholars Studio Charles Library [email protected]

Related Guides

• Computational Textual Analysis by Alex Wermer-Colan Last Updated Aug 11, 2023 654 views this year
• ICPSR by Olivia Given Castello Last Updated Mar 1, 2024 181 views this year
• Qualitative Data Repository by Olivia Given Castello Last Updated Mar 1, 2024 68 views this year
• Webscraping by Alex Wermer-Colan Last Updated Aug 11, 2023 199 views this year
• Research Data Management
• Generative AI and Chatbots
• Next: Learn qualitative methods and QDA software >>
• Last Updated: Apr 10, 2024 5:25 PM
• URL: https://guides.temple.edu/qda

Temple University

University libraries.

See all library locations

• Library Directory
• Locations and Directions
• Frequently Called Numbers

Need help? Email us at [email protected]