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Software and Tools for Researchers: Data

This LibGuide brings together, in one place, software and tools for researchers for digitisation projects and research data management.

Data Analysis

Many of the tools described on this page have similar capabilities so choice is often based upon how commonly they are used within certain disciplines, how well they are documented and how readily available they are in practice.

Textual & Audiovisual Analysis

Textual or mixed method analytical programs are often grouped together under the title of ‘computer assisted qualitative data analysis software’ (CAQDAS). Further information about CAQDAS software can be found on the University of Surrey's CAQDAS page and the University of Huddersfield's Online QDA website.

NVivo

NVivo is a software package created to deal with qualitative or mixed methods data such as interviews and focus groups. This may either be in the form of text transcriptions or certain types of audio and video recordings. It allows extensive annotation and segmentation of data as part of organisation, categorisation and analysis.

Access via UCD's IT services  www.ucd.ie/itservices/ourservices/software/applicationcataloguelist/  and www.ucd.ie/itservices/ourservices/software/softwaredownloads/

 

The following books in the library are useful:

Qualitative data analysis with Nvivo - Patricia Bazeley

Qualitative data analysis: explorations with Nvivo - Graham Gibbs

The NVivo qualitative project book - Patricia Bazeley 

Doing research in the real world - David E Gray

NVivo 10 essentials : your guide to the world's most powerful data analysis software - Bengt M. Edhlund & Allan G. McDougall

 

 

Training

 

From Analysis to Writing - How to Begin Writing your Research Findings

In this video from QSR, Dr. Veronica Richard shares tips for working with qualitative data, to understand important steps in qualitative data analysis so you can write about your findings in cogent ways.


MAXQDA
This is an alternative to Nvivo and handles a similar range of data types allowing organisation, colour coding and retrieval of data. Text, audio or video may equally be dealt with by this software package. A range of data visualisation tools are also included.

Atlas TI
Atlas TI offers similar tools to analyse and code a wide range of text and audio visual data and it is also useful for geo-spatial data.

Numerical Analysis

Excel
Microsoft Excel is one of the most commonly used spreadsheet packages using a grid of cells in rows and columns to organise data. It can be used to carry out arithmetic calculations and display data as graphs, histograms and charts.

SAS

SAS is statistical analysis software.

SPSS
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is used widely in business, marketing as well as academia. It is a starting point for most interested in analysis of statistical data and also produced tabulations and graphics. SPSS may also function as a data organisation and limited research documentation tool. It is easy to learn and is often recommended for general use.

Stata
A software package that is an alternative to SPSS and performs similar functions of analysis, modelling and tabulation. It takes longer to learn than SPSS but is more powerful and flexible. In addition it benefits from regular updates of its techniques. 

PSPP
​Free alternative to SPSS

Cybersecurity

Data Cleaning

Books in UCD Library

Check out the UCD Library Catalogue for books on data analysis and specialist software.

Software Applications in UCD