A utilização de sistemas informáticos “CAQDAS” na investigação qualitativa. a experiência emergente do uso do programa QSR N6 NUD*IST

Abstract

All research procedures have implicit order to respond to research questions and they require a need to find answers to problems or contexts of emerging concern of the investigator.

In this sense, the support that the researcher may have, not only in data analysis but also in understanding the phenomenon under study, goes through different strategies resulting from the type of study, the researcher’s experience and existing resources.

Qualitative research has underlying complex contexts for understanding phenomena that often translate into subjective patterns emerging from the data analysis (Souza, et al., 2011)

The use of software to support data analysis also takes on some controversy (Schmidt & Fields, 2008) however, in our study (Rua, 2009, 2011), we used the software CAQDAS (Computer Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software) program QSR N6 including the NUD * IST (Non-Numerical Unstructured Data Indexing Search & Theorizing) and the same was constituted as an asset, not only with regard to analytical process data, but also in supporting the “structuring of thought” in order to manage the amount of data collected and remove the essential elements for understanding the phenomenon under study.

In this paper we intend to present some theoretical and methodological assumptions as well as the advantages resulting from the use of a supporting software for data analysis in qualitative work, while discussing the prospects “for and against”, submitted by various authors on the usefulness of a data management program, the researcher interaction with their data and facilitating the process of communicating results.